Plot Summary for Romeo & Juliet

Plot summary for Romeo & JulietUnit Test Review

Act I:i

Prologue: This summarizes the plot of Romeo and Juliet. It prepares us for the tragedy we are about to see.

The play begins with an argument between servants of the Capulet and Montague households in the square of Verona. It quickly develops into a battle, involving Benvolio and Tybalt as well as most of the Montague and Capulet households. The battle is interrupted by the prince, who threatens both Capulet and Montague with death if the two families fight again. Everyone except Montague, Lady Montague, andBenvolio exit.

The three talk about how Romeo has seemed very low in spirit lately. The Montagues exit with the entrance of Romeo, who then talks with Benvolio. It seems that Romeo has been rejected by the woman he loves, Rosaline. Benvolio tries to cheer up his downcast friend, but is unsuccessful.

Act I:ii

Paris has asked Capulet for Juliet’s hand in marriage. Capulet says he will only agree if Juliet wants to marry Paris as well. He invites Paris to the Capulet house that evening for their feast.

Later, in the streets of Verona, a Capulet servant meets up with Romeo and Benvolio. The servant has the guest list for the Capulets’ party, but cannot read it. He asks Romeo for assistance, and Romeo learns that Rosaline will be there. He and Benvolio make plans to go that evening to the Capulets.

Act I:iii

Lady Capulet discusses marriage with Juliet and urges her to consider Paris. Juliet does not protest against her mother. The nurse, in the first of her comic scenes, babbles on about love and marriage and the finer attributes of Paris.

Act I:iv

Mercutio, Romeo, and Benvolio are on their way to the Capulets’ house. This is one of Mercutio’s finest scenes, in which he delivers a long and animated monologue on Queen Mab. Romeo, however, is in no mood for Mercutio’s antics and remains downcast.

Act I:v

At the party, the trio, disguised in masks, quickly blend in with the festivities. Suddenly, Romeo sees Juliet. In an instant, he falls deeply in love with her. His reverie is interrupted by Tybalt, who has recognized him as a Montague. He tries to engage Romeo in combat, but is severely reprimanded by Capulet and is told to leave the party.

Romeo speaks with the Nurse and finds out Juliet’s name, and that she is a Capulet. When Romeo leaves the party, Juliet sendsthe Nurse after him. The Nurse learns his name and that he is a Montague.

Act II:i

Mercutio and Benvolio have lost Romeo on the way home. Mercutio tries to “conjure” Romeo in another comic scene. Benvolio finally pulls Mercutio home. Romeo has hidden in the Capulets’ garden, hoping for another glimpse of Juliet.

Act II:ii

In the window under which Romeo hides, Juliet delivers a soliloquy about her love for Romeo. Romeo comes out of hiding and, professing his love, asks her to marry him. This is one of Shakespeare’s most well-known and loved scenes due to its romance and beautiful language. The two are forced to part at daybreak when the Nurse calls to Juliet from inside.

Act II:iii

The setting shifts to Friar Laurence’s garden, where he is out early in the morning. Romeo enters, fresh from his encounter with Juliet. He asks the Friar to marry them. In hopes that the marriage will heal the rift between the Montagues and the Capulets, Friar Laurence agrees.

Act II:iv

We learn from a conversation between Mercutio and Benvolio that Tybalt has challenged Romeo to a duel. Romeo enters, and he and Mercutio banter. The nurse enters on an errand to Romeo. Her mission is interrupted by Mercutio, who teases her to distraction until his exit with Benvolio. Romeo then gives the nurse a message for Juliet: he wants to be married that afternoon at Friar Laurence’s cell.

Act II:v

The nurse returns to Juliet, but does not give her the message from Romeo immediately. Instead, she teases Juliet and plays on her impatience by complaining at length about her health. Juliet finally gets the message from her and the plan is made; she will meet Romeo at the Friar’s.

Act II:vi

Romeo and Friar Laurence wait for Juliet. Foreshadowing the tragedy to come, the Friar expresses his worry that Romeo may be acting too quickly; however, Romeo is too love-stricken to feel cautious. Juliet arrives, and the two are married.

Act III:i

Tybalt, his temper ablaze, searches for Romeo. He runs into Mercutio in the town square, and the two are almost at one another when Romeo appears. Tybalt tries to engage Romeo in a duel, but Romeo refuses. Mercutio attacks Tybalt and is killed. Romeo, in retribution, kills Tybalt. The people of Verona, including the Prince, are now crowded in the square. When the Prince hears the details of the fight, he exiles the newly married Romeo.

Act III, ii

The Nurse tells Juliet of Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s subsequent banishment. Juliet gives her ring to the Nurse and orders her to go to Romeo and tell him to meet her that night. Romeo is hiding out at Friar Laurence’s cell.

Act III:iii

At the Friar’s, Romeo has worked himself into a frenzy of grief that is not helped by the message from the Nurse. The Friar tells Romeo to get a hold of himself and proposes a plan: Romeo will see Juliet that night, then go to the city of Mantua until Verona is safe for him.

Act III:iv

Paris, Lady Capulet, and Capulet discuss Paris’ plans to marry Juliet. While the Capulets are at first reluctant to give their approval so soon after Tybalt’s death, Lord Capulet decides that the marriage shall take place in three days.

Act III:v

It is morning in Juliet’s bedroom. Romeo and Juliet spend their last time together, enjoying the dawn. The Nurse rushes in to warn them of Lady Capulet’s arrival. Romeo hurries off.

Lady Capulet enters and tells Juliet of her father’s plans for her to wed Paris. Capulet enters and is shocked when Juliet refuses to agree to this plan. He becomes enraged and threatens to throw her out. When he exits, Juliet turns to her mother andher Nurse, for comfort. Both refuse her, and Juliet decides to turn to Friar Laurence for help.

Act IV, i

Before Juliet gets to the Friar’s, Paris arrives and tells the Friar of his imminent wedding to Juliet. The Friar tries to get Paris to put the marriage off, but to no avail.

Juliet enters and is complimented at length by Paris. She manages to maintain her composure until he leaves, then she breaks down to the Friar. The Friar again proposes a plan: he will give Juliet a potion to take on her wedding night. It will make her appear to be dead for two days, after which she will reawaken. He says he will get word of the plan to Romeo, and Juliet agrees to it.

Act IV, ii

When Juliet returns to her household, she apologizes to her father for her previous disobedience and tells him she will marry Paris. Her father, excited by her agreement, decides to make the wedding date one day earlier.

Act IV, iii

In Juliet’s bedroom that evening, the Nurse and Lady Capulet help prepare her for her wedding. Juliet finally gets them both to leave and is left alone.

She readies herself to take the drug. Suddenly, doubts flash before her. What if the potion is truly poison? What if she awakens in the family tomb before Romeo finds her? Finally, after seeing what appears to be the ghost of Tybalt, she drinks the Friar’s potion.

Act IV, iv

The potion works. As the Capulets prepare for the wedding early that morning, Juliet lies “dead” in her bedroom.

Act IV, v

It is the Nurse who discovers Juliet. She screams for help, and the Capulets, with Paris and the Friar in tow, rush in. Their grief overwhelms them. The Friar tries to ease their pain by saying it is God’s will, and that she will be at peace in Heaven. The households now prepares for a funeral.

Act V, i

Romeo’s servant meets him in Mantua and tells him news of Juliet’s “death.” Romeo, who has not been informed of the plan for reasons we will discover later, believes her to be truly dead. He sends his servant away and goes to an apothecary, from whom he buys a vial of poison.

Act V, ii

Friar Laruence has learned that his letter informing Romeo of the plan never reached Mantua. Realizing the potentially dire consequences of the miscommunication, he sets off for Juliet’s tomb.

Act V, iii

Paris is at the Capulet tomb, mourning the loss of Juliet. Romeo enters, and Paris quickly hides and spies on him. Romeo, meaning to open the tomb, sends his servant away with a letter to his father. The servant, however, sty’s to spy on Romeo was well. As Romeo opens the tomb, Paris jumps out of hiding. Thinking that Romeo has come to vandalize the tomb of the Capulets, he challenges him to a duel. In the fight, Romeo kills Paris.

Romeo then sees the still body of his love, Juliet. He delivers the final soliloquy, pledging his immortal love for her. He then drinks his vial of poison and dies.

The Friar enters the tomb and sees the bodies Romeo and Paris. Juliet awakes, and he tries to shield her form the sight of her dead lover. She sees Romeo, however, wand will not leave the tomb despite the Friar’s urging. The Friar then runs form the tomb, leaving her alone.
Juliet sees the bottle of poison in Romeo’s hand, but there is none left. Outside, people are approaching. She takes Romeo’s dagger and stabs herself.

The Montagues, the Capulets, and the Prince enter. We learn that Lady Montague has died form the pain of her son’s fate. The Friar steps forward and tells the story of Romeo and Juliet’s death, including his won part in their demise. Servants, as well as Romeo’s letter, verify his story. The Princes, whoever, does not blame Friar Laurence; he instead blames the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. Capulet and Montague decide to end the bloody feud and erect statues of Romeo and Juliet in honor of each other’s families.