Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet opens with a prologue announcing the story's star-crossed young lovers will die and their deaths reconcile their warring clans. Shakespeare opens his story by boldly announcing the climax of its plot. How can he get away with this? Because the better the storyteller, the stronger their understanding that a story is a journey. That a well-told story makes every step of that journey engaging and dramatic, more than the sum of its parts. Shakespeare can do what most inexperienced writers would be loathe to do -- give away his ending -- because what makes his story satisfying is a separate issue from the mechanical working out of its plot.

Further, by telling the audience the story's outcome, Shakespeare gives the story a poignancy it would lack otherwise. Knowing the lovers will die makes their every step toward that fate more deeply felt. This speaks to that issue of drama being not only the anticipation of action, but the feelings and thoughts that anticipation arouses.

Act One

Scene One

Act one opens with some of the men of Capulet clan meeting on the street men of the Montague clan. A brawl erupts, citizens join in, and the heads of the houses of Capulet and Montague come upon the scene. The Prince of the City arrives. His judgment, if there is more fighting, those guilty face death.

The dramatic purpose of this scene is to introduce that the families are bound together by an ancient blood feud that has grown to a lethal hatred. The scene does this through a measured introduction of characters that always gives the audience time to assimilate who a particular character is, their personality, and their relationships to other characters.

On a story level, because this story is about a conflict between love and hate, introducing the hate that fuels the story's action also sets the story into motion.

In the aftermath of the brawl, a question arises to the whereabouts of Romeo, a young Montague. It comes out that Romeo has been shedding tears and avoiding his kinsmen, but why is unclear. It is left to Benvolio to discover the cause of Romeo's distress.

Story note, the play opens with some hotly contested action that sets up the retribution further conflict will bring. There's clearly something at stake if anyone from either household engages in more brawling. Second, Romeo is mentioned in a way that it's made clear before his arrival he has issues he's dealing with. Because it's made clear he has an issue to resolve, he is a character who is "ripe" even before he appears. The story's audience anticipates some outcome to Romeo's issues.

Romeo enters as the others exit. It comes out quite quickly that Romeo is lovesick. "Out of her favor where I am in love."

Story note, the dramatic purpose here isn't to withhold that Romeo is lovesick.

Scene Two

The Senior Capulet enters, mentioning the ban on any further fighting and that it should be easy to uphold. Note how Capulet's words will come back to haunt him. During this scene, Count Paris reminds Capulet of his desire to wed Juliet, not quite fourteen. Capulet wishes that Juliet be older before she weds, but Paris presses his suit. Capulet invites him to a party that night, and they exit.

Story note, our introduction to Juliet offers a sense of who she is. Further, that Juliet's life is at a moment of potential transition, i.e., she's a "ripe" character.

Enter Benvolio and Romeo, still caught up in his love sickness. They immediately come upon a servingman sent out by Capulet to announce the party to those on a list he cannot read. He asks Romeo to read the list. It comes out that Rosalind, for whom Romeo pines, has been invited to this party. The servingman, grateful to Romeo for reading the list, invites him to the party as long as he's not a Montague.

Benvolio suggests Romeo go, that seeing some of the town's other beauties aid his recovery from his infatuation with Rosalind.

Romeo answers, defending Rosalind,

"One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun
Ne'er saw her march since first the world begun."

Story note, note the speed and ease with which the author has set up Romeo to attend this party. He's even prodded into it by Benvolio. Since to advance the story means bringing together its principals, Shakespeare designs the play to make that happen.

Through these opening scenes the author maintains a measured, brisk, pace that introduces the principles and their issues. He now begins bringing them together in a way that escalates the story's dramatic tension. Romeo going to a party at the Capulet's is inherently dangerous.

Scene 3

This scene opens with Lady Capulet, Juliet's nurse, and Juliet. The nurse is a folksy, humorous character. She ends a long answer to a simple question with the hope she live long enough to see Juliet marry. That becomes the lead in for Lady Capulet to broach her parents desire she consider marrying Paris. Juliet's answer,

"I'll look to like, if looking liking move.

But no more deep will I endart mine eye
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly."

They exit to attend the party.

Story note, again the measured, brisk pace of introducing characters and their issues.

Scene 4

When Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio enter the party, it is a masquerade, which means they do not have to announce who they are, nor are their faces visible. Romeo and Mercutio pause to talk about dreams, then Romeo says,

"I fear too early, for my mind misgives,
Some consequence yet hanging in the stars."

Something about this moment troubles him, but he goes forward.

Story note, to have Romeo and company pause before entering the party allows the drama over what will happen to build for the audience.

Scene 5

Capulet welcomes Romeo and company to the party. Romeo sees Juliet and exclaims,

"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!"

Story note, Romeo falling in love with Juliet is the purpose of this scene, so it is not delayed. The question now becomes, what will be the outcome ...

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"I fear too early, for my mind misgives,
Some consequence yet hanging in the stars."

Something about this moment troubles him, but he goes forward.

Story note, to have Romeo and company pause before entering the party allows the drama over what will happen to build for the audience.

Scene 5

Capulet welcomes Romeo and company to the party. Romeo sees Juliet and exclaims,

"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!"

Story note, Romeo falling in love with Juliet is the purpose of this scene, so it is not delayed. The question now becomes, what will be the outcome of this?

Many writers struggle because they build up to a moment of dramatic tension and then cut away. Shakespeare begins a scene with dramatic tension and quickly works to heighten that tension to a higher release point. It's a subtle point to understand, but a major fault for inexperienced writers is cutting away too early from the tension they create.

Tybalt, who crossed swords with Benvolio in scene one, hears Romeo's voice and sends for his sword. The elder Capulet orders Tybalt to stand aside, and even praises Romeo. Again, an act that will come back to haunt him. Tybalt protests, but Capulet rebukes him and orders him to not upset the party.

Romeo takes Juliet's hand and speaks to her,

"If I profane with my unworthiest hand,
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

Story note, it is the purpose of the scene to show how quickly and deeply Romeo falls in love with Juliet. It is not delayed, nor does it happen off stage.

Juliet is quickly swayed by Romeo's passion. Juliet,

"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hands too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

Romeo kisses Juliet, then again.

Juliet's nurse calls her away, and Romeo learns from the nurse that Juliet is of the house of Capulet. Romeo,

"O dear account! My life is my foe's debt."

Again, the author maintains his brisk pace of setting up and advancing the story.

Juliet, on learning Romeo's identify, speaks,

"My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth it is to me
That I must love a loathed enemy."

This is the end of act one. All the major elements are in place. The hatred of the Montagues and Capulets. That Romeo is lovesick and in love with the idea of love. The fate of what will befall the next person to disturb the peace. And now Romeo and Juliet in love. The curtain closes on a note of high drama and feeling. The storyteller has brought the audience to this height of feeling by potently and directly putting into play the elements of the story. Very little is withheld for some far off plot effect or revelation. What's important to setting up and advancing this story has been presented in a clear, dramatic way with poetic grace and wit.

In a script written by a struggling storyteller, one could imagine the brawl that opens Romeo and Juliet being the climax of act one. Because Shakespeare had a clear sense of his story and how to escalate its drama, he doesn't delay setting out the conflict that fuels it. In this story, if Shakespeare writes that one character doesn't like another, one can surmise they will meet in either that scene or the next. Because of this arrangement of the story's elements, the play's audience develops a sense of trust the author won't introduce characters for no clear dramatic purpose, introduce information but delay its import.

When Romeo is introduced, he is already lovesick, and very poetic and direct about it. What he's feeling isn't withheld to create a revelation at the end of act one. Because it defines Romeo, it comes out in his opening scene. Further, the dramatic purpose of his introduction isn't to make a statement about the kind of character he is. It's to show a young man in the anguish of first love that will quickly be tested. This speaks again to that issue of trust that develops between a writer like Shakespeare and his audience, because one trust Shakespeare to move the story forward dramatically.

Further, Shakespeare writes every moment of every scene to bring out its drama, texture and poetic richness. If a character is angry, they speak of that; lovesick, they speak of their heavy heart; vengeful, they speak of the joys of vengeance. Each moment he creates heightens the drama of that particular moment. The struggling writer is forever doing what I call "describing the furniture." Describing characters, events, environments as if from rote, while the dramatic richness of what should be the heightened moments of a scene are held back for some revelation or plot effect. Shakespeare is both a master of the moment, the scene, the act, the story. He presents passionate, feeling characters in full flower, not as seeds set to bloom late in the fall.

Wonderful structure for the first act of a play.

Act Two

Scene One

The second act opens with a Chorus that posits the problem for Romeo and Juliet:

"Being held a foe, he may not have access."

But the Chorus also points out,

"But passion lends them power, time means, to meet,
Temp'ring extremities with extreme sweet."

Just as the opening lines of the chorus foretells the end of the story, this chorus foretells what will soon transpire in the second act. Again, with a master storyteller, it's the journey the story creates for its audience that is moving, not a withholding of the destination for dramatic effect.

The action of the scene opens with Romeo having two lines,

"Can I go forward when my heart is here?
Turn back, dull earth, and find they center out."

Romeo goes over a garden wall into the Capulet estate.

Story note, Romeo is a lovesick, rash, impulsive character. Shakespeare acts that out by having Romeo voice just two lines before going over the wall to return to Juliet. He doesn't think about it, doesn't discuss it with others, he simply acts on his feelings in a way that advances the story.

Many writers struggle because they spend a great deal of time setting up why characters will do something when they eventually meet. Shakespeare arranges for characters to meet, because in those moments, their goals and feelings are more naturally revealed.

Benvolio and Mercutio see Romeo go over the wall into the field by the Capulet's house. Both Benvolio and Mercutio realize there's no point in trying to find Romeo, who they think has gone off to find Rosalind.

Scene Two

Romeo goes forward and sees Juliet upon a balcony. He speaks of his love for her,

"Oh, that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek."

Juliet speaks from her heart,

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?"

And,

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

Poetic language treasured through the ages.

More, Juliet speaking,

"My love as deep, The more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite."

And,

"Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.
Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow
That I shall say "Good Night" till it be morrow."

Of what can one add to such beautiful language? Spoken in the moment, from the heart, to the heart. Again, these are scenes written from the inside of the dramatic moments they bring to life. They are not words chosen to describe a girl on a balcony, or a young man standing below.

Scene Three

Romeo meets with Friar Lawrence and asks that he perform the marriage to Juliet. Friar Lawrence chides Romeo, that he was so recently lovesick over Rosalind. But he agrees to the marriage because it would end the feud between the two clans.

Romeo, about the marriage,

"Oh, let us hence. I stand on sudden haste."

Friar Lawrence,

"Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast."

Romeo meets Juliet and arranges their marriage. Again, the story is always advancing forward.

Scene Four

Mercutio and Benvolio wonder about Romeo, and think he's still mad in love with Rosalind. It comes out that Tybalt has sent some kind of challenge to Romeo's father, possibly a challenge to Romeo to a duel.

The nurse comes upon the scene with a message for Romeo from Juliet, but first comes a comic exchange between the nurse and Mercutio. It varies the pace of the story. Romeo asks the nurse to have Juliet meet him at the cell of Friar Lawrence to be married.

Scene Five

Juliet waits impatiently for the nurse, who returns but delays offering the message from Romeo to instead offer a list of her aches and pains. Hearing that all she need do to be married to Romeo is meet him at Friar Lawrence's cell, Juliet is ecstatic.

Scene Six

Romeo and Juliet meet at the Friar's cell. They leave with the Friar to be married.

Friar,

"Come, come with me, and we will make short work,
For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone
Till Holy Church incorporate two in one."

Story note, the preceding four scenes have all been brief, focused, and have quickly advanced the story. Because the story is not about the details of how Romeo and Juliet get married, Shakespeare does not dwell on those scenes Once a scene has fulfilled its dramatic purpose of advancing the story in a dramatic way, it's over.

This scene ends Act Two. The act answers the question, can Romeo and Juliet be together? It also leaves the question, will they be able to be together to open the Third Act. It's important that a storyteller be able to see how far this second act has advanced the story at a measured, brisk pace, even while it left open one question to draw the audience back into the third act. Many writers struggle because they withhold and delay a great deal of their story to create a single, powerful revelation. Shakespeare, however, made the journey of the story itself a revelation, with this question at the end of the act something that adds to the story's drama.

Act Three

Scene One

The intensity of the story heightens with the opening scene of Act Three. Benvolio and Mercutio come upon Tybalt. They taunt each other, and then Romeo arrives on the scene. Tybalt challenges Romeo to a duel, which Romeo refuses, hinting that he and Tybalt have no cause for quarrel no.,

"And so, good Capulet, which name I tender
As dearly as mine own, be satisfied."

Romeo's words infuriate Mercutio, who draws his sword and challenges Tybalt. Tybalt mortally wounds Mercutio. Romeo responds,

"...Tybalt, that an hour
Hath been my cousin! Oh, sweet Juliet,
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate
And in my temper softened valor's need."

Tybalt returns and again challenges Romeo. Romeo slays Tybalt.

The Prince is immediately upon the scene, with the heads of the clans Capulet and Montague. For his part in Tybalt's death, the Prince exiles Romeo from Verona.

That ends the scene.

Scene Two

Juliet awaits Romeo, when the nurse enters with news of his banishment. Juliet speaks of killing herself over her grief at the loss of Romeo,

"I'll to my wedding bed
And death, not Romeo, take my maidenhead."

The nurse promises to find a way to bring Romeo to her.

Scene Three

Friar Lawrence tells Romeo he is banished, thinking it a good end to a bad situation. Romeo feels only his grief over the fated loss of Juliet. The nurse arrives with news of Juliet, that she grieves deeply the loss of Romeo. Plans are made that Romeo will come to Juliet, and that the Friar will arrange for them to leave Verona together.

Scene Four

Count Paris approaches Capulet and pushes for his marriage to Juliet. Capulet gives in to a marriage within three days.

Story note, the dramatic purpose of this scene is to escalate the pressure on Juliet.

Shakespeare introduces characters when they have a dramatic purpose in the story. For example, he introduced Count Paris earlier in a scene where he asks for the hand of Juliet. That scene serves the dramatic purpose of showing that Juliet being considered for an arranged marriage. His new proposal escalates the drama around whether she can be with Romeo. Friar Lawrence, on the other hand, only enters the story when he has a dramatic purpose to serve, arranging for the marriage of Romeo and Juliet. He's not simply introduced earlier as a background character, because that would serve no dramatic purpose. Many writers struggle because they use the opening scenes of their plays to introduce characters whose dramatic purpose in the story only becomes clear later.

Scene Five

As another day dawns, Romeo and Juliet prepare to separate.

Juliet,

"Then, window, let day in, and let life out."

Romeo,

"Farewell, farewell, one kiss and I'll descend."

Juliet has a premonition of Romeo's death, which frightens her. Romeo departs, and Juliet's mother comes on the scene. She vows to Juliet that when Romeo is exiled, someone will be sent to kill him. When Juliet is told of the plan she marry Count Paris, she counters that it is only Romeo she will wed.

Juliet's father refuses to hear why she resists marrying Count Paris. He exits. Juliet's mother refuses to listen to Juliet as well, and also exits. Juliet sends word to her parents she's going to see Friar Lawrence to seek absolution. Her final words,

"If all else fail, myself have power to die."

In this scene Juliet shows herself to be a character willing to die rather than submit to her parents concerning the marriage to Count Paris. By speaking these words to end Act Three, the audience is cued to Juliet's dramatic dilemma and one solution, and drawn back to the next act to find the answer. Another powerful, well-developed Act.

Act Four

Scene One

Count Paris visits Friar Lawrence to arrange his marriage to Juliet. He explains her reluctance arising from her grief over Tybalt's death. Juliet arrives and she speaks to Paris about her love for Romeo, but in a veiled way. He, not understanding, takes his leave. Juliet pours out her grief to the Friar, and shows him the knife she will use to take her life if something cannot be done. The Friar gives Juliet a potion that will make her appear as dead, that she should take the night before her wedding to Paris. Juliet agrees to take it. Once again she acts out her determination to control her own fate. The Friar also tells Juliet that he will send a note to Romeo through a courier, so Romeo will not be alarmed at her supposed death.

Story note, once again, Shakespeare brings together the principles whose actions advance the story. Romeo's thoughts about his exile to another town and his journey there, for example, serve no dramatic purpose to this story, so they are not included.

Scene Two

Juliet returns home and finds her father preparing for her wedding. She now pretends that she will honor his request to marry Count Paris. Her father is so delighted, he says the wedding should happen the very next day.

Story note, Shakespeare deliberately heightens the dramatic pressure not only on Juliet, but on the audience as well, by hastening the marriage. The storyteller is always looking for ways to increase the dramatic pressure on their characters, not to reduce it.

Scene Three

Juliet speaks to her mother, that all is in preparation for the next day, words rich in irony. Juliet,

"No, madam, we have culled such necessaries
As our behooveful for our state tomorrow."

Juliet takes out the vial and wonders if it is really a poison that will kill her and save the Friar the embarrassment of having married her to Romeo.

Finally, Juliet drinks from the vial, with the words,

"Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here's drink. I drink to thee."

Scene Four

The elder Capulet and the nurse stay up preparing for the wedding. The approach of Count Paris heard, Capulet sends the nurse to awaken Juliet.

Scene Five

The nurse finds Juliet seemingly dead and calls for others. Lady Capulet is first on the scene, followed by Juliet's father. They mourn Juliet's death. Moments later, Friar Lawrence is on the scene with Count Paris. Friar Lawrence instructs that Juliet's body be taken to the church for her internment. The scene ends with an exchange between a Capulet serving man and the musicians trying to think of a way to at least get a meal for their labors of coming to the Capulet estate.

These five scenes constitute the Fourth Act. They all revolve around Juliet and her determination to do whatever must be done to be with Romeo and not marry Count Paris. In these scenes Juliet comes to life as a fully dimensional character whose actions advance the story to its final act.

Act Five

Scene One

A man brings Romeo news of Juliet's death. Romeo is bereaved, but still asks if the man brings a letter from Friar Lawrence. When the answer is "no," Romeo instructs the man to hire him a horse to take him to Verona. As soon as the man departs, Romeo speaks of his intentions,

"Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight."

Story note, as always, Romeo speaks directly and to the point about his intentions. And by making his intentions clear, the drama of the story is heightened.

When Romeo tries to buy a poison to take his life, the apothecary hesitates, because it's against the law. Even this moment in the story is presented in a way that its drama is heightened.

Scene Two

Friar Lawrence is told the letter he sent to Romeo about Juliet's seeming death was not delivered. Friar Lawrence realizes he must go immediately to Juliet's tomb and break in to forestall a new tragedy.

Scene Three

Paris comes to see Juliet in her tomb. Soon afterwards, Romeo arrives determined to join Juliet in death. He asks that Balthasar, his companion, take a letter to his father. Paris comes upon Romeo and blames him for Juliet's death, thinking that she killed herself over grief for Tybalt. Romeo tries to tell Paris that he's at Juliet's tomb to join her, but Paris insists on taking Romeo into custody. Romeo draws his sword and slays Paris, who asks with his dying words to join Juliet. Romeo realizes then that it is Count Paris, a kinsman of Mercutio, which adds to his grief.

Romeo opens Juliet's tomb and speaks,

"For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes
This vault a feasting presence full of light."

Romeo kisses Juliet, then drinks his poison. As soon as he falls dead, Friar Lawrence comes on the scene and finds Paris and Romeo. At that moment, Juliet awakes and asks for Romeo. Friar Lawrence, hearing others approach, wants to take Juliet away to be a nun, but she refuses. Friar Lawrence leaves, and Juliet picks up Romeo's dagger and speaks,

"O, happy dagger,

This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die."

Juliet kills herself.

Others come upon the scene and a search is mounted to discover what has happened. The heads of the clans Capulet and Montague are sent for, and the Prince of Verona. Balthasar is found and Friar Lawrence.

Romeo's father arrives on the scene with news that his wife has died that night.

The Prince demands an explanation of the events. Friar Lawrence tells him of how the events transpired that led to the deaths of Romeo, Juliet and Paris. The Prince reads Romeo's suicide note, then turns to Capulet and Montague and says,

"Where be these enemies? -- Capulet, Montague,
See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love,
And I, for winking at your discords too,
Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished."

Capulet responds,

"O brother Montague, give me thy hand.
This is my daughter's jointure, for no more
Can I demand."

Montague,

"But I can give thee more,
For I will ray her statue in pure gold,
That whiles Verona by that name is known,
There shall no figure at such rate be set
As that of true and faithful Juliet."

The play ends with a summation by the Prince and the final lines of the play,

"For never was a story of more woe
than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

As with all the other scenes of the play, these final scenes bring together characters at the height of their feelings. It places them into an arena where they interact in a way that advances the play to its resolution -- the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. The plot also advances the story to its fulfillment, that the love of Romeo and Juliet is so great as to defy even death and reunite their families.

Summary

Every character and every scene of Romeo and Juliet speaks to an underlying dramatic purpose. Every character's actions act out the story from its introduction. The story's complications heighten its drama by blocking its movement toward resolution. Its dramatic resolution sets up the story's fulfillment. Because every moment in every scene speaks to the dramatic purpose of the story, it sets up between author and audience a trust that enables the story's audience to more deeply internalize the story's movement.

Some reviews of the structure of the play point out that much of the action is determined by chance events and meetings. The letter to Romeo not being delivered, etc. While these points are true, they actually point out the strength of the story. That it engages and absorbs the attention of its audience in spite of these issues. It does this because so much of the play is so well done and richly textured and moving. It is the writer who fails to move their audience who more rightly fears an audience with time weighing heavily noticing each and every flaw of a story's structure.

Shakespeare is rightly renown as one of the great artists of all time as revealed by the craft of the story Romeo and Juliet.

Romeo and Juliet

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