Main Characters The Montague Side: Old Montague, Romeo, Balthasar, Abraham, Lady Montague The Capulet Side: Old Capulet, Tybalt, Sampson, Gregory, Peter, Juliet, Nurse, Lady Capulet Escalus--Prince of Verona Paris--young nobleman Mercutio and Benvolio--Romeo's friends Friar Lawrence and Friar John Apothecary Musicians, pages
A (Very) Brief Plot Summary
Act I Scene I: Escalus breaks up a fight between the Montagues and the Capulets. Romeo is sad because Rosaline will not marry him. Scene II: Paris wants to marry Juliet. Scene III: Juliet does not want to marry Paris. Scene IV: Romeo has misgivings about the Capulets' party.Scene V: Romeo and Juliet meet.
Act II Scene I: Romeo and Juliet declare their love, also known as "the balcony scene". Scene II: Friar Lawrence agrees to marry the couple. Scene III: Romeo sends a message to Juliet. Scene IV: The nurse delivers the message. Scene V: Romeo and Juliet meet at the Friar's cell.
Act III Scene I: Tybalt kills Mercutio. Romeo kills Tybalt and flees. Escalus banishes Romeo. Scene II: Juliet's nurse tells her that Tybalt is dead and Romeo banished. Romeo will go to Juliet before leaving for Mantua. Scene III: Friar Lawrence tells Romeo his sentence. Romeo will go to Juliet before leaving for Mantua. Scene IV: Capulet agrees to let Paris marry Juliet in three days. Scene V: Romeo says goodbye to Juliet. Lady Capulet promises that Tybalt's death will be avenged. Juliet's parents insist that she marry Paris.
Act IV, Scene I: Friar Lawrence gives Juliet a potion to make her appear dead. Scene II: Juliet tells her parents she will marry Paris. Scene III: Juliet drinks the potion. Scene IV: Preparations are made for the wedding. Scene V: Everyone believes that Juliet is dead.
Act V Scene I: Romeo hears that Juliet has died and buys poison. Scene II: Romeo did not know about Juliet's plan. Scene III: Romeo enters Juliet's tomb, kills Paris, drinks the poison, and dies. Friar Lawrence finds the dead men. Juliet wakes, sees Romeo dead, and kills herself. The Montagues and Capulets reconcile.
Glossary Chapless -having no jaws Cheveril -soft leather Osier-cage -a basket made with willow branches Prick-song -sung from sheet music Skainsmate -rascally companion Wherefore -Just to set the record straight, "wherefore" means "why", not "where". So, in the balcony scene, Juliet is asking why Romeo is a Montague, not where Romeo is a Montague.
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet are the world's most popular lovers and the archetype for millions of romantic fantasies--which is a bit strange, when you consider how the whole thing turns out. Juliet wasn't even Romeo's first love. In the first scene we see him moping around, displaying all the classic symptoms of his unrequited love for Rosaline, another Capulet. But Romeo and Juliet is not about love, it's about fate. We know right from the beginning what will happen, so the entire plays feels as if the characters are simplt fulfilling their destinies.
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