Enter Juliet (Capulet). Juliet is at the age where she should be married (almost fourteen- that was customary at the time). Juliet’s nurse and mother tell her this and suggest the valiant Paris as a husband. The Nurse, a funny character, adds, "Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days" as she leaves Juliet.
Enter problem number one. This is a Capulet ball. Romeo is a Montague. They sneak into the party and hide under masks. Tybalt spots Romeo and is angered, but his father refuses to let him cause chaos at his party. Then Romeo sees Juliet (Capulet). They fall in love with each other and sneak to the back and kiss. Enter problem number two. Only after the party is over do the two lovers realize that they are from opposing families. Juliet laments, "My only love sprung from my only hate!" because she is in love with Romeo but the Montagues are her mortal enemies.
Romeo, unwilling to leave Juliet, sneaks into the Capulet orchid to watch her. This is when the famous balcony scene takes place. Juliet is talking to herself and delivers the line, "O Romeo, Romeo, Wherefore art thou Romeo?" This means why is your name Romeo, as in why does Romeo have to be a Montague. She expresses her love for Romeo, unaware that he is watching her. After she talks for a while, he climbs up the balcony and tells of his love for her. They exchange vows and promise to marry the next day at Friar Laurence’s cell.
Romeo, who hasn’t slept, arrives at Friar Laurence’s cell the next morning to ask the Friar to marry them. At first the Friar disagrees, but then he thinks that their marriage may end the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. He agrees to marry them, but cautions Romeo that it is not wise to rush into things.
Tybalt delivers a challenge to fight Romeo through Mercutio and Benvolio.
After Mercutio teases Juliet’s Nurse, Romeo tells her that he will marry Juliet that afternoon. The Nurse returns home to an impatient Juliet and reveals to her that Romeo still wants to marry her. Romeo and Juliet are secretly married by Friar Laurence.
Tybalt challenges Romeo once again, but Romeo refuses to fight (since Tybalt is now his cousin). However, Mercutio fights Tybalt and is fatally stabbed. With Mercutio’s death, Romeo demands revenge and kills Tybalt. This is the climax of the play.
Romeo hides in the Friar’s cell and learns his punishment: exile. In those days, the punishment of exile seemed worse than death because it was a banishment from everything one knew. To top it off, Romeo would not be able to see his love, Juliet. Romeo, distressed, attempts suicide. The Friar scolds him and explains to Romeo that everything will be all right. Romeo should go see Juliet and then leave for Mantua, the next town. Friar Laurence will explain the situation to both families and then Romeo can return safely. Romeo cheers up and visits his new wife.
However, another problem soon arises. The fine young Paris wishes to take Juliet’s hand in marriage. Her father, assuming that Juliet will be pleased, sets the wedding date for Thursday (3 days later). After Juliet refuses to marry Paris (she is already married to Romeo), her father becomes very upset. He hits her and promises to disown her if she does not marry Paris. Her mother and even her loving Nurse are of no help, so Juliet runs off to the Friar.
Juliet, like Romeo, believes that the only solution is suicide, but the Friar talks her out of it. He has a drug that will make Juliet appear dead for 42 hours. The Friar tells Juliet to take it the night before her wedding. Meanwhile, he will send a notice to Romeo to return from Mantua. When Juliet awakes from her "nap," Romeo will be there waiting for her. The plan sounds like it will work and Juliet takes the drug.
Juliet pretends to consent to her father’s wishes and acts as if she is delighted to be married. Her father is so happy that the wedding is moved up one day. Tuesday night, Juliet becomes afraid that the plan will not work, becoming suspicious of the Friar. She takes a dagger to kill herself in case the drug fails. Finally, Juliet overcomes her fears and because of her love for Romeo; she drinks the liquid.
Wednesday morning, the Nurse finds her dead and a funeral is planned. Juliet’s and the Friar’s plot should work, but the message sent to Romeo about the plan never reaches him. Instead, Romeo’s messenger Balthasar tells Romeo that Juliet is dead. Romeo, determined not to believe that his love is dead until he has seen it with his own eyes, rides off to Verona. But before arriving there, he stops by an apothecary to buy poison. If the news is true, he will commit suicide.
Romeo enters the burial vault of the Capulets to take one last look at Juliet. Upon entering, he confronts Paris, who thinks that Romeo has come to desecrate the tombs. Paris is killed and lain next to Juliet, as is his last wish. After Romeo delivers a monologue on the infinite beauty of Juliet, he drinks his poison and dies. The Friar arrives just a minute too late, finding both
Romeo and Paris dead. Juliet awakens, looking for her Romeo. Seeing him dead on the ground, she tries to drink some of his poison but the vial is empty. Juliet takes out her dagger and stabs herself.
The two star-crossed lovers had to give their life in order for their families to end their fighting. Romeo and Juliet ends with these words:
For never was a story of more woe (sorrow)
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.
Characters
Romeo- He is the only child of the Montagues. Romeo is quiet and mourning about his love for Rosaline in the beginning. After discovering Juliet, he becomes more vibrant and passionate. He is willing to do anything, including die, in order to be with his love. Romeo is impulsive, wanting to get married right away and not thinking about the consequences.
Juliet- She is an innocent thirteen year old girl, the only daughter of the Capulets. Juliet discovers love in Romeo and has to face the lost of her love when he is exiled. She becomes mature and independent as the play develops. She controls her temper and is strong-willed, leaving her parents and Nurse to do what she believes is right. She is willing to die for a loved one.
Tybalt- Juliet’s cousin, has a temper and hates all Montagues. He demands revenge on Romeo at the Capulet ball and kills Mercutio. He is killed by Romeo.
Mercutio- Romeo’s best friend, he’s a bit eccentric and enjoys having a good time. Killed by Tybalt in a duel, he is quite a courageous character who remains faithful to Romeo.
Nurse- Juliet’s Nurse who is closer to Juliet than her mother is; she nursed baby Juliet. She is a comical character, who mourns over her lost daughter and husband, yet constantly delivers sexual jokes. Always talkative and playful, she urges Juliet to "seek happy nights." The Nurse also provides support for Juliet and knows about her marriage to Romeo. Only in the end does Juliet abandon her.
Paris- Fine, handsome suitor of Juliet who is killed by Romeo in a duel at the Capulet tomb. He is related to the Prince.
Friar Laurence- Romeo’s friend who advises him in many ways; he is wise and practical, unlike the passionate lovers. The Friar marries Romeo and Juliet in an attempt to bring peace to their families. All his efforts are for the good of others, but they do not work out in the end.
Benvolio- Romeo’s cousin and friend, he tries to comfort Romeo from his love sickness over Rosaline. Benvolio is very peaceful, always trying to stop conflicts between the Montagues and the Capulets. He explains to the Prince why Romeo killed Tybalt.
Escalus, Prince of Verona- He warns Montague and Capulet that the next time a riot breaks out between their families, the punishment will be death. He keeps order in Verona.
Montague- Romeo’s father who worries about his son’s depression in the beginning of the play, doesn’t have a main role after that.
Lady Montague- Romeo’s mother, who also worries about her son. She dies grieving for her child.
Capulet- Juliet’s father, does not want to cause trouble with Montague, defends Romeo from Tybalt at the ball. He does have a temper problem, and threatens to disown Juliet if she doesn’t marry Paris.
Lady Capulet- Juliet’s mother, doesn’t have a close relationship with her daughter and needs the Nurse at important times. She wants Romeo killed because he killed Tybalt.
The Apothecary- Illegally sells Romeo the poison (which Romeo kills himself with) because Romeo offers him a large sum of money.
Friar John- He is sent by Friar Laurence to Mantua with a message for Romeo explaining the secret plan of Juliet and the Friar.
However, he is not allowed into Mantua for fear that he carries the plague, therefore Romeo believes that Juliet is dead.
Balthasar- Romeo’s servant, tells Romeo that Juliet is dead.
Samson and Gregory- Capulet servants, they fight with Montague servants in the beginning.
Abraham- Montague servant, throws insults at Capulet servants in beginning.
Peter- Juliet’s nurse’s servant
Themes, Applications, and Essays
Straight to the essays
How does Romeo and Juliet apply to teenagers today? Well, first of all, it can be seen simply as an entertaining story. It’s a tragic love story between two teenagers. But, if you look into the themes of the play, you will see that there are many lessons we can learn from the two doomed lovers. Shakespeare Alive provides this teaching resource that shows how the play is applicable to teenagers today. Another resource from the Shakespeare Alive page is a Romeo and Juliet role play.
Theme 1- LOVE
Love plays an important role in Romeo and Juliet. Throughout the play, one can analyze the different types of love that Shakespeare explores. First, there is lustful love. This is basically love for the purpose of sexual pleasure. First shown in the conversation between Sampson and Gregory, this type of love is also illustrated by the Nurse and her comments to Juliet. The second type of love is infatuation. Romeo thinks he’s in love and moans over Rosaline. How many people can relate to that?
Much of teenage love is simply in the head--- you think that you have found the "only one," when you’ve really only found an obsession. The third type of love is the one illustrated with Paris. In the play, this has to do with the fact that marriages were arranged. Paris is the guy that Juliet’s parents think is fit for her. In today’s society, Paris can be seen as the stereotypical guy (or girl). He/She seems perfect and your parents love him/her, but that isn’t love. Love is not an image; it’s a commitment.
Finally, we come to true, 100% pure love. When Romeo meets Juliet, he knows that she’s different. Love changes people.
Romeo became a more passionate, eager person and Juliet became more independent. Most importantly, love lasts through hardships. Love is not just a feeling; it is something that a person is willing to do something for. In the extreme case of Romeo and Juliet, they were each willing to die for each other--- that is love. Their love was so strong that they were willing to go against years of hatred between their families and try to make things work.
Now the warning: don’t rush out and marry some guy/girl that you meet at a party. Don’t forget that Romeo and Juliet are dead. Romeo and Juliet is a story. But the lessons of love do hold true: love is not self-seeking, obsessive, or based on appearances. Love is shown through actions.
Theme 2- HATE
The role of hatred also plays an important role in Romeo and Juliet. The hatred between the Montagues and Capulets ends up killing their only two children. And what was this hate for? Nothing. It was just an ancient feud that no one bothered ending. If the two families had just stopped feuding earlier, the lives of the two lovers could have been saved. Hatred never leads up to any good. Shakespeare tells us that it is senseless in fighting with someone just for the sake of fighting. This is an everlasting lesson.
Theme 3- FATE
Romeo and Juliet were "star-crossed lovers," as the prologue at the start of the play indicated. They had fate against them. In that time, people were very wary of what the stars said. If two people’s stars were crossed in the sky, they would never remain together. Obviously, Romeo and Juliet didn’t live happily ever after, as their death in the end showed. But there were many unfortunate happenings that led up to their death. Fate was not on their side. First of all, Romeo only met Juliet by chance. Only because the Capulet servant was blind and unable to read the list of guests, Romeo was allowed into the ball. By unfortunate chance, Romeo and Juliet fell in love before they realized that they were from opposing families. After Romeo and Juliet’s marriage, Romeo did not want to fight Tybalt. But because Tybalt killed Mercutio, Romeo demanded revenge. Things still might have worked out between the two lovers. After enough time passed, Romeo and Juliet could tell their families what happened and Romeo could return to Verona. But, Juliet’s parents want her to marry Paris. The Friar concocts another plan.
He gives Juliet a drug that will make her appear dead for 42 hours. However, fate is not on their side again. The letter sent by the Friar never reaches Romeo because of a quarantine. The Friar arrives too late to stop Romeo from killing himself. Juliet awakes only minutes after Romeo has died. The list is long, illustrating the power of fate in the case of Romeo and Juliet. Do we believe in fate today? Or do things happen because we cause them to? Some people believe that it is a combination of the two.
