Overview and Key Quotes

• The action 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 like this breaks out they will pay with their "lives"
• Paris

  A young nobleman
• Paris 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
• The audience is then introduced to Lady Capulet, Juliet and her Nurse
• Juliet: 'It is a fate that "I dream not of."'
• 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
• 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
• Mercutio and Benvolio are looking for Romeo after the "feast"
• This is the iconic balcony scene where Romeo and Juliet confess their love for each other and plan to be married
• 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
• 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
• The Nurse tells Juliet about what she and Romeo had discussed
• In this scene, Romeo and Juliet are secretly married by the Friar
• 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
• The Nurse returns to tell Juliet the news about Romeo's banishment. Juliet is distraught about it
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Juliet comes back from the Friar's cell revealing that she will marry Paris and so the wedding is moved up
• Juliet soliloquises her fears about the plan but takes the potion
• The Capulets prepare for the wedding
• The Nurse finds Juliet's 'dead body' and the family begins to grieve as the wedding turns into a funeral
• Romeo hears news of Juliet's death in Mantua and, unaware of the Friar's plan, finds an apothecary who gives him a poison
• Friar John tells Friar Laurence that he was unable to give Romeo the letter outlining the plan
• 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
• Elizabethans


  Believed that humans were made of three parts: the mind, body and soul. While all three are separate they are one and the same.
• Due to Romeo's heartbreak


  The three parts of him have been separated and so he is not the normal Romeo or Romeo at all because his heart (soul) has been broken.
• Paris


  • A young man of royal descent
• Lord Capulet


  • Has a discussion with Paris about Juliet's future
• Paris asks for Juliet's hand in marriage

  1. Lord Capulet declines, says Juliet is too young to marry and he will not force her to marry against her will

  2. Lord Capulet says Paris will only have his blessing if Juliet chooses to marry him
• Capulet is holding a feast at his mansion that night
• Capulet sends his servant Peter to give the invites to the guests


  1. Peter cannot read so he asks Romeo and Benvolio to help read the list

  2. Peter informs Romeo and Benvolio of the feast at his master's house
• Romeo learns that Rosaline will be at the feast
• Benvolio thinks the feast is an opportunity to get Romeo's mind off Rosaline


  Romeo only agrees to go so that he may get a glimpse of Rosaline
• Capulet: '"My child is yet a stranger in the world. She hath not seen the change of fourteen years."'
• Capulet's use of "my"

  Juliet is literally his child but also women belonged to their father until they were wed, they then became the property of their husbands
• Capulet's use of "stranger"

  Means Juliet is inexperienced
• Capulet: '"But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart. My will to her consent is but a part."'