The Influence Of Messengers In Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

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Fate is able to exert its influence over the characters and events of the play through the use of messengers. As Friar John returns back to Verona with the critical letter to Romeo undelivered, he gives this as a reason why he was not able to fulfill his mission. “Suspecting that we both were in a house/Where the infectious pestilence did reign,/Sealed up the doors and would not let us forth,/So that my speed to Mantua was stayed.” (5.2.9-12) When the Friar’s messenger explained that his speed was “stayed” because of an infectious sickness, or “pestilence”, he is making an allusion to a higher power, fate. The usage of “stayed” suggests that something was causing the delay, rather than simple coincidence. By acting upon this messenger, Fate …show more content…
Only a supernatural power, such as fate, would be able to influence events so that the messenger would be delayed by plague. Another instance of Fate manipulating messengers in this play can be seen when the Capulet servant sets out to deliver invitations to the Capulet party. This servant is unable to read, and seeks help from Romeo and the other Montagues by asking, “God gi’ good e’en. I pray, sir, can you /read?” (1.2.61-62) The Capulet’s servant refers to Romeo as “sir”, showing that he does not know that Romeo is a Montague, and therefore, his enemy. Despite the servant’s status, it is unlikely that he would have shown respect for any Montague, given the magnitude of the feud. With this in mind, it seems very unlikely that the Capulet’s servant would ask Romeo, a Montague, for assistance out of all the people in the city, without recognizing him. This highly improbable meeting shows the guiding hand of Fate leading Romeo to his first encounter with Juliet. This is an event too strategic and critical to be simply coincidence, which suggests that Fate led this unwitting messenger to
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