The Shakespeare Book

102

T

he chorus sets the scene as

Verona, where two families

feud. The play will last two

hours, Chorus says, and tell the

story of two of their children whose

doomed love will end in death,

reconciling the families at last.

The play then erupts onto the

streets of Verona, and a brawl

between the rival families, the

Montagues and Capulets, is halted

only by the intervention of the

Prince of Verona. To appease the

Prince, old Capulet agrees to marry

his 13-year-old daughter Juliet to

the Prince’s young kinsman, Paris,

ROMEO AND JULIET

and arranges a masked ball to

celebrate. Young Romeo Montague

and his friends (including the witty

Mercutio) sneak into the ball to get a

glimpse of Rosaline Capulet, the

object of Romeo’s unrequited love—

but Romeo is instead completely

smitten by Rosaline’s cousin Juliet.

Later that night, Romeo,

lingering in the orchard below

Juliet’s balcony, overhears her

declare that she loves him despite

his family name, and he makes

himself known to her. Ecstatic, the

pair resolve to marry the following

night. Friar Laurence and Juliet’s

DRAMATIS

PERSONAE

MONTAGUES

Montague Head of the

Montague household.

Romeo The romantically

inclined son of Montague

and Lady Montague.

Benvolio Romeo’s cousin, a

young peacemaker whose

words go unheard.

Balthasar Romeo’s servant.

CAPULETS

Capulet Head of the Capulet

household. Juliet’s father, at

least 60 years old.

Lady Capulet Juliet’s mother,

around 26 years old.

Juliet Capulet and Lady

Capulet’s 13-year-old daughter.

Tybalt Juliet’s cousin, a

hot-tempered young man

proud of his skill with a sword.

Nurse Juliet’s old nurse, an

affectionate and down-to-

earth woman.

OTHERS

Mercutio Romeo’s

charismatic, witty, and

bawdy friend.

Escalus The Prince of Verona.

Paris Escalus’s kinsman, an

arrogant, upright young man

who expects to marry Juliet.

Friar Laurence Franciscan

friar and apothecary, who

marries Romeo and Juliet

in secret.

Petruccio Follower of Tybalt.

Act 1 Act 2

2.1

2.5

1.1

1.3

3.1

Beneath Juliet’s

balcony, Romeo

overhears Juliet’s

avowal of love

for him.

After the Montagues and

Capulets brawl, Capulet

agrees to betroth his

daughter Juliet to Paris and

arranges a ball to celebrate.

At the ball, masked

Romeo Montague

is overwhelmed

by Juliet’s

beauty.

Mercutio is killed by

Tybalt. Romeo kills

Tybalt and is banished

by the Prince.

Romeo and Juliet are secretly

married by Friar Laurence.