Romeo & Juliet A Brief Summary

The Setting Verona, Italy The late 1500s or early 1600s

The Basic Conflict The Montague family hates the Capulet family and the Capulets hate the Montagues. They, and their servants, keep getting in fights and brawls all around Verona. The Prince of Verona and the average citizens are sick of it. They want the violence to end. Romeo is the teenage son of the Montagues. Juliet is the teenage daughter of the Capulets. Romeo crashes a party thrown to celebrate Juliet’s engagement to a nobleman named Paris. Romeo wants to see Rosaline, a girl he likes. But R&J meet and fall instantly in love. They kiss but never exchange names. After the party, they find out who they kissed. They’re upset because they can’t be together, but they want nothing more than that. Romeo sneaks back to the house to see her. They try to find a way to be together, while keeping it a secret.

The Fighting Families The Montague Family The Capulet Family Montague – Romeo’s father & head of the family Lady Montague – Romeo’s mother Romeo – 16-18 years old, future head of the family Mercutio – Romeo’s best friend, related to the prince Benvolio – Romeo’s cousin Balthasar – Romeo’s loyal servant Capulet – Juliet’s father & head of the family Lady Capulet – Juliet’s mother, eager to see her daughter married Juliet – a 14 year-old Tybalt – Juliet’s cousin Nurse – Juliet’s nurse from when she was a baby, still her loyal maid/servant

The Neutral Characters Friar Lawrence – a kindly old priest who only wants peace. He believes love between the Montague’s son and the Capulet’s daughter will force the families to stop fighting. The Prince (Escalus) – head of Verona. He believes in law and order. To stop the families’ fighting, he decides that anyone who begins a fight or spills blood in a fight between the families will be executed. Paris – a handsome and friendly, if dull, nobleman. Juliet’s parents arrange for her to marry him. Friar John – A young priest who supports what Friar Lawrence is trying to do. Apothecary – an Elizabethan-era pharmacist. An apothecary is someone who makes potions, drugs, and poisons.

The Ensuing Plot Romeo and Juliet enlist the help of Friar Lawrence. He agrees to marry them in secret. The next day, trouble arrives. Tybalt had seen Romeo crashing the Capulet’s party, so he challenges him to a duel. Romeo refuses to fight, so Tybalt calls him a coward. Mercutio agrees to duel. Tybalt kills Mercutio. Romeo, enraged, then kills Tybalt. As punishment, the Prince exiles Romeo from Verona forever. Juliet’s Nurse helps sneak Romeo into Juliet’s room that night so they can make their marriage official before Romeo has to leave. The next day, Romeo leaves and Juliet goes to Friar Lawrence for advice on how to be with Romeo. They concoct a plan for Juliet to fake her own death so she can sneak out of Verona to go live with Romeo. Friar Lawrence sends Friar John with a message to Romeo telling him this plan. The message never arrives. Instead, Romeo just gets the news that Juliet is dead.

The Tragic Ending Romeo buys poison with which to kill himself if the news is true. He rushes back to Verona to visit Juliet’s grave. At the grave, he encounters Paris leaving flowers for Juliet. Paris accuses Romeo of coming to defile the grave. He tells Romeo he’s going to arrest him for returning to Verona. They fight. Romeo kills Paris. Romeo enters the mausoleum and sees Juliet’s corpse. Believing her to be dead, he drinks his poison and dies. Juliet wakes up moments later and finds Romeo’s corpse. She tries to kiss the remaining poison off Romeo’s lips, but that fails. She takes Romeo’s dagger and stabs herself with it and dies. Then the Prince, Capulets, Montagues, and both friars arrive. Friar Lawrence explains everything, and they parents realize it was all their fault. They agree to stop feuding and have peace.