Romeo and Juliet, arguably Shakespeare''s most famous play, begins with a Prologue explaining that the children of two feuding families, Romeo of the Montague family and Juliet of the Capulet family, will both love and die in the course of this play... Sampson and Gregory, servants to the Capulets and Abraham and Balthasar, servants to the Montagues, start a street fight, which is joined by Benvolio (Montague) and Tybalt (Capulet). Escalus, the Prince of Verona declares a death penalty for further feuding between the two families... Meanwhile Capulet (Juliet''s father) is keen for Paris to
marry his daughter and plans a party, Romeo and friends deciding to turn up uninvited... At the Capulet party, Romeo disguised by a mask, falls in love with Juliet, both quickly learning that they are the enemies of each other''s family... Ignoring the danger, Romeo scales the Capulet''s wall to be near Juliet and hidden in her orchard, learns Juliet loves him, the two deciding to marry. Friar Laurence agrees to marry the two lovers since he hopes this will end the long running Montague / Capulet feud... The wedding is set for later that day. The Nurse brings Romeo ropes, allowing him to climb into his lover''s bedchamber as her
husband later that night... The two lovers marry... Benvolio and Mercutio (Montague) meet Tybalt (Capulet). Tybalt kills Mercutio, Romeo then killing Tybalt and becoming banished from Verona. Juliet learns of Tybalt''s death, mourning her husband''s banishment, her husband mourning that he will not be able to see his
wife again... Capulet, unaware of the marriage, decides that his daughter should marry Paris on Thursday. The two lovers spend the night together. Juliet, learning that she is to marry Paris, tries to fight her father''s wishes, failing. She decides to commit suicide if all else fails... Friar Laurence tells Juliet to take a potion simulating death, allowing her to live with her husband unopposed in Mantua since everyone will think she is dead. Hearing that his daughter no longer opposes the wedding, Capulet, decides to move the wedding forward. It will now be on Wednesday... Juliet takes the potion, worrying about the Friar''s intentions before the potion takes effect and she falls asleep... Capulet, hearing Paris'' arrival, tells the Nurse to wake his daughter, discovering she is dead. The wedding preparations are changed to those of a funeral... In Mantua, Romeo learning of his wife''s death, decides to risk his life by returning to Verona to see her one last time. He also buys some poison... Friar Laurence''s letter, telling Romeo that his wife is not dead does not reach him. Friar Laurence heads off to the Capulet burial chamber where Juliet will soon awake. Paris mourns his bride that never was. Romeo arrives, opening his lover''s coffin to look at her one last time, Paris then attacking him, believing he is desecrating Juliet''s grave... Romeo kills Paris, placing him beside his wife and then takes his poison, kissing his wife, then dying. Friar Laurence arrives too late to stop the suicide. Juliet, now awake, asks for her husband... Now alone, she kisses her husband and stabs herself, dying. Escalus, the Capulets and the Montagues arrive, Balthasar and Friar Laurence explaining all. Escalus scolds the two families who finally end their feud. The play ends with the Prince summarising this tragic love story.
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