Every day, humans ask themselves whether they control the choices they make or whether they are controlled by a greater force. From the first page of Shakespeare's romantic drama, The most excellent and deplorable tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, fate wants to take care of the actors. This deplorable catastrophe is set in Verona, Italy, where two feuding families are at war with each other. Romeo and Juliet, children of the fighting heads of families, secretly marry and ultimately kill each other because society declares that the couple cannot be together. Most people like to place blame on people when negative events happen. Although most people blame personal responsibility, they do so because they cannot control the actions of fate. Human beings blame others only because they wish to completely ignore the impact fate has on the tragic outcome. In fact, circumstances alone are the reason why Romeo and Juliet suffer a tragic ending. Since before the birth of Romeo and Juliet, fate has known of the impending catastrophe approaching and influences the turn of events to ensure the "correct" outcome. Even Romeo knows he is doomed to some “consequence still hanging among the stars” (Shakespeare I.iv.114). He begins to recognize that he is a pawn in this play and has no real effect on the outcome because of this supernatural feeling. Chance has control over the progress of this game and does not let go until the end. Later in the play, Romeo and Tybalt fight and the latter dies, causing the foolish Romeo to be exiled to Mantua. The young man realizes that "[he] is fortune's fool!" (III.i.142). The gallant lover is now sure of destiny's plan to make an example of him. Chance averts the boy's pitiful attempt to escape with Juliet by “sealing the doors [of Friar Joh... middle of paper... Michael. "Suicide." Shakespeare editions on the Internet. University of Victoria. January 4, 2011.Web. January 14, 2012. .“Elizabethan Women.” Information about William Shakespeare. 2005. Network. 14 January 2012. .Lehmann, Courtney. Film adaptations: Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: the relationship between text and film. London: Methuen Drama, 2010. Web.Marlowe, Christopher. “Hero and Leander: a poem”. Poetry Foundation. Foundation for Poetry.2011. Network. January 15, 2012. Risen, Jane L. “Why People Are Reluctant to Tempt Fate.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Vol. 95.2 (August 2008): 293-307. Network. January 3, 2012.http://psycnet.apa.org>.Shakespeare, William. The strange and deplorable tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009. Print.