Romeo and Juliet
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Romeo and Juliet is a play written in 1595 by William Shakespeare. It is the tragic love story of two people, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, who are from rival houses. They devise a scheme to marry, but unfortunately their plans end tragically.
Synopsis
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Following a brief prologue, the play opens with a brawl in the streets of Verona between members of the households of Montague and Capulet, which must eventually be stopped by the Prince. He scolds the warring patriarchs and the townspeople who have joined the fray, telling them not to fight among themselves. Romeo Montague then speaks to his friend Benvolio, telling how he is desperately in love with a woman, Rosaline, who has "sworn that she will still (always) live chaste" and therefore have nothing to do with him. In the next scene, Juliet's father, Old Capulet, talks to a young man named Paris who hopes to marry Juliet. Old Capulet is enthusiastic about this match, but considers Juliet too young to marry at the moment; he tells Paris to wait a few more years, then gives instructions to a servant regarding a banquet that will be held that night. Benvolio and Romeo encounter the servant and are told about the banquet, and conspire to attend it in disguise (as Rosaline will be there, and Benvolio hopes to distract Romeo from his unrequited love by showing him a bevy of much more beautiful women).
At the Capulet house, Lady Capulet informs her daughter of Paris's intentions, and she and Juliet's Nurse speak highly of Paris. The banquet begins, and Romeo and his friends arrive in disguise to avoid recognition. Tybalt notices their presence and attempts to have them thrown out, but Old Capulet notices Romeo's noble bearing and allows him to stay. Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time, dance together, and speak to each other in highly metaphorical and poetic language. After Romeo leaves, Juliet asks the Nurse who he is and is devastated to learn that he is "the only son of [her] great enemy" Montague. She professes to have fallen in love with him at first sight.
Characters
The Montagues and their followers
Romeo: A young man who lives in Verona and is a member of the Montague family.
Old Montague: Romeo's father, and one of the two warring patriarchs whose dispute forms the conflict of the play.
Mercutio: A friend of Romeo's, and a kinsman of the Prince of Verona. He is killed in the third Act by Juliet's cousin Tybalt. His name may be a derivative of "mercurial," suggesting his fiery and unpredictable personality.
Benvolio: A friend of Romeo's and Mercutio's, and the one who usually acts as the peacemaker and voice of reason in the group. His name may be a derivative of "benevolent."
Friar Lawrence: An elderly monk who is a friend of Romeo's and attempts to help the two lovers be together. It is he who marries them in secret, and he who concieves the idea of Juliet's faked death that leads to the central tragedy of the play.
The Capulets and their followers
Juliet: A young girl (her age is given as thirteen in Act I, scene iii), a member of the Capulet family, who falls in love with Romeo.
Old Capulet: Juliet's father, and one of the two warring patriarchs whose dispute forms the conflict of the play. He and his wife, Lady Capulet, play a substantially larger part than the Montagues because of the sub-plot involving Juliet's planned marriage to Paris.
Tybalt: Juliet's cousin. He is killed by Romeo in the third Act, leading to Romeo's banishment from Verona.
Nurse: Juliet's elderly nurse and companion, who has raised her from childhood. She is aware of the romance between Romeo and Juliet and carries messages between them, attempting to help them be together.
County Paris: A young noble who hopes to marry Juliet and whose intentions are supported by Old Capulet. Although Juliet despises him, he seems to have genuine feelings for her that are not motivated by money or physical attraction. He is killed by Romeo shortly before the end of the play.
