Unit 3 Writing Task

You've read a story dealing with tragic love. In The Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet, two lovers attempt to marry despite a long-standing feud between their families>

Use your knowledge of the play to choose and defend a position on the topic of destiny. Based on this story, write an argument in the form of literacy criticism in response to this question:

Which has a greater impact on the characters in this text: destiny or personal choice?

For a model of a well-crafted argumentative essay, see the Launch Text, "Romeo & Juliet: A Tragedy? Or Just a Tragic Misunderstanding?"

Possible Argument Frame/ Sentence Starters

In discussions of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, one controversial issue has been what had the greatest impact on the decisions of the characters. On the one hand, ___(state the argument for destiny)___. One the other hand, ___(state the argument for personal choice)___. My own view is ___(state your side of the argument)___ because _______.

In The Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet, the concept of destiny is explored throughout the story. One instance that clearly demonstrates the influence of destiny is when…

Destiny plays a significant role in shaping the characters' lives in The Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet. Through various events and encounters, it becomes evident that…

The theme of destiny versus personal choice is a central conflict in The Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet. When analyzing the impact of destiny on the characters, it is important to consider…

Exemplary Response:

In the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, the characters are deeply influenced by both destiny and personal choice. While destiny may set the stage for their tragic love, it is ultimately the personal choices made by Romeo and Juliet themselves that drive the narrative and lead to their untimely demise.

One claim that supports the influence of destiny is that the star-crossed lovers were fated to meet and fall in love despite the feud between their families. This claim can be supported by the prologue of the play, where it is stated, "A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life." This implies that their tragic end was predetermined by forces beyond their control.

On the other hand, one could argue that personal choice plays a greater role in shaping the characters' actions. Romeo, for instance, decides to attend the Capulet party where he meets Juliet, showing that his own choices led him to cross paths with his fated lover. Additionally, Juliet defies her family's wishes and secretly marries Romeo, demonstrating her agency and independent decision-making.

Non-Exemplary Response:

In the play Romeo & Juliet, destiny and personal choice have a big effect on the characters. They have to marry secretly because their families hate each other. Destiny brings them together, but their choices make things worse. They should have listened to their families. I think personal choice is more important because they could have avoided the tragedy if they made better choices. They should have just stayed apart. It's all their fault really.