Romeo and Juliet Story Summary, it is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families.
It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers.
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| Romeo And Juliet Summary |
Romeo and Juliet Summary
Prologue: A chorus gives an overview of the play's events. Two noble Verona families (the Montagues and Capulets) have an "ancient grudge" that has lately escalated. "A pair of star-crossed lovers" from the two families will resolve the conflict by taking their own lives. The play will present the story of their "death-marked love."
Act 1, Scene 1: Capulet and Montague servants get into a scuffle, and Tybalt, a Capulet, threatens to kill Benvolio, a Montague. When Prince Escalus sees the brawl, he warns the two families that Capulet and Montague will forfeit their lives if they keep stirring up conflict in Verona. Later, Benvolio gets Romeo, who's been tearful and withdrawn, to admit that he's suffering from heartbreak over a woman who doesn't reciprocate his love. Benvolio promises to help Romeo.
Act 1, Scene 2: Capulet and Montague agree to a truce. Meanwhile, Capulet denies Paris's request to marry Juliet, but agrees to consider it if Paris doesn't meet another woman at Capulet's feast tonight. Capulet's servant Peter chats with Romeo and Benvolio and invites them without realizing they're Montagues. Even though Romeo's love, Rosaline, will be at the party, Benvolio urges Romeo to attend and seek a new love interest there. Romeo reluctantly agrees.
Act 1, Scene 3: At the Capulets', Lady Capulet and the nurse discuss marriage with Juliet. Juliet is uncertain about the subject, but she agrees to check out Paris at tonight's feast and see if she likes him.
Act 1, Scene 4: Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio arrive at the Capulets' feast, wearing party masks. Despite his friends' encouragement, Romeo is depressed and reluctant to enter. He reveals that part of his hesitation is fear: he had a foreboding dream last night. Mercutio says he dreamed last night, too, and launches into a risqué speech about Queen Mab, a fairy that visits people in their sleep. Eventually, though he still fears the party will lead to his death, Romeo agrees to enter the feast.
Act 1, Scene 5: At the feast, Capulet greets his guests, including the masked Romeo and his friends. Romeo sees Juliet from a distance and is struck by her beauty. Tybalt identifies Romeo and wants to kill him, but Capulet stops him, not wanting to break the truce. Meanwhile, Romeo approaches Juliet. They hold hands, kiss, and exchange romantic banter. Later, each learns the other's identity, and both are distressed that they've fallen in love with an enemy of their family.
Act 2, Prologue: The chorus says that Romeo no longer loves Rosaline; he now loves Juliet. However, since the two of them are meant to be enemies, their prospects don't look good. Yet the chorus tells the audience that a blend of passion and opportunity will let Romeo and Juliet enjoy their new love.
Act 2, Scene 1: When it's time to leave the Capulets', Romeo hides from Benvolio and Mercutio, not wanting to go. Mercutio tries to draw Romeo out with suggestive remarks about Rosaline, but it doesn't work, and finally he and Benvolio give up and exit.
Act 2, Scene 2: Still hiding, Romeo watches Juliet on her balcony. Juliet laments that Romeo is a Montague but reflects that "a rose by any other word would smell as sweet." Romeo speaks up and tells her that renouncing his name, or even being killed by the Capulets, would be worth it for her sake. While they are vowing their love to one another, Juliet's nurse summons her. Romeo promises to send a message tomorrow, and Juliet promises to reply with plans to marry him. Romeo decides to ask Friar Laurence for advice about their wedding.
Act 2, Scene 3: Romeo finds Friar Laurence at the monastery. Friar Laurence is shocked to see Romeo so early in the morning and wonders if he was with Rosaline, but Romeo clarifies that he's now in love with Juliet and wants the friar to quickly marry them in secret. The friar worries that Romeo is being too hasty, but he muses that their union could bring peace between the Montagues and Capulets. He agrees to help.
Act 2, Scene 4: Benvolio and Mercutio speculate that Tybalt has challenged Romeo to a duel. When Romeo appears, they exchange provocative jokes about Romeo ditching them for a woman last night, and his friends are surprised at his good mood. Then Juliet's nurse talks to Romeo privately, and he tells her that Friar Laurence will marry him and Juliet that afternoon. He'll send the nurse a rope ladder so he can reach Juliet's room that night.
Act 2, Scene 5: When the nurse returns to the Capulets', Juliet begs her for news. The nurse grumbles about Juliet's prodding and finally reveals that Juliet should rush to Friar Laurence's chamber, on the pretext of going to confession, and the friar will marry her and Romeo there. Juliet eagerly departs.
Act 2, Scene 6: Waiting in his cell, Friar Laurence cautions Romeo about the risks of excessive love. When Juliet arrives and hugs Romeo, the friar muses in an aside that this passion might be too fleeting to last. Still, he urges the happy couple to proceed with their marriage vows.
Act 3, Scene 1: Benvolio and Mercutio encounter Tybalt, Petruchio, and other Capulets walking through Verona. Tybalt challenges Mercutio and then taunts Romeo when he shows up. Romeo tries to defuse Tybalt and Mercutio's fight, but Tybalt fatally stabs Mercutio. Later, Romeo kills Tybalt. When Prince Escalus hears what happened, he decides to exile Romeo for the killing instead of executing him.
Act 3, Scene 2: In her room, Juliet waits longingly to consummate her marriage with Romeo that night. When the nurse arrives with Romeo's rope ladder, Juliet learns of her cousin Tybalt's death. Though conflicted, she grieves Romeo's banishment above all. The nurse promises to quickly fetch Romeo for Juliet.
Act 3, Scene 3: Romeo visits Friar Laurence and is distressed to learn of his impending exile, which he regards as no better than death. He weeps, refusing the friar's words of comfort. After the nurse comes with Juliet's message, the friar exhorts Romeo to behave like a grown man, console Juliet tonight, and then flee to Mantua for the time being. Romeo agrees and bids the friar goodbye.
Act 3, Scene 4: Back at the Capulet estate, the Capulet parents assure Paris that despite the upheaval surrounding Tybalt's death, they are confident that Juliet will obey them by marrying Paris on Thursday.
Act 3, Scene 5: Following their wedding night, Romeo and Juliet bid each other an emotional farewell. Juliet feels foreboding, but Romeo promises to see her again soon. After Romeo leaves, Lady Capulet tells Juliet that Romeo is going to be poisoned for killing Tybalt, and Juliet pretends to be glad. Lady Capulet also reveals that Juliet is to marry Paris, news Juliet desperately resists despite her parents' anger. Juliet decides to visit Friar Laurence for advice, and if he can't help, she will take her own life.
Act 4, Scene 1: Juliet finds Paris visiting Friar Laurence and coldly sends him away. When she threatens suicide, the friar agrees to help her reunite with Romeo at great risk: she must pretend to agree to marry Paris, then drink a potion that will make her appear dead for almost two days. The friar will tell Romeo what's happening so that Romeo can retrieve Juliet from the Capulet crypt and escape with her to Mantua. Juliet eagerly agrees to the plan.
Act 4, Scene 2: The Capulet household is busy with wedding preparations. Juliet returns, begs her father's forgiveness, and humbly promises to marry Paris after all. Capulet then insists on moving up the wedding.
Act 4, Scene 3: Juliet asks her mother and nurse for privacy overnight so she can prepare for her marriage to Paris. Alone, she frets about the risks of the plan she made with Friar Laurence, but she goes through with drinking the potion and collapses on her bed.
Act 4, Scene 4: The next morning, the Capulet home bustles with activity. When Paris arrives, Capulet sends the nurse to wake Juliet.
Act 4, Scene 5: At first, the nurse scolds Juliet for oversleeping, but when Juliet doesn't stir, she cries for help. Lady Capulet, Capulet, and the nurse, soon joined by Paris, believe Juliet is dead and grieve loudly. Friar Laurence tries to comfort the family and encourages them to prepare Juliet's body for burial.
Act 5, Scene 1: In Mantua, Romeo wakes up from a happy dream, only to hear his servant Balthasar's news that Juliet is dead and buried in the Capulet crypt. Romeo immediately races off to Verona, determined to lie next to Juliet that night. He buys a powerful poison from an apothecary, planning to use it on himself.
Act 5, Scene 2: Friar Laurence had sent his friend Friar John to Mantua to tell Romeo Juliet's plan, but it turns out that John was quarantined and couldn't go, so Romeo still doesn't know what's really happened. Laurence makes a new plan to break Juliet out of the crypt, hide her, and contact Romeo again.
Act 5, Scene 3: Paris confronts Romeo outside the Capulet crypt and Romeo kills him. Then, inside the crypt, Romeo admires and kisses Juliet one last time, drinks the poison, and dies. Friar Laurence finds Romeo's and Paris's bodies, and at this point, Juliet wakes up. When she learns what's happened, she refuses to leave with the friar, stabs herself with Romeo's dagger, and dies. Shortly after, Prince Escalus, the Montagues, and the Capulets show up at the tomb, and Friar Laurence comes forward to explain what's happened. Montague and Capulet sorrowfully make peace, each promising to honor the other's child with a golden statue. Prince Escalus concludes there's no story as sad as Romeo and Juliet's.
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| Romeo and Juliet story Summary |
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| Romeo and Juliet Plot Summary |
Questions about Romeo and Juliet Plot
What is the story behind Romeo and Juliet? Romeo and Juliet Summary. An age-old vendetta between two powerful families erupts into bloodshed. A group of masked Montagues risk further conflict by gatecrashing a Capulet party. A young lovesick Romeo Montague falls instantly in love with Juliet Capulet, who is due to marry her father's choice, the County Paris.
Why is Romeo and Juliet Rated R? Dialogue is classic, expletive-free Shakespeare. Heavy simulations of brand names and products. Parents need to know that this film features a considerable amount of blood, violence, and explicit references to sex.
What age did Juliet meet Romeo? Juliet is only 13 at the time she meets and marries Romeo, but we never learn his exact age. Like King Lear, the play was adapted by Nahum Tate, changing the story to give it a happy ending.
Why did Juliet fake her death? Juliet feigns death to avoid her arranged marriage to Paris and free herself to leave with Romeo (whom she has already married). For the trick, she drinks a substance that gives her the appearance of death. She expects that when she wakes from this slumber, she and Romeo will leave Verona together.
How old is Juliet in Romeo and Juliet? Because actors ostensibly need training and skill to navigate Shakespeare's words, most productions of Romeo and Juliet cast performers who are older than the characters as he wrote them: Juliet is 13 (“she hath not seen the change of fourteen years,” according to her father); Romeo's age is unspecified.
Can a 15 year old watch Romeo and Juliet? The MPAA rated Romeo & Juliet PG-13 for scenes of contemporary violence and some sensuality.
Why is Romeo Juliet so popular? Simple in its story line, clear in its affirmation of the power of love over hate, Romeo and Juliet seems to provide both a timeless theme and universal appeal. Its immediacy stands in welcome contrast to the distance, even estrangement, evoked by other Shakespeare plays
When did Romeo sleep with Juliet? act 3, scene 5, They did sleep together after their mystery marriage. Usually made clear in act 3, scene 5, when they wake up in bed together at first light.
When did Juliet fall in love with Romeo? Romeo is a Montague, and Juliet a Capulet. Their families are enmeshed in a feud, but the moment they meet—when Romeo and his friends attend a party at Juliet's house in disguise—the two fall in love and quickly decide that they want to be married.
Who did Romeo love before Juliet? Before Romeo meets Juliet, he loves Rosaline, Capulet's niece and Juliet's cousin.
Did Romeo know Juliet was dead? ACT 5, SCENE 1. Balthasar, a friend of Romeo's, brings him news that Juliet is dead and lies in the Capulet tomb. Resolved to find her and join her in death, Romeo first visits an apothecary and bribes him to obtain an illegal (and lethal) poison.
How is Juliet found dead? As Friar Lawrence enters the tomb, Juliet awakes to find Romeo lying dead. Frightened by a noise, the Friar flees the tomb. Juliet kills herself with Romeo's dagger. Alerted by Paris's page, the watch arrives and finds the bodies.
Is Romeo and Juliet Based on a true story? The story is, indeed, based on the life of two real lovers who lived and died for each other in Verona, Italy in 1303. Shakespeare is known to have discovered this tragic love story in Arthur Brooke's 1562 poem entitled “The Tragical History of Romeo and Juliet”
How old was Romeo and Juliet? in the English poem the story is based on (Romeus and Juliet by Arthur Brooke) Juliet is approaching her sixteenth birthday and Romeo is the same age whereas in the Bandello novella she is nearly eighteen with Romeo about twenty.
What are 3 main ideas of Romeo and Juliet? The most obvious theme in Romeo and Juliet is that of love, but the play deals with many other important ideas too. Shakespeare invites us to examine the importance of fate, death, honour, friendship and duality.
Did Romeo really love Juliet? Romeo and Juliet both had an instant connection with each other and cannot stop thinking about one another. They also both love each other and continue to mention that there is true love between them throughout the play.