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‘Romeo & Juliet’ by William Shakespeare
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The play is set in Verona, Italy and based on two prominent families who have been feuding enemies for years. The families are:
- The Capulets - Juliet’s family
- The Montagues - Romeo’s family
Romeo & Juliet are the star-crossed lovers who die as the result of their parents’ feuds.
[Act 1, Scene 1]
The Capulets & Montagues are fighting on the streets again. The Prince warns both households not to disturb the peace again.
[Act 1, Scene 2]
Romeo thinks himself in love with Rosalind and is lamenting, as she cannot return his love. Benvolio is trying to convince him to gatecrash the Capulet’s feast, where he can compare his fair Rosalind to other beauties of Verona. Romeo agrees to attend, albeit reluctantly.
(334kb) [Act 1, Scene 5]
Romeo & Juliet meet and flirt with each other at the Capulet’s feast, both as yet unaware of each other’s identity.
(361kb) [Act 2, Scene 2]
Soon after, Romeo learns of her identity, but he’s not dissuaded. He finds himself so in love with Juliet, that he re-enters the Capulet’s property and sees her on the balcony.
(478kb) [Act 2, Scene 2]
Likewise, Juliet learns that Romeo, whom she loves, is a Montague.
[Act 2, Scene 6]
Romeo & Juliet meet in the Friar’s cell to be wed.
[Act 3, Scene 1]
Tybalt starts a fight with Romeo, Mercutio & Benvolio. Whilst Romeo tries to halt the fighting, Tybalt manages to cut and hurt Mercutio.
[Act 3, Scene 1]
Benvolio informs Romeo that Mercutio is dead and that Tybalt was back [after having fled the scene]. Romeo vows to avenge Mercutio’s death and slays Tybalt.
(219kb) [Act 3, Scene 2]
Having wed Romeo in secret, Juliet is impatient for the night to come so that she can be with her husband.
[Act 3, Scene 2]
The Nurse informs Juliet that Romeo has slain Tybalt and that he is banished from Verona.
(327kb) [Act 3, Scene 3]
Romeo is despairing as he has been banished from Verona, for the killing of Tybalt.
[Act 3, Scene 3]
Romeo is distraught and goes to the Friar who points out that he should be happy that he and his Juliet are both alive and that exile is not death. He tells Romeo to go to Juliet and to comfort her.
[Act 3, Scene 5]
It is Romeo & Juliet’s first night together, which sadly, also turns out to be their last night together.
[Act 3, Scene 5]
Juliet’s parents have arranged for Juliet to marry Paris on Thursday. Juliet, however, refuses to marry Paris, much to the dismay and anger of her mother & father.
[Act 4, Scene 1]
Juliet would rather kill herself than be married to Paris and goes to the Friar who proposes a solution in the form of a potion that mimics death. She would appear dead and be buried, she would then wake and Romeo would take her with him to Mantua. Romeo would be informed of their plan via letter. She consents.
[Act 4, Scene 3]
Juliet is about to drink the Friar’s ‘potion’ and her mind is beset with all the doubts and fears it poses.
[Act 4, Scene 5]
The Nurse finds Juliet ‘dead’.
[Act 5, Scene 1]
Romeo is thinking about his strange dream when his servant enters and informs him that Juliet is dead. (The Friar’s letter did not reach Romeo). Romeo heads back to Verona
[Act 5, Scene 3]
Having slain Paris, Romeo enters the Capulet’s tomb, and finds Juliet’s ‘dead’ body,
[unaware of the Friar’s plan, as the message never reached him].
[Act 5, Scene 3]
On finding Juliet dead, Romeo kills himself by drinking the poison he had bought from the Apothecary.
[Act 5, Scene 3]
Juliet wakes from her ‘sleep’. The Friar urges her to leave. She refuses. The Friar flees, while she remains and kills herself with a dagger.
[Act 5, Scene 3]
The Prince clarifies the woeful happenings, as a result of which, the Capulets & Montagues make amend.
Synopsis: ‘Romeo & Juliet’ by William Shakespeare
The scene: Verona, Italy
Based on: The two prominent families of Verona, who have also been enemies for years.
- The two families are: The Capulets - Juliet’s family
- The Montigues- Romeo’s family.
Romeo thinks himself in love with Rosalind, and is brooding, as she cannot return his love. His friends encourage him to join them in gate-crashing The Capulet’s Party, which he does reluctantly.
It is at the Capulet’s Party, where Romeo & Juliet first meet and fall in love, being unaware of each other’s identity.
Later, when they do learn of each other’s identity, they’re not dissuaded for their love is so strong. However, knowing their impossible situation, they decide to wed in secret with the help of Friar Laurence and the Nurse.
Not long after, there’s a brawl between Tybalt [Juliet’s cousin], Mercutio [Romeo’s good friend] and Benvolio [Romeo’s cousin]. Whilst Romeo tries to halt the fighting, Tybalt cuts Mercutio and flees. Mercutio, subsequently dies prompting Romeo to avenge his death. Tybalt returns, whereupon Romeo kills him. As a result of this, Romeo is exiled and banished from Verona.
Meanwhile, Juliet’s parents have arranged for Juliet to marry Paris, which due to the recent happenings has been brought forward to the coming Thursday. Juliet refuses to marry Paris and would rather die. In her desperation she goes to the Friar who offers a solution in the shape of a ‘potion’ that mimics death, [ie gives the impression of death when in fact the person is alive]. He would also send word to Romeo informing him of this plan so that he would be there when she wakes from her ‘death’, whereupon he will take her with him to Mantua.
Juliet drinks the potion and is pronounced dead and hence buried. Unfortunately, word of the plan does not reach Romeo. So when he hears that Juliet is dead, he is certain that it is true and makes his way to Verona to die beside his Juliet. At the Capulet’s tomb, he encounters Paris, whom he is forced to slay, and there he finds his Juliet, dead. He drinks the poison he had bought from the Apothecary and dies.
Subsequently, Juliet wakes and finds Romeo dead. The Friar urges her to leave, however, she does not. She takes Romeo’s dagger, stabs herself and dies.
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