Romeo and Juliet

• The play "Romeo and Juliet" starts with a fight on the streets of Verona between the Montagues and Capulets
• The Prince threatens the patriarchs of the families that if another fight breaks out, they will pay with their lives
• Paris asks Lord Capulet for Juliet's hand in marriage, but Lord Capulet believes Juliet is too young
• Lady Capulet, Juliet, and her Nurse have a conversation about marriage, and Juliet reflects that it is a fate she does not dream of
• Romeo, lovesick over Rosaline, decides to attend Capulet’s feast where he meets Juliet and they fall in love
• Mercutio and Benvolio look for Romeo after the feast
• Romeo and Juliet confess their love and plan to be married in the iconic balcony scene
• Romeo asks Friar to marry him and Juliet, despite reservations, the Friar agrees
• Romeo and Juliet are secretly married by the Friar
• Tybalt challenges Romeo to a fight, Mercutio is killed by Tybalt, Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished by the Prince
• Juliet is told about Romeo's banishment and is distraught
• Capulet decides Juliet must marry Paris without her consent
• Juliet refuses to marry Paris, leading to her father threatening to disown her
• Juliet takes a potion from the Friar to fake her death to avoid marrying Paris
• The Capulets prepare for the wedding, but it turns into a funeral when Juliet is found 'dead'
• Romeo hears of Juliet's death, buys poison, and goes to her tomb
• Romeo and Paris fight, Paris dies, Romeo drinks poison, Juliet wakes up, stabs herself, and the families agree to make peace
• The prologue sets the stage for the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet, two star-crossed lovers from feuding families
• The prologue is a sonnet, a traditional form for a romantic poem, creating tension and highlighting the love story aspect
• In Act 1 Scene 1, a fight breaks out between the Montagues and Capulets, leading to the Prince's warning and Romeo's love sickness over Rosaline
• In Act 1 Scene 2, Paris asks for Juliet's hand in marriage, but Lord Capulet believes she is too young
• In Elizabethan times, women belonged to their fathers until they were wed, at which point they became the property of their husbands
• Capulet uses the metaphor of "stranger" to describe his daughter, meaning inexperienced
• Capulet instructs Paris to court Juliet and get her heart, emphasizing that Juliet's consent is essential for the marriage to proceed
• Benvolio suggests that Romeo's love for Rosaline will fade when he meets a new lady, using the extended metaphor of love as an "infection" and "poison"
• Romeo expresses his intention to attend the feast not to see other women but to see Rosaline, equating seeing her with rejoicing in splendor
• Lady Capulet, Juliet, and the Nurse discuss marriage, with Lady Capulet expressing concern about Juliet becoming an old maid
• The Nurse reveals her extensive relationship with Juliet, having been her wet nurse and sharing crude sexual jokes
• Lady Capulet informs Juliet of Paris' intentions for marriage, and although Juliet is nonchalant, she agrees to go along with it
• The Nurse boasts about her knowledge of Juliet's age, highlighting her close relationship with Juliet
• Juliet expresses respect for marriage but claims it is not something she dreams of, showcasing dramatic irony as she will later die for love
• Lady Capulet discusses the expectations of women in terms of marriage, emphasizing the strict societal norms and the benefits of a marriage to a noble like Paris
• Romeo describes his depressed state due to unrequited love, using an extended metaphor of having a soul of lead that stakes him to the ground
• Romeo questions the nature of love, expressing its roughness and pain through an asyndetic listing and a simile of love pricking like a thorn
• Mercutio advises Romeo to be rough with love and take control, acting as a foil to Romeo's romantic views on love
• Mercutio introduces the character of Queen Mab, a fairy who gives people dreams of their desires, to prove to Romeo that dreams are insignificant
• Romeo shares his dream of an untimely death after the party, showcasing extreme foreshadowing and dramatic irony
• At the Capulet feast, Romeo falls in love with Juliet instantly, leading to a tender moment juxtaposed by Tybalt's anger at Romeo's presence
• Lord Capulet tries to calm Tybalt down, explaining that kicking Romeo out would ruin the party, and Romeo and Juliet have their first conversation in sonnet form
• Capulet acts as a gracious host, making jokes and ensuring all guests have a good time at the party