ACCIDENT & BAD LUCK IN ‘ROMEO & JULIET'
Romeo decides to go to the Capulet feast (Act 1 / Scene II)
Peter cannot read, and asks for help from Romeo and Benvolio.
Benvolio persuades Romeo to go to the feast because "At this same ancient feast of Capulet's sups the fair Rosaline whom
thou so lovs't, with all the admired beauties of Verona."
Benvolio's idea is to help Romeo get over his infatuation with Rosaline "Compare her face with some that I shall show, and I will make thee
think thy swan a crow."
Romeo decides that he will go to the feast, but not for that reason "I’ll go along, no such sight to be shown, but to rejoice in such
splendour of mine own."
Juliet agrees to meet Paris (Act 1 / Scene III)
Lady Capulet tells Juliet of Paris's intention "Thus then in brief: the valiant Paris seeks you for his love."
Juliet agrees that she will go to the feast and consider Paris's proposal –
“I’ll look to like, if looking liking move."
Romeo meets Juliet (Act 1 / Scene V)
Romeo sees Juliet and immediately falls in love with her "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it sight, for I ne'er saw such
beauty till this night."
Romeo speaks with Juliet who it is clear feels the same way, they kiss, and
once Romeo has left her Juliet inquires who he is "My only love sprung from my only hate, too early seen unknown, and
known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a
loathed enemy."
Mercutio is killed (Act 3 / Scene I)
Mercutio defends Romeo against Tybalt, they fight and Mercutio is killed "This gentleman, the Prince's near ally, my very friend, hath got this
mortal hurt in my behalf; my reputation stained with Tybalt's slander."
When Tybalt returns, Romeo tells him that Mercutio is dead and vows that "Either thou or I, or both, must go with him."
The two men fight and Tybalt is killed.
As a result of this, Benvolio tries to encourage Romeo to flee "Romeo away, be gone. The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain. Stand
not amazed, the Prince will doom thee death, if thou art taken."
When the Prince and the citizens arrive, Benvolio pleads Romeo's case, but
the Prince blames the death of his kinsman on the feud between the two
families, and he therefore banishes Romeo "And for that offence immediately we do exile him hence."
Juliet is forced to agree to marriage (Act 3 / Scene IV)
The Capulets decide that because Juliet is apparently so upset at Tybalt's
death, she should marry Paris in three days time "A Thursday let it be a' Thursday, tell her, she shall be married to this
noble earl."
Juliet runs away to seek the Friar’s help (Act 4 / Scene 1)
Juliet runs away in order to prevent the wedding.
She goes to Friar Lawrence's cell and asks him for his help.
The Friar tells Juliet of his plan "And in this borrowed likeness of death thou shalt continue two and
forty hours, and then awake as from a pleasant sleep. Now when the
bridegroom in the morning comes to rouse thee from thy bed, there art
thou dead."
Friar Lawrence tells Juliet that he will send a letter to Romeo telling him of the
plan.
The wedding is brought forward to wednesday (Act 4 / Scene 2)
Juliet returns home and agrees to marry Paris.
Capulet decides to bring the wedding forward a day "Go nurse, go with her; we'll to church tomorrow."
This means that there is less time to inform Romeo of the plans.
Romeo learns of Juliet’s Death and buys poison (Act 5 / Scene 1)
Balthasar arrives and tells Romeo of Juliets death "Her body sleeps in Capels' monument, and her immortal part with
angels lives."
On hearing of Juliet's death, Romeo vows to go to Verona to be with her "Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight."
He first seeks out an apothecary who is so poor he sells Romeo the poison "My poverty, but not my will consents."
The Friar’s letter is never sent (Act 5 / Scene 2)
Friar Laurence has asked Friar John to take the letter to Romeo, but he is
detained in a house in which there has been a deadly disease, and so he
cannot take the letter, or send for a messenger "Unhappy fortune! By my brotherhood, that letter was not nice, but full
of charge of dear import; and the neglecting it may do much danger."
Juliet wakes up just after Romeo has killed himself (Act 5 / Scene 3)
Romeo has just killed himself when Juliet wakes up. She finds him dead and
decides to kill herself aswell "I will kiss thy lips; haply some poison yet doth hang on them, to make
me die with a restorative. Thy lips are warm."
However, Juliet hears a noise and stabs herself with Romeo's dagger "Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief. O happy dagger! This is thy sheath;
there rest, and let me die."