THE TRAGEDY OF ROMEO AND JULIET William Shakespeare

PLOT  A tragedy of star crossed lovers who due to feuding families are doomed to die instead of flourishing in their love.

SETTING  Verona, Italy during the 14 th or 15 th century

HOUSE OF MONTAGUE  Montague is the patriarch of the house of Montague.  Montague's wife is the matriarch of the house of Montague.  Romeo is the son of Montague, and the play's male protagonist.  Benvolio is Romeo's cousin and best friend.  Abram and Balthasar are servants of the Montague household.

HOUSE OF CAPULET  Capulet is the patriarch of the house of Capulet.  Capulet's wife is the matriarch of the house of Capulet.  Juliet is the 13-year-old daughter of Capulet, and the play's female protagonist.  Tybalt is a cousin of Juliet, and the nephew of Capulet's wife.  The Nurse is Juliet's personal attendant and confidante.  Peter, Sampson and Gregory are servants of the Capulet household.

RULING HOUSE OF VERONA  Prince Escalus is the ruling Prince of Verona  Count Paris is a kinsman of Escalus who wishes to marry Juliet.  Mercutio is another kinsman of Escalus, and a friend of Romeo.

OTHER CHARACTERS  Friar Laurence is a Franciscan friar, and is Romeo's confidant.  A Chorus reads a prologue to each of the first two acts.  Friar John is sent to deliver Friar Laurence's letter to Romeo.  An Apothecary who reluctantly sells Romeo poison.

SUMMARIZATION OF EVENTS PT.1  Romeo attends the Capulet ball in hopes of meeting Rosaline.  Romeo instead meets Juliet where he falls in love with her.  Romeo sneaks the Montague’s orchard where he hears Juliet vowing her love to him despite the hatred of their families.  Romeo shows himself and they agree to get married.

SUMMARIZATION OF EVENTS PT. 2  Romeo and Juliet get married next day from meeting.  Tybalt challenges Romeo to duel which he declines so Mercutio accepts the challenge.  Mercutio is fatally wounded when Romeo tries to break up the fight.  Romeo kill Tybalt and is exiled with the threat of exections if he returns to Verona.

SUMMARIZATION OF EVENTS PT 3  Capulet agrees to marry Juliet to Count Paris and threatens to disown her if she refuses  Juliet goes to Friar Laurence for help and he gives her a drug to make her go into a dead like coma for 24hr  Friar Laurence promises to send a message to Romeo to let him know of their plan.  Juliet takes the drug the night before her wedding to Paris.

THE TRAGIC PART OF THE STORY  Romeo doesn’t get the message and is informed by his servant that Juliet offed herself.  So Romeo buys some poison drinks to drink at the Capulet crypt.  He encounter Paris who he kills.  Then drinks the poison only to be found by the waking Juliet.  Juliet stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger.  The lovers are found dead by their families and the Prince mending their hatred.

FORESHADOWING EPIC DOOM  Through the chorus first speech declaring Romeo and Juliet are doomed to die and “star-crossed”  Juliet “my grave is like to be my wedding bed”  The lovers’ thoughts of suicide, as when Romeo threatens to kill himself after killing Tybalt.  Friar Lawrence’s warnings to behave moderately if Romeo and Juliet wish to avoid tragedy: “These violent delights have violent ends... Therefore love moderately”

FORESHADOWING PT 2  The lovers’ mutual impression that the other looks pale and deathlike after their wedding night  Juliet’s faked death by Friar Lawrence’s potion. Romeo’s dream- vision of Juliet kissing his lips while he is dead

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE PLAY  Written in present tense  Point of view that is third person following Romeo and Juliet occasionally used point of view from the servants of both families to illuminate action of their masters.  Theme The forcefulness of love; love as a cause of violence; the individual versus society; the inevitability of fate

THE END!