“Romeo & Juliet” Class Notes - copy for review Act I Scene I 1. The Capulets and Montagues start a fight over the thumb biting gesture 2. Prince declares: Any more quarrels and I will put you to death 3. Prince takes Capulet to talk privately – will talk to Montague later 4. Benvolio tells Montague ( Romeo’s father) what happened – he was glad Romeo wasn’t there 5. Montagues ask Benvolio if he knows what is wrong with Romeo lately – He has been depressed, stays in his room, nightly walks in the woods alone and no one knows why.

6. Romeo comes along and talks to Benvolio – tells him he is in love but the woman (Rosaline) does not love him back 7. Benvolio tells Romeo to look for another woman to help him forget his love 8. Romeo says no one will match her beauty 9. Benvolio says – he will die trying to get Romeo to forget his love

Act I Scene 2 1. Capulet is talking to Paris about how he may be too old to marry but still feels he is best for Juliet. 2. Paris asks Capulet for Juliet’s hand in marriage 3. Capulet tells Paris he needs to wait till Juliet is 16 (she is 13 now) unless Paris can woo her and capture her heart (and she agrees to the marriage). 4. Capulet invites Paris to the masked ball/feast at his house

5. Capulet sends an illiterate servant with a note inviting townspeople to his party – servant runs into Romeo who reads the list for him. 6. Benvolio and Romeo decide to crash the party because Rosaline will be there 7. Romeo says he will never fall in love with another woman…Benvolio thinks Romeo may see other women at the ball and will forget about Rosaline

Act I Scene 3 1. We meet the nurse (she provides us some comic relief) we find out she is like a second mother – she raised and nursed Juliet 2. Lady Capulet wants Juliet to consider marrying Paris – a man of wax – handsome, rich, notable 3. Juliet hasn’t even considered marriage, but will look at Paris at the feast..as a sign of respect to her mother and father’s wishes

Act I Scene 4 1. We meet Romeo and Benvolio’s friend Mercutio 2. Mercutio is the opposite of Romeo… he is wild, carefree and unlucky in love 3. Mercutio gets sick of Romeo’s whining and tells him the only reason he is in love is because the fairy queen, Queen Mab, has visited him in his dreams. 4. Romeo has his first premonition about his possible death – it was a dream – if he goes to this party, it will set events in motion that may kill him. 5. Romeo and his friends still go to the masked ball

Act I Scene 5 1. (Comic Relief) Servingmen are complaining about preparing for the feast 2. Capulet starts the masked ball/feast – he tells the party goers to turn up the tables, turn off the fireplace, some ladies won’t dance if they have corns on their toes 3. Romeo sees Juliet for the first time – forgets instantly about Rosaline 4. Tybalt (Juliet’s cousin) overhears Romeo talking to himself, runs to tell Capulet, he wants to fight him for “crashing” the party

5. Capulet tells Tybalt he is a “saucey boy” and needs to get over himself, it is an honor to have Romeo at the party 6. Tybalt can’t take being nice to Romeo so leaves the party vowing revenge 7. Romeo and Juliet meet, dance, touch hands, kiss 8. Juliet and then Romeo find out they are from the families they both hate