Act 1 Scene 1
A fight between the two families on the streets of Verona takes place.
The prince threatens the families for their heads if they terrorized his streets again
Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin) is sent to talk to Romeo because he has been shutting the daylight out of his life and he finds out that Romeo is in or out of love with Rosaline, however he thinks he is not good-looking enough for her.
Act 1 Scene 2
Benvolio and Romeo meet a servant on the street, who was giving invitations from the Capulet family, they help her read the invites, by doing so they think about going to the party and decide to go to find Romeo a woman. Before this, in Capulet’s house, Paris, who is a noble kinsman, was asking Capulet for his daughter in marriage but he said no she is not even 14!
Act 1 Scene 3
Juliet, lady Capulet and a nurse talk about marrying Paris. Lady Capulet and the nurse think it would be good, however you already know what Capulet thinks. Juliet dutifully says that she will look upon Paris at the feast to see if she might love him. A serving man enters to announce the beginning of the feast.
Act 1 Scene 4
Romeo, Benvolio, and their friend Mercutio, all wearing masks, have gathered with a group of mask-wearing guests on their way to the Capulet’s feast. Romeo thinks by going to this party he will die before it is his time ‘to die’. But, putting himself in the hands of He, God, Romeo’s spirits rise, and he continues with his friends toward the feast.
Act 1 Scene 5
In the great hall of the Capulet’s all is a-bustle. The servants work feverishly to make sure all runs smoothly, and set aside some food to make sure they have some enjoyment of the feast as well. Capulet makes his rounds through groups of guests, joking with them and encouraging all to dance. Romeo enters and suddenly he see a girl he is in love with. Probably Juliet. Tybalt recognizes Romeo and reports to Capulet, however Capulet want no trouble in his feast and tells Tybalt to leave him. Romeo and Juliet start meet, however not knowing who the other person was. They talk about their lips and then kiss. ,
The Nurse (maid) arrives and tells Juliet that her mother wants to speak with her. Romeo asks the Nurse who Juliet’s mother is. The Nurse replies that Lady Capulet is her mother. Romeo is shocked. Benvolio shows up and leads Romeo from the feast. Juliet is just as struck with the mysterious man she has kissed as Romeo is with her. She said
‘if he is already married, she feels she will die’
In order to find out Romeo’s identity without raising any suspicions, she asks the Nurse to find out about the young man. The Nurse goes off and returns with the news that the man’s name is Romeo, and that he is a Montague. Juliet is devastated that her enemy is her only love.
Act 2 Scene 1
Having left the feast, Romeo decides that he cannot go home. He must instead try to find Juliet. He climbs a wall bordering the Capulet property and leaps down into the Capulet orchard. Benvolio and Mercutio enter, calling out for Romeo. They are sure he is nearby, but Romeo does not answer. He was hiding from them because Mercutio will and does mock Romeo’s feelings for Rosaline in an obscene speech.
Act 2 Scene 2
Juliet suddenly appears at a window above the spot where Romeo is standing. Romeo compares her to the morning sun. He nearly speaks to her, but thinks better of it. Juliet, reflecting to herself and unaware that Romeo is in her garden, asks why Romeo must be Romeo—a Montague, and therefore an enemy to her family. She says:
Tis but thy name that is my enemy.
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.
She says that if he would refuse his Montague name, she would give herself to him; or if he would simply swear that he loved her, she would refuse her Capulet name. Romeo responds to her plea, surprising Juliet, since she thought she was alone. She wonders how he found her and he tells her that love led him to her. Juliet worries that Romeo will be murdered if he is found in the garden, but Romeo refuses to go, claiming that Juliet’s love would make him protected to his enemies. Juliet admits she feels as strongly about Romeo as he admits he loves her, but she worries that perhaps Romeo will prove inconstant or false.
Act 2 Scene 3
In the early Monday morning, Friar Lawrence ( a priest), holding a basket, fills the basket with various herbs and flowers. While musing on the beneficence of the Earth. He talks about the good and evil in every thing, saying how a certain plant can be used as medicine or in the wrong hands made into poison. Romeo enters and Friar Lawrence knows that Romeo has not slept the night before. The friar fears that Romeo may have slept in sin (have intercourse) with Rosaline. Romeo assures him that did not happen, and describes his new love for Juliet, his intent to marry her, and his desire that the friar to marry them that very day. Friar Lawrence is shocked at this sudden shift from Rosaline to Juliet. He comments on the fickleness of young love, Romeo’s in particular. Romeo defends himself, noting that Juliet returns his love while Rosaline did not. In response, the friar comments that Rosaline could see that Romeo’s love for her “did read by rote, that could not spell.” Remaining skeptical at Romeo’s sudden change of heart, Friar Lawrence nonetheless agrees to marry the couple. He expresses the hope that the marriage of Romeo and Juliet might end the rage between the Montagues and Capulets. This shows fate because we know it will, because in the prologue it says:
And the continuance of their parents’ rage, Which, but their children’s end, nought could remove,
Act 2 Scene 4
Juliet, in her chamber impatiently waits for her nurse, whom she sent to meet Romeo earlier. At last the Nurse returns, and Juliet anxiously presses her for news. The Nurse claims to be too tired, sore, and out of breath to tell Juliet what has happened. Juliet grows frantic, and eventually the Nurse gives in and tells her that Romeo is waiting at Friar Lawrence’s cell to marry her.
Act 2 Scene 5
Romeo and Friar Lawrence wait for Juliet to arrive at the cell. An ecstatic Romeo states that he does not care what misfortune might come, as it will pale in comparison to the joy he feels right now. Friar Lawrence counsels Romeo to love moderately and not with too much intensity, saying, “these violent delights have violent ends”. Juliet enters and Romeo asks her to speak poetically of her love. Juliet responds that those who can so easily describe their “worth” are beggars, her love is far too great to be so easily described. The lovers exit with Friar Lawrence and are wedded.
Act 3 Scene 1
As they walk in the street under the boiling sun, Benvolio suggests to Mercutio that they go indoors, fearing that a brawl will be unavoidable should they encounter Capulet men. Mercutio replies that Benvolio has as quick a temper as any man in Italy, and should not criticize others for their short fuses. Tybalt enters with another Capulet. He approaches Benvolio and Mercutio and asks to speak with one of them. Romeo enters.As they walk in the street under the boiling sun, Benvolio suggests to Mercutio that they go indoors, fearing that a brawl will be unavoidable should they encounter Capulet men. Mercutio replies that Benvolio has as quick a temper as any man in Italy, and should not criticize others for their short fuses. Tybalt enters with a group of cronies. He approaches Benvolio and Mercutio and asks to speak with one of them. Annoyed, Mercutio begins to taunt and provoke him. Romeo enters. Tybalt turns his attention from Mercutio to Romeo, and calls Romeo a villain and other things. Romeo, now secretly married to Juliet and therefore Tybalt’s cousin, refuses to be angered by Tybalt’s verbal attack.
This part of the play has a lot of dramatic irony because only the friar, nurse, Romeo and Juliet know that they are married but no other character knows that. This is an example of dramatic irony.
Tybalt commands Romeo to draw his sword. Romeo protests that he has good reason to love Tybalt, and does not wish to fight him. . Mercutio angrily draws his sword and declares with biting wit that if Romeo will not fight Tybalt, he will. Mercutio and Tybalt begin to fight. Romeo, attempting to restore peace, throws himself between the combatants. Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arm, and as Mercutio falls, Tybalt and his men hurry away. Mercutio dies, cursing both the Montagues and the Capulets: “A plague o’ both your houses”, and still pouring forth his wild witticisms: “Ask for me tomorrow, and / you shall find me a grave man”. Enraged, Romeo declares that his love for Juliet has made him feminine, and that he should have fought Tybalt in Mercutio’s place. When Tybalt, still angry, storms back onto the scene, Romeo draws his sword. They fight, and Romeo kills Tybalt. Benvolio urges Romeo to run; a group of citizens outraged at the recurring street fights is approaching. Romeo, shocked at what has happened, cries “O, I am fortune’s fool!” and flees.
The Prince enters, accompanied by many citizens and the Montagues and Capulets. Benvolio tells the Prince the story of the brawl, emphasizing Romeo’s attempt to keep the peace, but Lady Capulet, Tybalt’s aunt, cries that Benvolio is lying to protect the Montagues. She demands Romeo’s life. The Prince chooses instead to banish Romeo from Verona. He declares that should Romeo be found within the city, he will be killed.
Act 3 Scene 2
In Capulet’s house, Juliet longs for night to fall so that Romeo will come to her. Suddenly the Nurse rushes in with news of the fight between Romeo and Tybalt. But the Nurse is so distraught, she stumbles over the words, making it sound as if Romeo is dead. Juliet assumes Romeo has killed himself, and she resigns to die herself. The Nurse then begins to moan about Tybalt’s death, and Juliet briefly fears that both Romeo and Tybalt are dead. The story is at last straight and Juliet understands that Romeo has killed Tybalt and been sentenced to banishment. he curses nature that it should put “the spirit of a fiend” in Romeo’s “sweet flesh” . Juliet claims that Romeo’s banishment is worse than ten thousand slain Tybalts. She said that she will die without a wedding night. The Nurse assures her, however, that she knows where Romeo is hiding, and will see to it that Romeo comes to her for their wedding night. Juliet gives the Nurse a ring to give to Romeo as a token of her love.
Act 3 Scene 3
In Friar Lawrence’s cell, Romeo is overcome with grief, and wonders what sentence the Prince has decreed. Friar Lawrence tells him he is lucky: the Prince has only banished him. Romeo claims that banishment is a penalty far worse than death, since he will have to live, but without Juliet. The friar tries to counsel Romeo but the youth is so unhappy that he will have none of it. Romeo falls to the floor. The Nurse arrives, and Romeo desperately asks her for news of Juliet. He assumes that Juliet now thinks of him as a murderer and threatens to stab himself. Friar Lawrence stops him and scolds him for being unmanly. He explains that Romeo has much to be grateful for: he and Juliet are both alive, and after matters have calmed down, Prince might change his mind. The friar sets forth a plan: Romeo will visit Juliet that night, but make sure to leave her chamber, and Verona, before the morning. He will then reside in Mantua until news of their marriage can be spread. The Nurse hands Romeo the ring from Juliet, and this physical symbol of their love revives his spirits. The Nurse departs, and Romeo bids Friar Lawrence farewell. He must prepare to visit Juliet and then flee to Mantua.
Act 3 Scene 4
Capulet, Lady Capulet, and Paris walk together. Capulet says that because of the terrible recent events, he has had no time to ask his daughter about her feelings for Paris. Lady Capulet states that she will know her daughter’s thoughts by the morning. Paris is about to leave when Capulet calls him back and makes what he calls “a desperate tender of my child’s love” . Capulet says he thinks his daughter will listen to him, then corrects himself and states that he is sure Juliet will abide by his decision. He promises Paris that the wedding will be held on Wednesday, then stops suddenly and asks what day it is. Paris responds that it is Monday; Capulet decides that Wednesday is too soon, and that the wedding should instead be held on Thursday.
Act 3 Scene 5
Just before dawn, Romeo prepares to lower himself from Juliet’s window to begin his exile. Juliet tries to convince Romeo that the bird calls they hear are from the nightingale, a night-bird, rather than from the lark, a morning bird. Romeo cannot entertain her claims; he must leave before the morning comes or be put to death. Juliet declares that the light outside comes not from the sun, but from some meteor. Overcome by love, Romeo responds that he will stay with Juliet, and that he does not care whether the Prince’s men kill him. Faced with this turnaround, Juliet declares that the bird they heard was the lark; that it is dawn and he must flee. The Nurse enters to warn Juliet that Lady Capulet is approaching. Romeo and Juliet tearfully part. Romeo climbs out the window. Standing in the orchard below her window, Romeo promises Juliet that they will see one another again, but Juliet responds that he appears pale, as one dead in the bottom of a tomb. Romeo answers that, to him, she appears the same way, and that it is only sorrow that makes them both look pale. Romeo hurries away as Juliet pulls in the ladder and begs fate to bring him back to her quickly.
Lady Capulet calls to her daughter. Juliet wonders why her mother would come to speak to her so early in the morning. Unaware that her daughter is married to Romeo, Lady Capulet enters the room and mistakes Juliet’s tears as continued grief for Tybalt. Lady Capulet tells Juliet of her deep desire to see “the villain Romeo” dead. Juliet leads her mother to believe that she also wishes Romeo’s death, when in fact she is firmly stating her love for him. Lady Capulet tells Juliet about Capulet’s plan for her to marry Paris on Thursday, explaining that he wishes to make her happy. Juliet is appalled. She rejects the match, saying “I will not marry yet; and when I do, I swear / It shall be Romeo—whom you know I hate— / Rather than Paris”. Capulet enters the chamber. When he learns of Juliet’s determination to defy him he becomes enraged and threatens to disown Juliet if she refuses to obey him. When Juliet entreats her mother to intercede, her mother denies her help.
After Capulet and Lady Capulet storm away, Juliet asks her nurse how she might escape her predicament. The Nurse advises her to go through with the marriage to Paris—he is a better match, she says, and Romeo is as good as dead anyhow. Though disgusted by her nurse’s disloyalty, Juliet pretends to agree, and tells her nurse that she is going to make confession at Friar Lawrence’s. Juliet hurries to the friar, vowing that she will never again trust the Nurse’s counsel. If the friar is unable to help her, Juliet comments to herself, she still has the power to take her own life.
Act 4 Scene 1
In his cell, Friar Lawrence speaks with Paris about his marriage to Juliet. Paris says that Juliet’s grief about Tybalt’s death has made her unbalanced, and that Capulet, in his wisdom, has determined they should marry soon so that Juliet can stop crying and put an end to her period of mourning. The friar remarks to himself that he wishes he were unaware of the reason that Paris’s marriage to Juliet should be delayed.
Juliet enters, Paris speaks to her lovingly, if somewhat arrogantly. Juliet responds indifferently, showing neither affection nor dislike. She remarks that she has not married him yet. Believing that he must hear Juliet’s confession, Friar Lawrence ushers Paris away, though not before Paris kisses Juliet once. After Paris leaves, Juliet asks Friar Lawrence for help, brandishing a knife and saying that she will kill herself rather than marry Paris. The friar proposes a plan: Juliet must consent to marry Paris; then, on the night before the wedding, she must drink a sleeping potion that will make her appear to be dead; she will be laid to rest in the Capulet tomb, and the friar will send word to Romeo in Mantua to retrieve her when she wakes up. they will then go to Mantua, and be free to live with him away from their parents’ hatred. Juliet consents to the plan wholeheartedly. Friar Lawrence gives her the sleeping potion.
Act 4 Scene 2
Juliet returns home, where she finds Capulet and Lady Capulet preparing for the wedding. She surprises her parents by repenting her disobedience and cheerfully agreeing to marry Paris. Capulet is so pleased that he insists on moving the marriage up a day, to Wednesday—tomorrow. Juliet heads to her chambers to, ostensibly, prepare for her wedding.
Act 4 Scene 3
In her bedchamber, Juliet asks the Nurse to let her spend the night by herself, and repeats the request to Lady Capulet when she arrives. Alone, clutching the potion given to her by Friar Lawrence, she wonders what will happen when she drinks it. If the friar is untrustworthy and seeks merely to hide his role in her marriage to Romeo, she might die; or, if Romeo is late for some reason, she might awaken in the tomb and go mad with fear. Toasting to Romeo, drinks the contents of the potion.
Act 4 Scene 4
Early the next morning, the Capulet house is aflutter with preparations for the wedding. Capulet sends the Nurse to go wake Juliet. She finds Juliet dead and begins to wail, soon joined by both Lady Capulet and Capulet. Paris arrives with Friar Lawrence and a group of musicians for the wedding. When he learns what has happened, Paris joins in the lamentations. The friar reminds them all that Juliet has gone to a better place, and urges them to make ready for her funeral. Sorrowfully, they comply, and exit.
Act 4 Scene 5
Left behind, the musicians begin to pack up, their task cut short. Peter, the Capulet servant, enters and asks the musicians to play a happy tune to ease his sorrowful heart. The musicians refuse, arguing that to play such music would be inappropriate. Angered, Peter insults the musicians, who respond in kind. After singing a final insult at the musicians, Peter leaves.
This scene would have been in the real play a time waster and a chance for the actors to change. They put this in the play because there is only a certain amount of bad things one person can take and the insults humor the crowd.
Act 5 Scene 1
Mantua, a cheerful Romeo describes a wonderful dream he had the night before: Juliet found him lying dead, but she kissed him, and breathed new life into his body. Just then, Balthasar (Romeo’s servant) enters, and Romeo greets him happily, saying that Balthasar must have come from Verona with news of Juliet and his father. Romeo comments that nothing can be ill in the world if Juliet is well. Balthasar replies that nothing can be ill, then, for Juliet is well: she is in heaven, found dead that morning at her home. Thunderstruck, Romeo cries out “Then I defy you, stars”. He tells Balthasar to get him pen and paper and to hire horses, and says that he will return to Verona that night. Balthasar says that Romeo seems so distraught that he is afraid to leave him, but Romeo insists. Romeo suddenly stops and asks if Balthasar is carrying a letter from Friar Lawrence. Balthasar says he is not, and Romeo sends his servant on his way. Once Balthasar is gone, Romeo says that he will lie with Juliet that night. He goes to find an apothecary, a seller of drugs. After telling the man in the shop that he looks poor, Romeo offers to pay him well for poison. The Apothecary says that he has just such a thing, but when you sell poison in Mantua you could get a death sentence. Romeo replies that the Apothecary is too poor to refuse the sale. The Apothecary finally makes his mind up and sells Romeo the poison. When he leaves, Romeo speaks to the poison, declaring that he will go to Juliet’s tomb and kill himself.
Act 5 Scene 2
At his cell, Friar Lawrence speaks with Friar John, whom he had earlier sent to Mantua with a letter for Romeo. He asks John how Romeo responded to his letter (which described the plan involving Juliet’s false death). Friar John replies that he was unable to deliver the letter because he was blocked by an outbreak of plague in the town he was going through. Friar Lawrence becomes upset, realizing that if Romeo does not know about Juliet’s false death, there will be no one to retrieve her from the tomb when she awakes. (He does not know that Romeo thinks Juliet is dead.) Friar Lawrence declares that he will have to rescue Juliet from the tomb on his own. He sends another letter to Romeo to warn him about what has happened, and plans to keep Juliet in his cell until Romeo arrives.
Act 5 Scene 3: FINALE
In the churchyard that night, Paris enters with a torch-bearing servant. He orders the servant to go mark the entrance, then begins scattering flowers on Juliet’s grave. He hears a whistle—the servant’s warning that someone is approaching. He withdraws into the darkness. Romeo, carrying a crowbar, enters with Balthasar. He tells Balthasar that he has come to open the Capulet tomb in order to take back a valuable ring he had given to Juliet. Then he orders Balthasar to leave, and, in the morning, to deliver to Montague the letter Romeo had given him. Balthasar leaves, but, mistrusting his master’s intentions, stays to watch.From his hiding place, Paris recognizes Romeo as the man who murdered Tybalt, therefore as the man who indirectly murdered Juliet, since it is her grief for her cousin that is supposed to have killed her. As Romeo has been exiled from the city on a penalty of death, Paris thinks that Romeo must hate the Capulets so much that he has returned to the tomb to do some dishonor to the corpse of either Tybalt or Juliet. In a rage, Paris approaches Romeo. Romeo pleads with him to leave, but Paris refuses. They draw their swords and fight. Paris’s servant runs off to get the civil watch. Romeo kills Paris. As he dies, Paris asks to be laid near Juliet in the tomb, and Romeo does his death wish.
Romeo enters the tomb carrying Paris’s body. He finds Juliet lying peacefully, and wonders how she can still look so beautiful—as if she were not dead at all. Romeo speaks to Juliet of his intention to spend eternity with her. He kisses Juliet, drinks the poison, kisses Juliet again, and dies.
Just then, Friar Lawrence enters the churchyard. He encounters Balthasar, who tells him that Romeo is in the tomb. Balthasar says that he fell asleep and dreamed that Romeo fought and killed someone. Troubled, the friar enters the tomb, where he finds Paris’s body and then Romeo’s. As the friar takes in the bloody scene, Juliet wakes.
Juliet asks the friar where her husband is. Hearing a noise that he believes is the coming of the watch, the friar quickly replies that both Romeo and Paris are dead, and that she must leave with him. Juliet refuses to leave, and the friar, fearful that the watch is near, exits without her. Juliet sees Romeo dead beside her, and guesses from the empty bottle that he has drunk poison. Hoping she might die by the same poison, Juliet kisses his lips, but to no success. Hearing the approaching watch, Juliet takes Romeo’s dagger and, saying, “O happy dagger, / This is thy sheath,” stabs herself . She dies upon Romeo’s body.
Chaos reigns in the churchyard, where Paris’s servant has brought the watch. The watchmen discover bloodstains near the tomb; they hold Balthasar and Friar Lawrence, who they discovered loitering nearby. The Prince and the Capulets enter. Romeo, Juliet, and Paris are discovered in the tomb. Montague arrives, declaring that Lady Montague has died of grief for Romeo’s exile. The Prince shows Montague his son’s body. Upon the Prince’s request, Friar Lawrence succinctly tells the story of Romeo and Juliet’s secret marriage and its consequences. Balthasar gives the Prince the letter Romeo had previously written to his father. The Prince says that it confirms the friar’s story. He tells off the Capulets and Montagues, calling the tragedy a consequence of their feud and reminding them that he himself has lost two close kinsmen: Mercutio and Paris. Capulet and Montague shake hands and agree to put their feud behind them. Montague says that he will build a golden statue of Juliet, and Capulet insists that he will raise Romeo’s likeness in gold beside hers. The Prince takes the group away to discuss these events, pronouncing that there has never been “a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo”.
