Juliet Paris Friar Laurence Act IV, Scene 1

Act IV, Scene 1 Paris has stopped by Friar Laurence's church to make plans for his upcoming marriage to Juliet. The Friar is quietly freaking out, since he's not a big fan of enabling bigamy. Juliet rushes in to see the friar talking with the last person on Earth she wants to see: Paris. "Happily met, my lady and my wife," Paris says to Juliet as she enters. It's pretty much downhill from there. Eventually, Paris takes the hint that Juliet needs to make confession to the Friar, and he leaves—but not before giving Juliet an unwanted and uninspiring kiss.

Act IV, Scene 1 Left alone, Juliet … whips out a dagger and tells the Friar she will kill herself if he can't think of a way for her to avoid marrying Paris. Confronted with his second suicidal teen in under 24 hours, Friar Laurence remains calm. Once again, he has a better plan that doesn't involve suicide. (Although, if you ask us, it is still seriously flawed.) He tells Juliet his idea. He knows of a weird potion that will make Juliet appear as if she is dead for "two and forty hours." That's Shakespeare for 42 hours.

Act IV, Scene 1 Conveniently, the Capulets don't actually bury their dead in the ground, which otherwise would kind of screw up the plan. Instead, they stick them in a big tomb. If everyone thinks Juliet is dead, the Friar explains, she won't have to marry Paris. Then he and Romeo can come to the tomb and wait for her to wake up, and then she and Romeo can go to Mantua together. The Friar promises to send a letter to Romeo so he knows what's going on. Juliet thinks this is a great idea, which we can only understand by assuming she's never seen a tragedy in her life. She takes the potion, thanks the Friar, and heads home.

Act IV, Scene 2 Scene 2: Juliet returns home and apologizes to her father, saying that she’ll marry Paris. Pleased with her apology, Lord Capulet decides to move the wedding up to Wednesday. “Send for the County. Go tell him of this. I’ll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning.” ~Lord Capulet

Act IV, Scene 3 Juliet convinces the Nurse and Lady Capulet to leave her alone, then takes out the potion the Friar gave her. She worries for a brief moment that it might be real poison, and then freaks herself out by imagining what it'll be like to awake surrounded by a bunch of dead bodies, including the fresh corpse of her cousin Tybalt. She drinks the potion, making sure to fall on to the bed instead of dropping awkwardly onto the floor. “What if it be a poison, which the Friar Subtly hath ministered to have me dead, Lest in this marriage he should be dishonored, Because he married me before to Romeo?” “How if, when I am laid into the tomb, I wake before the time that Romeo Come to redeem me? There's a fearful point. Shall I not then be stifled in the vault, To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in, And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes?” “The horrible conceit of death and night, Together with the terror of the place—”

Act IV, Scene 5 The Nurse enters the chamber and attempts to wake Juliet. After being unsuccessful the Nurse believes Juliet to be dead. She alerts the household and over the course of the scene Lord Capulet, Lady Capulet, and Paris arrive to find out that Juliet is dead. Then the Friar shows up and takes action, telling them to take Juliet to the tomb immediately. CAPULET  All things that we ordainèd festival Turn from their office to black funeral; Our instruments to melancholy bells, Our wedding cheer to a sad burial feast, Our solemn hymns to sullen dirges change, Our bridal flowers serve for a buried corse, And all things change them to the contrary. FRIAR LAURENCE Sir, go you in; and, madam, go with him; And go, Sir Paris. Every one prepare To follow this fair corse unto her grave. The heavens do lower upon you for some ill; Move them no more by crossing their high will.

Apothecary: a person who prepared and sold medicines and drugs. Act V, Scene 1 Apothecary: a person who prepared and sold medicines and drugs.

Act V, Scene 2

Act V, scene 3

Act V, scene 3

Blame Game Fishbowl Romeo The Capulets Juliet The Montagues Tybalt In Romeo and Juliet, the Prince blames everyone for the deaths of the two teenagers. Think about it! Who/what would you blame? Who has the most responsibility? Why? Consider the following characters/things and the roles they play in the deaths: Romeo Juliet Tybalt Mercutio Fate/Bad Luck The Capulets The Montagues Friar Laurence Balthasar The Nurse