Romeo and Juliet - Synopsis
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On this page you can find nine key plot points summarising the play, as well as a downloadable scene-by-scene to enhance your students’ understanding of the play.
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PLOT POINTS
Plot Point 1
For years two of the most important families in Verona, the Capulets and the Montagues, have hated each other. Their sons and their servants are forever fighting in the streets. The row grows, more and more citizens take sides and join in. Tybalt, Lady Capulet’s nephew, is a hothead, always ready to wade in. Benvolio, Montague’s nephew, tries to calm things down, but the fight grows more ferocious. The Prince comes in and the street falls silent.
Abram: Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
Sampson: No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir. But I bite my thumb, sir.
Prince: Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace. If ever you disturb our streets again
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.
Plot Point 2
That evening Romeo and Benvolio gatecrash the Capulet’s party, wearing masks. Tybalt is also there – he recognises Romeo and plans to challenge him.
Suddenly Romeo spots a beautiful young girl dancing and falls in love with her at first sight.
Romeo: O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! Did my heart love till now?
Forswear it, sight!
For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.
Plot Point 3
Romeo and Benvolio quickly leave the party. Romeo does not go home and creeps into the Capulets’ garden instead. To his delight Juliet appears at her window! They then talk to each other and agree to marry soon. Not wasting any time, Romeo goes the next morning to see Friar Laurence, to ask if he will marry them. By the end of the day Romeo and Juliet are married.
Romeo: But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Juliet: O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Plot Point 4
Later that day, out on the streets of Verona, Tybalt insults Mercutio which makes him very angry. When Romeo, fresh from his wedding, comes onto the scene, Tybalt insults him as well, trying to get him to fight. Romeo tries to calm Tybalt but Mercutio is furious and Mercutio and Tybalt begin to fight. Mercutio is killed just as Romeo is trying to separate them. His dying words are a curse.
As Romeo realises Tybalt has killed his friend, he attacks Tybalt and kills him. Romeo then realises in an instant that all his happiness with Juliet has come to an end and he is guilty of murder.
Mercutio: A plague a-both your houses.
Plot Point 5
Meanwhile Juliet is ecstatically happy, thinking only of her joy in being Romeo’s wife. On her wedding night she waits for him to come to her. The Nurse rushes in and tells her of Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s banishment. Juliet is in torment: her great love and husband has killed her cousin!
Juliet: Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?
Plot Point 6
Lord and Lady Capulet announce to Juliet that Count Paris has asked to marry her and that they want it to happen in three days’ time. Juliet refuses and her father gets angry at her. Lord Capulet gives her a terrible choice:
Juliet: Good father, I beseech you on my knees, Hear me with patience but to speak a word.
Capulet: Disobedient wretch! I tell thee what – get thee to church a’Thursday Or never after look me in the face.
Plot Point 7
Juliet goes to Friar Laurence’s cell to ask for his help. He tells her his plan: pretend to be happy about the wedding and then, on the night before the wedding, take a special potion. The potion is designed to put her in a really deep sleep that will make the family believe she is dead and take her to the Capulet tomb. Friar Laurence promises that during that time he will send a letter to Romeo about the plan and that Romeo will be there in the tomb when Juliet wakes up and they can elope together.
Friar: Hold, daughter: I do spy a kind of hope Juliet: Love give me strength!
Plot Point 8
But things go terribly wrong. The messenger carrying Friar Laurence’s letter to Romeo returns to say he hasn’t been able to deliver the message to Romeo. Meanwhile, Romeo’s servant, Balthasar, has travelled to Mantua and told Romeo the news that Juliet is dead. Romeo is distraught. He goes to an apothecary and buys poison before going back to Verona.
Romeo: Come, cordial and not poison, go with me
To Juliet’s grave. There there must I use thee
Plot Point 9
Romeo looks at Juliet, then drinks the poison and dies beside her. Friar Lawrence arrives too late to tell him Juliet is not dead. Juliet wakes up and sees Romeo with the poison still in his hand. They hear people coming and the Friar runs away, begging Juliet to come with him. But Juliet does not go and when the Friar has gone she takes Romeo’s dagger and stabs herself.
The Capulets and Montagues gather in grief around the tomb. Many of the citizens of Verona are also there and all are upset but agree to stop fighting each other and to live in peace.
Prince: A glooming peace this morning with it brings.
The sun for sorrow will not show his head.
For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.