“Romeo and Juliet” explores the fates of two young lovers whose deaths are predestined (I am not counting this as a spoiler, as everybody knows, and you find out in the first minute of the play)! The play centers around how fate intervenes to lead them on a path that results in their tragic end but has wider implications for the imagined version of Verona and the fictional family feud.
Act 1
The act is an introduction of the Montagues and Capulets, two rival families in Verona, Italy. Romeo and Juliet, from these opposing houses, meet at a masked ball and fall in love. The feud between the families sets up the play’s conflict.
Scene 1
The first scene helps to set the scene between the two families. We see two Capulet servants bragging about being stronger than Montague’s men and making smutty puns. They spot two Montague men and plot to try and start a fight with them within the confines of Verona law. They bite their thumbs at the Montagues, which is considered an insult. A war of words ensues, and this descends into a fight. Benvolio enters and tries to calm things down by drawing his sword.
Tybalt witnesses this and sees it as an act of aggression. Benvolio explains he was trying to keep the peace, and Tyblat states that he hates peace almost as much as the Montagues. The brawl continues, and Montague and Capulet get involved before Prince Escalus stops it. He decrees that he is tired of the unrest and that anybody who disturbs the peace again will face the death penalty.
The play draws inspiration from real-life family feuds in Renaissance Italy, like Florence’s Pazzi and Medici rivalry in the 15th century. These powerful banking families competed for political and economic control of Florence, and their tussles often led to violence.
Scene 2
Paris and Capulet discuss the idea of Juliet marrying Paris. While Capulet is keen on this, he thinks Juliet is too young. Meanwhile, Benvolio and Romeo are invited to the Capulet ball under the assumption they are not Montagues. Benvolio thinks Romeo should go to help him get over Rosaline. Romeo agrees, but only because Rosaline’s name is on the guest list.
Scene 3
This scene is set just before the feat that the Capulets have planned. It serves partially as comic relief thanks to the nurse’s bawdy stories. However, the scene ends with Juliet’s mum announcing that Paris wishes to marry Juliet. Juliet suggests she has not given much thought to marriage but will look out for Paris to see if he is someone Juliet might like.
Scene 4
Once again, there is a lot of comedy in this scene, thanks mainly to the character of Mercutio. He, Romeo, and Benvolio are dressed and ready to attend the Capulet party, but Romeo is still pining for Rosaline. Mercutio mocks all of Romeo’s pleas, turning his words into innuendos. The conversation turns darker as they talk about Romeo’s strange dream. Romeo claims that going to the party will lead to his demise. This is foreshadowing. However, Mercutio quells his fears, and they proceed to the party.
Scene 5
This scene where Romeo meets Juliet for the first time marks the play’s rising action. Upon doing so, he instantly forgets Rosaline, declaring, “Did my heart love till now?” meaning that his previous feelings were probably shallow. Unbeknownst to Romeo, he is spotted by Tybalt, who wants to confront Romeo for daring to appear. Capulet stops him, but Tybalt swears vengeance for the slight. Romeo and Juliet share a kiss, but both are mortified when they later find out that they belong to rival households.
Tybalt strikes me as a ruffian. He’s quick to anger and impulsive and often resorts to violence to settle his disputes. He is arrogant and tends to provoke conflict. He’s a classic example of a young, hot-headed noble who believes he’s above the law and entitled to act as he pleases.
Act 2
Romeo and Juliet defy their families and secretly marry in this act, marking the story’s turning point.
Scene 1
Romeo attempts to find Juliet, abandoning Benvolio and Mercutio. Mercutio assumes that Romeo has gone to track down Rosaline and playfully insults him. However, Romeo does not respond as he is preoccupied and has ascended a wall to get to Juliet.
Scene 2
This is a key point in the play as Romeo listens in on Juliet as she declares her love for him but laments that he is a Montague. She thinks out loud, suggesting she would relinquish her very name if he loved her. Romeo announces his presence and declares his love. Juliet wants him to leave as she is worried if he is caught, he will be killed. The scene has an exciting back-and-forth as Romeo comes on strong, and despite her feelings, Juliet is hesitant as she is worried things are moving too fast. She arranges to send someone to him in the morning to test whether his love is as authentic as he suggests.
Scene 3
The scene opens with Friar Lawrence talking about the properties of certain herbs and foreshadowing the mixture that will eventually lead to the lover’s demise. Romeo enters, and the friar suspects he has slept with Rosaline. Romeo explains that he has fallen for Juliet, and despite the friar’s skepticism, he agrees to marry the pair as he can foresee it leading to peace between the two families.
The events of this story would have been different if Romeo had been more cool-headed. However, it is possible that Romeo would not have fallen so in love if he had been that kind of person, and the whole story would not have happened.
Scene 4
This scene contains a lot of exposition dressed up as comedy. Firstly, we learn through a discussion between Benvolio and Mercutio that Tybalt has issued a challenge to Romeo. Mercutio talks up Tybalt’s mastery of dueling but clarifies that he cannot stand the man. Romeo arrives and is mocked by Mercutio for abandoning his friends in search of love.
While this is said in jest, there is a suggestion that Mercutio does mean what he says. They are joined by the nurse, who is ridiculed by Mercutio, who effectively accuses her of being a promiscuous lady. Romeo asks the nurse to ask Juliet to find an excuse to attend church so that the pair might marry. Romeo also convinces the nurse to make it possible for the pair to meet on their wedding night.
Scene 5
The nurse returns to Juliet and teases Juliet, who is impatient and hungry for information. Eventually, the nurse tells Juliet of Romeo’s plan.
Scene 6
Romeo and Juliet meet and are married by Friar Lawrence, the story’s turning point.
The balcony scene is one of the most iconic moments in all of literature, and it’s been referenced and parodied countless times in movies and TV shows. It’s a classic example of a romantic moment that has become a cultural touchstone. In the classic romantic comedy Say Anything, John Cusack’s character, Lloyd Dobler, plays Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” on a boombox outside Diane Court’s window to win her heart.
Act 3
Tragedy strikes as Romeo kills Juliet’s cousin Tybalt in a duel with Romeo. As a result, he is banished from Verona. This is the critical point in the play, as tragedies dog the couple’s love from here.
Scene 1
Benvolio and Mercutio are approached by a group of Capulets led by Tybalt. Mercutio mocks Tybalt, and things become heated. Romeo arrives, and Tybalt turns his attention to him. Having just married into the Capulet family, Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt, which enrages Mercutio, who fights Tybalt instead. Mercutio is killed by Tybalt, who runs off.
Mercutio dies dramatically, still punning, before finally passing away, cursing the Capulet and Montague names. Romeo laments that he did not fight Tybalt, claiming that his love for Juliet has made him effeminate. Tybalt returns, and Romeo exacts his revenge, killing Tybalt. Benvolio convinces Romeo to run away. Prince Escalus arrives, and Benvolio explains how Romeo tried to keep the peace. Escalus declares Romeo banished and states he will be killed if ever seen within Verona.
Scene 2
News of Tybalt’s death is relayed to Julia via the nurse, who at first makes it sound like both Tybalt and Romeo are dead, which prompts Juliet to consider taking her own life, foreshadowing what will eventually happen. The nurse clears up the confusion, but this does not help Juliet, who is distraught that she won’t see her husband on her wedding night. The nurse vows to seek out Romeo and takes a ring as a sign of Juliet’s affection.
We can’t put Tybalt’s death at Romeo’s feet now. I mean, he was practically begging to get hurt. It seems that he was a strong catalyst for the tragedy.
Scene 3
Romeo is in a state of despair following the loss of his friend and the news he will be banished. He claims he might as well be dead because being alive and not with Juliet is crueler. The nurse arrives, and Romeo is again distraught at the idea that Juliet might think him a murderer. The friar reassures Romeo. He hatches a plan for Romeo to visit Juliet that night and then go into exile and allow the news of their marriage to spread, and hopefully, with time, Prince Escalus might change his mind. The ring Juliet sends helps to renew Romeo’s hopes, and he sets off to see his wife.
Scene 4
The Capulets discuss Juliet potentially marrying Pairs. Lord Capulet promises Paris Juliet’s hand in marriage. This decision prompts Juliet to fake her death, a key point in the play.
Scene 5
Romeo and Juliet awake having consummated their marriage. Juliet doesn’t want Romeo to leave, and overcome with love, he agrees to do this regardless of the consequences. Realizing how dire the consequences will be, Juliet convinces him to leave. When he leaves, Juliet’s mother enters and tells Juliet she will marry Paris. Juliet refuses. This angers Lady Capulet. Lord Capulet gets involved and is enraged by Juliet’s refusal to obey him. Juliet talks to the nurse, who tries to convince Juliet that Romeo is as good as dead and that Paris would be a good match. Juliet pretends to agree and arranges to meet the friar to “confess.”
Act 4
In the action leading to the story’s climax, Juliet is devastated at Romeo’s exile and fakes her death to avoid a forced marriage.
From this point, everything that could go wrong goes wrong. I can’t say if we can call this work high literature from its plot. The twists are contrived, and the plot is not very realistic. I guess it is a classic today, but it was probably pulp fiction in its day.
Scene 1
Paris talks to the friar about his upcoming wedding. Meanwhile, Juliet arrives and claims she must confess to getting Paris to leave. When he does, Juliet threatens to kill herself rather than marry Paris. She and the friar make a plan to use medicine to fake Juliet’s death so she can avoid marrying Paris and be reunited with Romeo.
Scene 2
Juliet surprises her parents by cheerfully agreeing to marry Paris. Lord Capulet heads off to tell Paris the good news.
Scene 3
Juliet asks to be alone at night and prepares to take the potion. She frets over this decision and has visions of Tybalt’s ghost.
Scene 4
The following day, Juliet is discovered and presumed dead. Paris joins Lord and Lady Capulet in despairing at her presumed demise.
It is a bit ironic that parents are overly strict with their children to the point that they cause their children misery. But when their children suffer from life’s misfortune, they are devastated. What makes one hurt better than the other?
Scene 5
This is a largely comic scene in which a group of musicians refuses to play cheerful music. It is often cut during productions as it seems far too comic, given the somber tone of what happened.
Act 5
In a series of misunderstandings and impulsive decisions, the star-crossed lovers commit actions that lead to the play’s tragic climax.
Scene 1
Balthazar meets Romeo, who seems in good spirits. He asks for news of Juliet but is distraught when he learns that she has died. He vows to join her in Verona. On the way to be with Juliet, he buys a vial of poison as he intends to end his own life.
Scene 2
Friar Lawrence talks to a fellow friar who has asked to deliver a letter to Romeo informing him of Juliet’s plan. Unfortunately, he could not deliver the note. The friar worries about rescuing Juliet’s body but does not know Romeo thinks Juliet is dead.
At this point, the friar is incompetent at the charge he set himself at. He’s a man of the cloth, living a somewhat secluded life dedicated to his religious duties. His isolation and focus on spiritual matters might have made understanding the world’s ways difficult. I guess this proves the saying that good intentions pave the way to hell, after all.
Scene 3
This scene marks the story’s climax, and the following events rush to an abrupt end. Romeo attempts to break into the tomb but is stopped by Paris, who believes Romeo is there to deface the tomb somehow. Romeo pleads with Paris, but a fight is unavoidable, and he kills Paris.
When Romeo reaches Juliet’s (apparently dead) body, he positions himself beside her and takes the poison. Juliet awakes and is told by Friar Lawrence that both Romeo and Paris are dead. Juliet tries to kill herself by taking the poison from Romeo’s lips, but when this doesn’t work, she uses Romeo’s dagger to take her own life. In the play’s falling action and denouement, Lord Escalus blames the tragedy on the feuds, and both the lords agree to end the feud.
