THE TRAGEDY OF CHANCE AND HASTE IN ROMEO AND JULIET

Chance is commonly defined as events that happen unpredictably without discernible human intention or observable cause. Chance is the assumed impersonal and purposeless determiner of unaccountable happenings. It is the thesis of this paper that chance, through a series of missed opportunities and accidents, is one of two factors (the other is haste) that leads inevitably to tragedy in ShakespeareÆs (1595) The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. But, the reader of this play is forewarned that chance (which can sometimes confer blessings and miracles and other times bring about unpleasant, even wretched, circumstances) is about to usher in things that are deeply unfortunate.

With respect to ôchanceö the unfortunate trend events will take are not necessarily impersonally determined. Shakespeare provides a pivotal event, an event around which all things turn dark. When Tybalt challenges Romeo to a duel and friend of the Montegues, Mercutio, jumps forward and draws his sword, he is slain. As he dies, Merc

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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 710
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page)