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, Mercutio says "A plague o' both your houses" (3.1.101). He says it three times to ensure that it becomes a curse. The events of the play appear to grow out of the nexus of fear and anger that gave rise to MercutioÆs dying words.
Romeo kills MercutioÆs murderer, Tybalt, and is banished from Verona forever. A plan devised by the Friar that, while risky, should have worked to allow the couple to escape and marry, went astray. Not hearing about the fakery, Romeo believes that Juliet is dead and poisons himself. When the sleeping potion wears off, Juliet awakes to find Romeo dead. (He has also killed Paris whom JulietÆs father wanted her to marry). Grief-stricken, Juliet kills herself with a dagger. It is easy to see that MercutioÆs curse has spun itself out completely.
The thesis statement of this paper held that chance was only one of the factors that led to tragedy in Romeo an...