Romeo and Juliet takes place in Verona, Italy, where the Montagues and Capulets, two of the most important families in the city, have a long-standing feud.
At the beginning of the play, a fight breaks out between Montague and Capulet servants, which is interrupted by Benvolio, a Montague family member.
The prince comes and breaks up the fight, warning Montague and Capulet that they will be put to death if this happens again.
Lady Montague and Romeo's father, Montague, ask Benvolio where their son Romeo was during the fight.
Romeo tells Benvolio that he's lovesick, in love with a girl named Rosaline who doesn't love him back.
Benvolio promises to help Romeo forget about Rosaline.
Count Paris, a friend of the Capulets, says he wants to marry Juliet, the Capulets' only daughter, but Capulet wants Paris to wait a few years because Juliet's only 13.
Capulet invites Paris to a feast that night, where Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio crash the party wearing masks.
Romeo sees Juliet at the party and forgets all about Rosaline, falling in love with her.
Capulets nephew, Tybalt, recognizes Romeo's voice and is furious that Romeo snuck in.
Capulet orders the table to let it go because he doesn't want any trouble at his feast.
Romeo finds Juliet and holds her hand, leading to each of them discovering their identities and deciding they're too much in love to go back after the party.
Romeo ditches his friends and climbs over an orchard wall to see Juliet, where they confess their love for each other and agree to marry.
Romeo asks his priest, Friar Laurence, if he'll conduct a marriage ceremony, which Friar Laurence agrees to do because he thinks it will bring peace to the feuding families.
Friar Laurence arrives in the churchyard and finds out from Balthazar that Romeo's there, then goes into the tomb to find Juliet awake.
The chief watchman arrives and finds the bodies, sends Watchmen to round up anyone looking in the vicinity, and gets the prince and the Capulets and Montague's.
Romeo tells Paris he's there to kill himself and doesn't want to hurt him, but Paris insists on arresting him, leading to a fight.
Juliet refuses to leave, sees that Romeo has poisoned himself, and stabs herself with his dagger.
Romeo decides to kill himself in line next to Juliet's tomb.
The page whistles because Romeo is coming, so Paris hides.
Friar Laurence sends Friar John out to get a crowbar and says that Juliet will wake up within three hours and be angry with him for not telling Romeo.
Romeo goes to an apothecary, a guy who makes and sells medications, and bribes him to sell him poison, which is a capital crime.
Romeo kisses Juliet, takes his poison, and dies lying across Juliet's chest.
Romeo asks to be laid by Juliet and drags his body into the tomb.
Mercutio and Paris are also dead.
Paris brings flowers to Juliet's grave.
Paris comes to the tomb with his page and tells the page to go lie down under some trees and whistle if anyone approaches.
Romeo wakes up expecting good news, but his servant Balthazar tells him that Juliet is dead.
The Watchmen round up Balthazar and Friar Laurence.
Romeo arrives and tells Balthazar to go, but Balthazar hides and sticks around anyway.
The page runs off to get the watch, and Romeo kills Paris.
A priest named Friar John tells Friar Laurence that he couldn't deliver the news about Juliet's fake death to Romeo.
Montagu promises to make a golden statue of Juliet and Capulet promises to make one of Romeo.
Romeo opens the tomb, and Paris tries to arrest Romeo.
Friar Laurence explains everything that's happened, and the Prince says Capulet and Montague have been punished for their feud and the prince has been punished for tolerating their feud because he's lost two relatives.
Mercutio steps in to fight tabled instead.
Juliet goes to her father and tells him that Friar Laurence has taught her to be obedient.
The friar tells Romeo to go to Mantua the next morning and wait for the friar to send word.
The Capulets find Juliet in bed dead Paris and Friar Laurence arrive for the wedding Capulet Lady Capulet the nurse in Paris all lament that death has robbed them but Friar Laurence.
Friar Lawrence breaks the news to Romeo that he been banished and Romeo wants to kill himself.