Romeo and Juliet; doomed from the outset?

One of the most important issues in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is that of choice. Do the characters have the ability to choose what they want to do or are they simply destined to participate in death and destruction? There is ample evidence of both fate and free will in the play and the presence of both greatly affects the interpretation of the plot and the characters.
Fate, in the play, seems insurmountable. This underlying force in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet controls the lovers' lives and destiny. The feud, on the other hand, is a more obvious and transparent obstacle for the…