The Prologue
A summary of the play and a foreshadowing of events. The Capulets and
Montagues despise each other, and therefore Romeo and Juliet are doomed
before they even meet each other.
EXPOSITION
Act I, Scene 1
The Capulet and Montague houses
quarrel and it is obvious that they despise
each other. Prince Escalus warns that
fighting will result in death. Romeo
professes his love for Rosaline.
Act I, Scene 2
Paris wants to marry Juliet. Lord Capulet
holds a feast to celebrate. Rosaline is
invited, so Romeo and his friend Benvolio
plan to crash the party.
Act I, Scene 3
Lady Capulet informs Juliet and her nurse
of Prince Escalus’ proposal. Juliet makes it
known that she is not all that interested.
Act I, Scene 4
Romeo and his friends put on masks and
make their way to the party. Mercutio
and Romeo discuss their thoughts on love.
Act I, Scene 5
Romeo sees Juliet at the party and falls in
love with her. Both learn of the other’s
family ties and mourn their bad luck in
love.
RISING ACTION & COMPLICATIONS
Act II, Chorus
Romeo is in love with
a seemingly
unattainable woman.
Act II, Scene 1
Romeo goes back to the Capulet
house to see Juliet again. Mercutio
and Benvolio seek out Romeo, but do
not find him because he is hiding in
the Capulet orchard.
Act II, Scene 2
At Juliet’s balcony,
Romeo and Juliet
meet, pledge their
love, and plan their
marriage.
Act II, Scene 3
Romeo confesses his love for Juliet to
Friar Laurence. Romeo asks Laurence
to perform the wedding and
Laurence agrees, hoping to end the
feud between the families.
Act II, Scene 4
Mercutio announces his hatred of Tybalt and he
states his intentions to deal with him man to
man. Romeo tells the nurse to tell Juliet to come
to Laurence’s cell so they can be married.
Act II, Scene 5
The nurse informs
Juliet of the wedding
plans.
Act II, Scene 6
Romeo and Juliet
are married.
CLIMAX
Act III, Scene 1
In a street fight, Tybalt kills
Mercutio and as a result, Romeo
kills Tybalt. As punishment, the
prince banishes Romeo from
Verona
Act III, Scene 2
Juliet learns Romeo’s fate. The
nurse goes to Friar Laurence’s cell
to tell Romeo to visit Juliet in the
evening as previously planned.
Act III, Scene 3
Romeo learns of his banishment and tries to stab himself in
desperation. Friar Laurence proposes that Romeo visit Juliet
and then go to Mantua to hide out. Laurence promises to
reconcile the feuding families, reveal the secret marriage,
and obtain the prince’s pardon for Romeo.
Act III, Scene 4
Lord Capulet sets the
date for Juliet’s
marriage to Paris.
Act III, Scene 5
Romeo and Juliet spend the night together. Romeo departs for
Mantua, and Lady Capulet informs Juliet of her upcoming
wedding to Paris. Juliet refuses to marry Paris, and Lord
Capulet threatens to disown Juliet. The nurse suggests that
Juliet marry Paris and forget about Romeo. Juliet seeks help
from Friar Laurence.
FALLING ACTION
Act IV, Scene 1
The friar devises a plan to prevent Juliet’s marriage to Paris:
on the night before the wedding, Juliet will drink a potion that
induces a death-like coma for 42 hours. In the meantime, Friar
Laurence will send a message to Romeo, who will return to
Verona and wait in the Capulets’ burial vault until Juliet
awakens. Hen the lovers will escape to Mantua together.
Act IV, Scene 2
To appease her father. Juliet tells Lord
Capulet that she will marry Paris. Afraid
that she will change her mind, Lord Capulet
moves the wedding up one day to
Wednesday, the nest morning.
Act IV, Scene 3
Juliet expresses many fears and
doubts about the plan, but drinks
the friar’s potion anyway.
Act IV, Scene 4
Lord and Lady Capulet
prepare for the wedding.
Lord Capulet sends the nurse
to fetch Juliet.
Act IV, Scene 5
The nurse finds Juliet unresponsive and
believes that she is dead. Friar Laurence
attempts to comfort the family and tells
them to prepare Juliet for burial in the
family tomb.
RESOLUTION
Act V, Scene 1
Romeo’s servant arrives in Mantua with
the news of Juliet’s death. With no
message from the friar about the hoax,
Romeo loses it and buys poison from an
apothecary. He sets out for Juliet’s grave
where he plans to kill himself.
Act V, Scene 2
Friar Laurence’s plan is out of control. He
learns Romeo never received the letter
that explained the plan. Fearing that
Juliet will awake alone, Friar Laurence
sets out for Juliet’s grave.
Act V, Scene 3
Paris, at the Capulet tomb, sees Romeo and tries to apprehend him. They fight, and Romeo kills Paris. Romeo finds Juliet’s body, drinks
the poison, and dies. Friar Laurence arrives. When Juliet awakens, the friar tells her of Paris’s and Romeo’s deaths. The friar leaves
Juliet alone, and she stabs herself. The watchman and Paris’s servant discover the dead bodies and round up the friar and Balthazar.
The Capulets, Montagues, and Prince Escalus are called to the scene. The prince blames the Capulets and Montagues for causing their
children’s deaths, and the repentant families are reconciled.