Romeo & Juliet - Summary.

Act II Scene IV

1. Benvolio and Mercution are still looking for Romeo.
2. Tybal has challenged Romeo to a duel.
3. Romeo arrives and jokes with Mercutio.
4. The nurse comes to find out if Romeo has a message for Juliet.

Act II Scene V

1. Juliet is impatient for the Nurses return.
2. The nurse arrives, but avoids giving Juliet the message
3. Eventually, she tells Juliet that Romeo has arranged a marriage.

Act 111 Scene 1

1. Benvolio and Mercutio meet Tybalt on the street of Vernoa.
2. Romeo arrives; Tybalt tries to make him fight.
3. Romeo refused, Mercutio fights instead and is killed by Tybalt.
4. Romeo fights Tybalt and kills him and the Prince banishes him from Verona.

Act 111 Scene 11

1. Juliet impatiently awaits the arrival of Romeo.
2. The Nurse arrives with the news that Romeo has killed Tybalt and has been banished.
3. Juliet experiences strong emotional reaction.

Act 111 Scene 111

1. Friar tells Romeo that he is banished. Romeo complains that banishment is worse than death. Friar tries to reason with him.
2. The nurse asks Romeo to visit Juliet.
3. Friar thinks of a plan to reunite Romeo and Juliet.

Act 111 Scene 111

1. Capulet promises he will persuade Juliet to marry Paris.
2. He arranges the wedding for Thursday- three days away.

Act 111 Scene 111

1. Dawn arrives and Romeo and Juliet part.
2. Lady Capulet comes to tell Juliet about the wedding to Paris.
3. Juliet refuses to marry Paris and Lord Capulet looses his temper with her.
4. The nurse urges Juliet to marry paris- Juliet’s rejects her as a friend.

Act 1V Scene I

1. Paris visits Friar Lawrence to orange the wedding.
2. Juliet comes to see Friar and meets Paris.
3. Friar thinks of a plan to help Juliet

Act 1V Scene I!

1. The Capulet household prepares for the wedding.
2. Juliet apologises to her father.
3. Lord Capulet brings the date of the wedding forward to Wednesday. 

Act IV Scene III

1. Juliet asks the nurse and Lady Capulet to leave her alone.
2. She fears what might happen to her after she has taken the potion.
3. She drinks it and falls on the bed.

Act IV Scene IV

1. Preparations for the wedding feast continue
2. Music outside signals Paris’s arrival.

Act IV Scene V

1. The nurse comes to wake Juliet and finds her apparently dead.
2. Lord and Lady Capulet come in and all 3 mourn.
3. The Friar, Paris and musicians arrive.
4. The Musicians joke with each other.

Act V Scene I

1. Romeo talks about his dream.
2. Balthasar arrives with news of Juliet’s “death”
3. Romeo decides to kill himself in the tomb with Juliet.
4. Romeo buys some poison.

Act V Scene II

1. Friar John returns with Friar Laurence’s letter to Romeo. He has bee unable to deliver it.
2. Friar Laurence sets off for the Capulet tomb.

Act V Scene III

1. Paris comes to pay his respects at the Capulet tomb.
2. Romeo arrives, fights Paris and kills him.
3. Romeo enters the tomb and finds Juliet. He drinks the poison.
4. The Friar arrives.
5. Juliet wakes. Friar tells her Romeo is dead and tries to persuade her to leave. Juliet’s refused and Friar runs away.
6. Juliet stabs herself with Romeos dagger.
7. The Watch arrive and calls the Prince, the Capulets and the Montague’s.
8. Friar explains what has happened.
9. Montague and Capulet shake hands and agree to raise a gold status of their children.

Course work

To what extent is Friar Lawrence responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet?

Paragraph One –Introduction

To answer this question you must look at:

• Friar Lawrence’s actions, motive and explanations.
• The actions and motivation of other characters in the play who might bear responsibility
• The role that other forces, such as “fate”, might play in a tragedy like Romeo and Juliet.         

Paragraph Two

Friar Lawrence’s role in the play

• He is a friend to Romeo  
• He is a priest and confessor to both Capulets and Montagues.
• The language of the play makes him appear both wise and knowledgeable.
• This positive presentation of his character takes place early in the play.

Paragraph Three  

Friar Lawrence’s action

• Friar Lawrence performs the marriage of Romeo and Juliet
• Friar Lawrence provides refuge and comfort before Romeos banishment.
• Friar Lawrence plans Juliet’s faked death so she can avoid marrying Paris.
• Friar Lawrence leaves Juliet alone after she wakes up and finds Romeo dead.

Paragraph Four

Friar Lawrence’s motives

Positive:         

• He offers sensible advice love to Romeo
• He marries Romeo and Juliet to bring the two families together.
• He tries to pressure their marriage by helping Juliet avoid having to marry Paris.

Negative:

• Hypocritical- he speaks of caution but acts hastily.
• Naïve- he doesn’t comprehend the seriousness of what will happen if his plans go wrong.
• Cowardly- he abandons Juliet when perhaps she is most vulnerable because he is afraid of being found.

Paragraph Five

Other forces

• Fate mentioned through out the play (“ star-crossed lovers”)
• Bad luck - Friar Lawrence’s plan to reunite the two lovers.
• Feud- Family hatred is why their love is secret. Family feud is why Mercutio killed, why Romeo kills Tybalt and ends up banished. The prince names the feud as a primary cause of tragedy.

Paragraph Six

Conclusion

• Fate and feud clearly plays their parts.
• Friar Lawrence is responsible for settling motion many of the events that lead to Romeo and Juliet’s death.
• His good intentions offer some excuse.

 

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