overview of text

• act 1 scene 1

  • the action starts with a fight on the streets of Verona between the Montagues and Capulets
  • the fight breaks up and the Prince threatens the patriarchs of the families that if another fight like this breaks out they will pay with their “lives”
• act 1 scene 2

  • after this, Paris, a young nobleman, asks Lord Capulet for Juliet's hand in marriage
  • Lord Capulet believes Juliet is too young but invites Paris to a feast that he is throwing, giving Paris an opportunity to “woo” Juliet
• act 1 scene 3

  • the audience is then introduced to Lady Capulet, Juliet and her Nurse
  • they have a conversation about marriage and Juliet reflects that it is a fate that “I dream not of.''
• act 1 scene 4

  • the audience is then introduced to a lovesick Romeo who through the encouragement of Mercutio chooses to go to Capulet’s feast to distract himself from how much he misses Rosaline
• act 1 scene 5

  • the two lovers meet in this scene at Capulet’s feast and fall in love, but quickly find out that they belong to the opposing families
• act 2 scene 1

  • Mercutio and Benvolio are looking for Romeo after the “feast”
• act 2 scene 2

  • this is the iconic balcony scene where Romeo and Juliet confess their love for each other and plan to be married
• act 2 scene 3

  • Romeo meets with the Friar to ask if he will marry Romeo and Juliet
  • despite the Friar’s reservations he agrees to marry the couple, hopeful about the peace it could bring to the families
• act 2 scene 4

  • the Nurse meets with Romeo, Romeo tells her that Juliet should meet him in Friar Laurence’s cell
  • they make plans to consummate the marriage
• act 2 scene 5

  • the Nurse tells Juliet about what she and Romeo had discussed
• act 2 scene 6

  • in this scene, Romeo and Juliet are secretly married by the Friar
• act 3 scene 1

  • Tybalt challenges Romeo to a fight but Romeo refuses
  • Mercutio steps in and is killed by Tybalt
  • Romeo is then filled with a murderous rage and kills Tybalt
  • the Price hears about this from Benvolio and then banishes Romeo
• act 3 scene 2

  • while Juliet waits at home for her new husband, the Nurse returns to tell Juliet the news about Romeo’s banishment
  • Juliet is distraught about it
• act 3 scene 3

  • the Friar tells Romeo about his banishment and Romeo is troubled and threatens to kill himself
  • the Nurse comes with news saying Juliet is in the same state
  • the Friar comes through with a plan to save the couple
  • he sends Romeo to Mantua
• act 3 scene 4

  • in light of Tybalt’s death, Capulet decides (in hopes of making Juliet feel happier) that his daughter must marry Paris without asking her opinion
• act 3 scene 5

  • Juliet is told about her fate to marry Paris
  • she refuses to marry him which leads to her father threatening to disown her
  • Juliet goes to the Friar to help
• act 4 scene 1

  • Paris goes to the Friar in preparation for the wedding; Juliet is also there but tries to ignore Paris’ advances
  • when Paris leaves Juliet starts to weep asking for advice from the Friar
  • he sets in motion a plan to rescue the lovers
  • he gives Juliet a potion that will make it look like she's dead and tells Friar John to go to Mantua to tell Romeo of the plan
• act 4 scene 2

  • Juliet comes back from the Friar’s cell revealing that she will marry Paris and so the wedding is moved up
• act 4 scene 3

  • Juliet soliloquises her fears about the plan but takes the potion
• act 4 scene 4

  • the Capulets prepare for the wedding
• act 4 scene 5

  • the Nurse finds Juliet’s ‘dead body’ and the family begins to grieve as the wedding turns into a funeral
• act 5 scene 1

  • Romeo hears news of Juliet’s death in Mantua and, unaware of the Friar’s plan, finds an apothecary who gives him a poison
• act 5 scene 2

  • Friar John tells Friar Laurence that he was unable to give Romeo the letter outlining the plan
• act 5 scene 3

  • Paris protects Juliet’s tomb, Romeo enters trying to find Juliet the two fight and Paris dies
  • Romeo sees Juliet, drinks the poison, dies, Juliet wakes up as Friar Laurence arrives, he then goes outside as he hears voices
  • Juliet then takes Romeo's dagger and stabs herself
  • the families of the lovers enter the scene and agree to make peace