Why did I choose to study this play?
I decided to study Romeo and Juliet because I've already learned quite a bit about Hamlet, and I thought I should at least have a little knowledge about both plays.
Characters-
Ruling house of Verona
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House of Montague
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House of Capulet
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Others
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet |
Chorus (opening) -
Two households, both alike in dignity |
(Modern) |
The plot of the play-
Set in Verona, the play begins with a street brawl between the servants of the feuding noble families of Montague and Capulet. After citizens, enraged by the constant violence, beat back the feuding families, prince Escalus decrees that if they continue to break the peace, it will be punishable by death.
Meanwhile, Benvolio speaks with his cousin Romeo, Montague's son, about his recent depression. Discovering it was about Rosaline, Capulet's niece, not loving Romeo back, he tells Romeo to forget the girl, but Romeo does not.
Paris, a kinsman of the prince, seeks Juliet's hand in mairrage. Her father Caupulet was happy at the match, but told Paris to wait two years since Juliet wasn't even fourteen yet. Capulet dispatches a servant with a list of people to invite to a masquerade and feast he traditionally holds. He invites Paris, hoping that he will be able to win Juliet's heart. The servant crosses Romeo and Benvolio, and Benvolio suggests that they attend in hopes that Romeo could compare his beloved to other beautiful women of Verona. Romeo agrees to go to the feast only because he saw Rosaline's name on the list and knew she would be there.
However, when Romeo appears at the party in costume, he instead sees Juliet and immediately falls in love with her. As Romeo watched Juliet, Tybalt, a young Capulet, recognizes Romeo and is enraged that a Montague would dare sneak into a Capulet party. He is about to attack when Capulet stops him. A little later, Romeo speaks to Juliet and they fall for each other, but when Romeo finds out from Juliet's nurse that she is a Capulet, he is distraught. She too gets upset when she finds that they are on opposite sides of the feuding families.
After the party, Romeo sneaks into the orchard, unable to leave Juliet behind. He hears her speak his name from her balcony and they exchange vows of love. Romeo hurries to see his friend Friar Lawrence who agrees to marry the young lovers in secret since he sees in their love the possibility of ending the age-old feud between Capulet and Monague. The following day, Romeo and Juliet meet at Friar Lawrence's cell and are married. The nurse, who is sworn to secrecy, places a ladder which Romeo will use to climb into Juliet's window for their wedding night.
Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, still enraged that Romeo sneaked into the party, challenges Romeo to a duel. Considering Tybalt family, Romeo begs him to hold off the duel until he understands why Romeo does not want to fight. Disgusted by the plea for peace, Mercutio decides to fight Tybalt himself. Tybalt stabs Mercutio and he dies. Romeo then kills Tybalt and flees. Soon after, the prince forever banishes Romeo from Verona for his crime.
Romeo secretly spends the night in Juliet's chamber, where they consumate their marriage.
Capulet, misinterpereting Juliet's grief, agrees to marry her to Count Paris and threatens to disown her when she refuses to become Paris's "joyful bride."When she then pleads for the marriage to be delayed, her mother rejects her.
Juliet visits Friar Lawrence for help, and he offers her a drug that will put her in a death-like coma for "two and forty hours." The Friar promises to send a messenger to inform Romeo of the plan so he can rejoin her when she awakens. On the night before the wedding she takes the drug and, when discovered apparently dead, she is laid in the family crypt. The Capulets grieve, and Juliet is entombed according to plan. But Friar Lawrence's message explaining the plan to Romeo never reaches Mantua. It's bearer, Friar John, never makes it and is instead confined in a quarantined house. Romeo hears only that Juliet is dead from his servant Balthasar, and, deciding that he cannot live on without her, chooses to kill himself. Buying a vial of poison from an apothecary, he heads to the Capulet crypt.
Paris, who went to mourn her death in private and spread flowers on Juliet's tomb, finds Romeo. A fight ensues and Romeo kills Paris. Still believing Juliet to be dead, he drinks the poison. Juliet then awakens and sees Romeo dead next to her and stabs herself with his dagger. The two feuding families and the Prince arrive at the crypt and find all three dead. Montague declares that Lady Montague has died of grief over Romeo’s exile. Seeing their children’s bodies, Capulet and Montague agree to end their long-standing feud and to raise gold statues of their children side-by-side in a newly peaceful Verona.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/summary.html http://www.shmoop.com/romeo-and-juliet/summary.html http://nfs.sparknotes.com/romeojuliet/
Meanwhile, Benvolio speaks with his cousin Romeo, Montague's son, about his recent depression. Discovering it was about Rosaline, Capulet's niece, not loving Romeo back, he tells Romeo to forget the girl, but Romeo does not.
Paris, a kinsman of the prince, seeks Juliet's hand in mairrage. Her father Caupulet was happy at the match, but told Paris to wait two years since Juliet wasn't even fourteen yet. Capulet dispatches a servant with a list of people to invite to a masquerade and feast he traditionally holds. He invites Paris, hoping that he will be able to win Juliet's heart. The servant crosses Romeo and Benvolio, and Benvolio suggests that they attend in hopes that Romeo could compare his beloved to other beautiful women of Verona. Romeo agrees to go to the feast only because he saw Rosaline's name on the list and knew she would be there.
However, when Romeo appears at the party in costume, he instead sees Juliet and immediately falls in love with her. As Romeo watched Juliet, Tybalt, a young Capulet, recognizes Romeo and is enraged that a Montague would dare sneak into a Capulet party. He is about to attack when Capulet stops him. A little later, Romeo speaks to Juliet and they fall for each other, but when Romeo finds out from Juliet's nurse that she is a Capulet, he is distraught. She too gets upset when she finds that they are on opposite sides of the feuding families.
After the party, Romeo sneaks into the orchard, unable to leave Juliet behind. He hears her speak his name from her balcony and they exchange vows of love. Romeo hurries to see his friend Friar Lawrence who agrees to marry the young lovers in secret since he sees in their love the possibility of ending the age-old feud between Capulet and Monague. The following day, Romeo and Juliet meet at Friar Lawrence's cell and are married. The nurse, who is sworn to secrecy, places a ladder which Romeo will use to climb into Juliet's window for their wedding night.
Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, still enraged that Romeo sneaked into the party, challenges Romeo to a duel. Considering Tybalt family, Romeo begs him to hold off the duel until he understands why Romeo does not want to fight. Disgusted by the plea for peace, Mercutio decides to fight Tybalt himself. Tybalt stabs Mercutio and he dies. Romeo then kills Tybalt and flees. Soon after, the prince forever banishes Romeo from Verona for his crime.
Romeo secretly spends the night in Juliet's chamber, where they consumate their marriage.
Capulet, misinterpereting Juliet's grief, agrees to marry her to Count Paris and threatens to disown her when she refuses to become Paris's "joyful bride."When she then pleads for the marriage to be delayed, her mother rejects her.
Juliet visits Friar Lawrence for help, and he offers her a drug that will put her in a death-like coma for "two and forty hours." The Friar promises to send a messenger to inform Romeo of the plan so he can rejoin her when she awakens. On the night before the wedding she takes the drug and, when discovered apparently dead, she is laid in the family crypt. The Capulets grieve, and Juliet is entombed according to plan. But Friar Lawrence's message explaining the plan to Romeo never reaches Mantua. It's bearer, Friar John, never makes it and is instead confined in a quarantined house. Romeo hears only that Juliet is dead from his servant Balthasar, and, deciding that he cannot live on without her, chooses to kill himself. Buying a vial of poison from an apothecary, he heads to the Capulet crypt.
Paris, who went to mourn her death in private and spread flowers on Juliet's tomb, finds Romeo. A fight ensues and Romeo kills Paris. Still believing Juliet to be dead, he drinks the poison. Juliet then awakens and sees Romeo dead next to her and stabs herself with his dagger. The two feuding families and the Prince arrive at the crypt and find all three dead. Montague declares that Lady Montague has died of grief over Romeo’s exile. Seeing their children’s bodies, Capulet and Montague agree to end their long-standing feud and to raise gold statues of their children side-by-side in a newly peaceful Verona.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/summary.html http://www.shmoop.com/romeo-and-juliet/summary.html http://nfs.sparknotes.com/romeojuliet/
Prince Escalus (closing) -
A glooming peace this morning with it brings. |
(Modern) |