Summary*
An age-old vendetta between two powerful families erupts into bloodshed. A group of masked Montagues risk further conflict by gatecrashing a Capulet party. A young lovesick Romeo Montague falls instantly in love with Juliet Capulet, who is due to marry her father’s choice, the County Paris. With the help of Juliet’s nurse, the women arrange for the couple to marry the next day, but Romeo’s attempt to halt a street fight leads to the death of Juliet’s own cousin, Tybalt, for which Romeo is banished. In a desperate attempt to be reunited with Romeo, Juliet follows the Friar’s plot and fakes her own death. The message fails to reach Romeo, and believing Juliet dead, he takes his life in her tomb. Juliet wakes to find Romeo’s corpse beside her and kills herself. The grieving family agree to end their feud.
Character Descriptions**
Juliet is the only child of Lord and Lady Capulet. She has been promised in marriage to Paris. At a party, she meets Romeo and instantly falls in love with him, even though he is her ‘enemy’ and a Montague. Juliet marries Romeo in secret the next day but they are separated after Romeo kills her cousin Tybalt. In order to avoid marrying Paris, Juliet fakes her own death. Romeo believes her to be dead and kills himself. When she wakes up, and discovers his body, Juliet stabs herself with his dagger.
Facts we learn about Juliet at the start of the play:
- She is thirteen years old.
- She has yet to be introduced to society.y.
- She intends to obey her parents’ wishes.
Romeo is the only child of Lord and Lady Montague. When we first meet him, he believes he is in love with Rosaline, but then he meets Juliet at a party. They instantly fall in love and are married in secret the next day. The pair are separated after Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished. A plan to reunite them goes wrong when Romeo believes Juliet is dead. At the end of the play, Romeo kills himself.
Facts we learn about Romeo at the start of the play:
- He didn’t take part in the street brawl with the Capulets.
- He is depressed because he loves Rosaline but she does not love him back.
- He agrees to go to the party with his friends to prove to them that Rosaline is the most beautiful woman there.
Friar Laurence is a Franciscan monk. We first meet him the morning after the party when Romeogoes to him for permission to marry Juliet. Despite telling Romeo to slow down, he agrees to marry the young couple, as he believes it may be a way to end the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. Later in the play, when Romeo is banished for killing Tybalt, Friar Laurence sends him to Mantua. He also gives Juliet the potion that will make her appear dead.
Facts we learn about Friar Laurence at the start of the play:
- Friar Laurence understands botany and the potential for plants to heal people.
- He is a religious man.
- He is a confidant of Romeo and knows about his love for Rosaline.
- He wants peace between the Montagues and Capulets.
The Nurse is a servant in the Capulet household and has looked after Juliet since she was a baby. We first meet her helping Juliet get ready for the Capulet ball. After the ball, Juliet tells the Nurse about her feelings for Romeo and she delivers messages between the two lovers throughout the play. Despite helping them, she continually tries to convince Juliet to marry Paris. She isn’t seen again after Juliet fakes her own death and is taken to the family tomb.
Facts we learn about The Nurse at the start of the play:
- She was Juliet’s wet-nurse.
- She had her own child, Susan, who died.
- She is trusted within the Capulet household.
- She is trusted by Juliet who confides in her.
Mercutio is a family member of the prince and best friend of Romeo. We first meet him with Romeo and Benvolio just before the ball where he gives the famous ‘Queen Mab’ speech. Later, he challenges Tybalt to a fight which ends in his death and, as he dies, he calls down a ‘plague’ on both houses.
Facts we learn about Mercutio at the start of the play:
- He is a nobleman in the city of Verona.
- He talks as if he understands love and emotions.
- He is a good friend of Romeo and Benvolio.
Benvolio is Romeo’s cousin. At the start of the play he tries to stop the street brawl between the two households but is quickly drawn into it by Tybalt. He discovers that Romeo is upset because Rosaline doesn’t love him and tries to cheer Romeo up by convincing him to go to a party where he might meet other women who will take his mind off Rosaline. The next day he is present when Tybalt kills Mercutio and Romeo then kills Tybalt.
Facts we learn about Benvolio at the start of the play:
- He tries to ‘keep the peace’ when he discovers the brawl.
- He has something on his mind (although we never discover what it is) that has caused him to wake up early in the morning.
- He believes he has a good relationship with Romeo.
- He is trusted by Romeo’s parents who turn to him when they are not sure what is wrong with their son.
Tybalt is the nephew of Lady Capulet. At the start of the play he is involved in a street brawl with the Montagues. Later, he is offended by Romeo’s presence at the Capulets’ ball but is calmed by Lord Capulet who does not want Tybalt to start an argument. The next day he searches for Romeo to get revenge for the insult but gets into a fight with Mercutio. He kills Mercutio in the fight. He is then killed by Romeo.
Facts we learn about Tybalt at the start of the play:
- He hates the Montagues.
- He has a quick temper.
- He is a good swordsman and is sometimes known as 'Prince of Cats'.
Paris is a family member of the Prince and a nobleman. We first meet him when he asks Lord Capuletfor permission to marry Juliet and then after Tybalt’s death, when he asks for permission to marry Juliet again. Despite not wanting to let him marry Juliet at first, Lord Capulet eventually agrees and sets a date for their marriage. When Juliet is believed to be dead, Paris visits her tomb to mourn but is interrupted by Romeo. They fight and Paris is killed.
Facts we learn about Paris at the start of the play:
- He wants to marry Juliet.
- He has asked Lord Capulet for permission to marry her.
- He is neutral in the feud between Capulet and Montague.
Lord and Lady Montague are Romeo’s parents. Lady Montague has to restrain her husband from fighting with the Capulets in the opening scene of the play and is grateful to find her son Romeo was not involved in the ‘fray’. They are both concerned about their son’s behaviour and how withdrawn he has been. Lady Montague later dies of ‘grief’ when Romeo is banished and Lord Montague reconciles with Lord and Lady Capulet after his son’s death – promising to build a statue in pure gold to honour Juliet.
Facts we learn about Lord and Lady Montague at the start of the play:
- They only have one son, Romeo.
- They care about Romeo a lot and have tried to find out why he is so withdrawn.
- They are enemies with the Capulets but Lady Montague does not like the fighting and is glad Romeo is not involved.