Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

The story

First part

The first part of the play deals with the fighting between the Montagues and the Capulets in the streets of Verona.

Two servants of the Capulets were strolling round the city when they bumped into two servants of the Montagues. They started quarrelling and Benvolio, Romeo’s cousin, tried to separate them. Suddenly Tybald, a member of the Capulet Family, arrived and started fighting with Benvolio. Also Lord Capulet and Lord Montague arrived. Finally the Prince of Verona stopped the riot and promised them that he would have sentenced them all to death  if they had dared fighting again.

The Prince also had a meeting with both Lords.

The first part ends with Romeo who  decides to go to the Capulets’ party to meet Rosaline, the girl he hopelessly loves.

Second part

The second part of the play deals with Romeo going to the Capulets’ party with his friend Mercutio and his cousin Benvolio.

They were all wearing masks because they didn’t want to be recognized by the Capulets. Romeo wanted to see Rosaline. But when he saw Juliet he completely forgot Rosaline and fell in love with Juliet. He questioned Mercutio if he knew Juliet and his friend answered that she was the Capulets’ daughter. In the meantime Tybalt recognized Romeo’s voice and wanted to fight. Luckily Lord Capulet didn’t allow Tybalt to fight because of their party. So Romeo had some more time to spend with Juliet and even to kiss her before going out.

At night he went into the Capulets’ garden and heard Juliet’s voice. She was speaking to the moon and was sad because she loved Romeo but knew he belonged to the Montagues, her Family’ s enemies.

The second part ends with the two lovers who decide to get secretly married the next day.

Third part

Romeo met Juliet’ nurse who told him to not hurt her; Romeo asked  the nurse to tell  Juliet to go to Friar Laurence to marry him.    

Romeo felt in love with Juliet, so he went to Friar Laurence for a help because he wanted to marry Juliet

While Mercutio and Benvolio were walking, they met Tybalt, who was Juliet’s cousin;he wanted to fight against Mercutio because he was a friend of Romeo's who arrived but he didn’t want to fight with him. Mercutio told Romeo he was a villain and decided to fight with Tybalt.;Juliet’s cousin murdered Mercutio and Romeo was very angry and sad.

Fourth part

Romeo was very angry and so he went to Tybalt and fight with him: he was able to kill him and escaped; as soon as the prince of Verona arrived decided to exile Romeo from Verona.

When Juliet. was informed about the fact, she didn’t hate Romeo  because she loved him a lot.

Romeo had to go to Mantua. Before leaving, he went to say goodbye to Juliet.

She was very sad because of  Romeo’s banning: she was afraid not to  see her lover again.

After Tybalt's death, Juliet’s parents decided their daughter had to marry lord Paris who was very happy.

Fifth part

Lady Capulet told Juliet about her marriage but the girl didn’t want: her father obliged her! The nurse told Juliet to marry Paris and forget Romeo but the young girl didn’t agree.

Juliet met Friar Laurence who organized a plan and she accepted ;she drank a liquid and fell asleep for some hours;her parents thought she was dead and disperated.

As soon as the monk arrived at home, he sent Friar John to tell about the plan to Romeo.

Sixth part

The news of Juliet’ death was spread throughout the cities and a servant informed Romeo about the wrong news before the monk arrived.

Romeo left for Verona to see his lover for the last time  

because he wanted to kill himself near her. When Romeo arrived at Juliet’s tomb he had to fight with Paris and killed him. Romeo saw Juliet who seemed to be dead and he poisoned himself. When Juliet woke up, she saw Romeo dead and she got desperate: she took a knife and killed herself. At the end of the story, the prince of Verona had a short speech: he told that the love can really change the world and asked the Montagues and Capulets to become friends because there had been too many deaths because of their hate. Lord Capulet and lord Montague shook their hands.