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Romeo and
Juliet Study
Guide
Freshman Language Arts
By Bryan G.
Table of Contents
Cast of Characters ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Prologue ...................................................................................................................................................... 4
Act 1 ............................................................................................................................................................. 4
Scene 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
Scene 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 6
Scene 3 ..................................................................................................................................................... 7
Scene 4 ..................................................................................................................................................... 7
Cast of Characters
Romeo
Sort of a main character, Romeo is the son of Montague and Lady Montague. Being about 16, he’s an
emotional train wreck (thanks, puberty) and struggles with concepts of love. He marries Juliet, which
isn’t exactly allowed by the nature of the relationship between the Montagues and Capulets.
Juliet
Sort of a main character, Juliet is the daughter of Capulet and Lady Capulet. She’s a beautiful girl, and
she quickly falls in love with Romeo.
Friar Lawrence
Friar Lawrence is a friend to Romeo and Juliet, so he ends up being the one that secretly marries the two.
He is also an expert on potions and herbs.
Mercutio
Related to the Prince, Mercutio is Romeo’s BFFL. He’s smart and imaginative, but he also is a bit of a
satire and enjoys wordplay, especially double entendres.
The Nurse
Juliet’s nurse has cared for Juliet her whole life and she acts a comedic person in the story. She agrees with
Juliet throughout most the story, but she disagrees with Juliet at the end. She contrasts Juliet’s view of
love.
Tybalt
Tybalt, who is a Capulet, is Juliet’s cousin. He is violent and aggressive, so he runs to his sword to solve
many of his problems. Tybalt is not somebody to be in a fight with, and he hates the Montagues.
Capulet
Capulet is of course the patriarch (male head) of the Capulets, and is therefore the father of Juliet. His wife
is Lady Capulet and he is enemies with the Montagues. He thinks that Juliet should marry Paris over
Romeo (since Romeo is a Montague).
Lady Capulet
Lady Capulet is the wife of Capulet and the mother of Juliet. Lady Capulet married young, and she would
like to see the same of Juliet (she wants her to marry Paris).
Montague
Montague is the patriarch (male head) of the Montagues, and is therefore the father of Romeo. He is
enemies with the Capulets and is concerned about Romeo’s recent depression.
Lady Montague
Lady Montague is the wife of Montague and the mother of Romeo.
Paris
Related to the Prince, Paris is respected. The Capulets wish for him to marry their daughter, Juliet, and
Paris strongly likes to act as if they are already married.
Benvolio
Benvolio is the nephew of Montague and therefore Romeo’s cousin. He tries to break up public fights, but
Mercutio thinks that he is the opposite when he is alone (mean and provoking). He helps Romeo get over
Rosaline.
Prince Escalus
Prince Escalus is the prince of all of Verona (sort of a big deal). He is related to Mercutio and Paris, and
he has the power in Verona.
Friar John
Friar John is tasked with telling Romeo of Juliet’s false death, but he never gets the message to Romeo.
Balthasar
Balthasar is Romeo’s servant who tells Romeo of Juliet’s false death.
Sampson and Gregory
Sampson and Gregory are servants to the Capulets. They don’t like the Montagues and therefore have
fights with them throughout the story.
Abraham
Abraham is Montague’s servant, and he fights Sampson and Gregory.
Peter
Peter is a Capulet servant who is illiterate and a bad singer.
Rosaline
Rosaline is Romeo’s first love who is sworn to chastity and is said to be very beautiful.
The Chorus
The chorus acts as a single character and takes the role of a narrator. Throughout the story, the chorus
comments on the play’s plot and main themes.
Act 1
Act 1 Prologue
The chorus introduces the story here, and we are told that the story of Romeo and Juliet
takes place in the city of Verona, Italy, which is known at the time to be a beautiful city. In the
city exists two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, whom are both actively feuding (they
have been feuding for a long time, previous to the story). The two families detest each other, but
two children from both families, Romeo and Juliet, fall in love. However, due to the nature of
the two family’s relationship, the love doesn’t work and the two children commit suicide. While
their deaths are sad, the deaths of Romeo and Juliet put an end to the long feud. At the end of
the prologue, the chorus mentions that the play will take two hours and anything not covered
here (in the prologue) will soon be revealed (so stay tuned and listen up folks; a great story is
about to be told!).
Scene 1
Our story opens up to two servants (to the Capulets) that are both carrying swords and
shields; their names are Gregory and Sampson. Sampson opens up the story stating that the
Capulets can’t keep treating them like trash, but Gregory reciprocates and says that Sampson
would never doing anything to change it because Sampson isn’t really as tough as he acts. To
this, Sampson says that if he ever saw one of the Montague dogs, he would stay near the wall
and let the dog walk in the gutter. Gregory then responds by saying that Sampson is the weak
one in that scenario, for weak people get pushed up against walls. Finally, Sampson agrees with
this and states that it must be the reason why girls get pushed up against walls (Sampson is
saying that women are weak). So, Sampson continues and says that he’ll push Montague men
into the streets and Montague women up against walls. He’ll beat up the men and then rape the
women and steal their virginity. Gregory pokes fun at Sampson saying that the women could
never feel him because Sampson is small. However, Sampson disagrees with this and says that
any women could feel him because he a “pretty piece of flesh.”
This conversation comes to an end when Abram and another servant of the Montagues
enter the scene. Gregory tells Sampson to pull out his sword so that they can fight the
Montagues, and Sampson pulls out his sword and says he’ll back Gregory up in the fight.
Gregory, still making fun of how wimpy Sampson is, says that Sampson won’t back him up in
the fight. Rather, he says that Sampson will just run! Sampson says that he’ll stand his ground,
but Gregory is doubtful of such. Sampson, being the wimp he is, reconsiders the situation and
says that maybe they shouldn’t start a fight with the Montagues because they don’t want to get
in trouble with the law. So, Gregory says that he will merely frown upon the Montagues when
they walk by, and, if the Montagues start a fight, then the Capulet servants (Gregory and
Sampson) will retaliate. Sampson decides that he wants to instigate the fight a little more, so he
bites his thumb at the approaching Montagues (which is equivalent to flicking someone off in
this era). Abram, one of the Montagues, asks if Sampson is biting his thumb at them. Sampson
and Abram talk for a little bit about whether or not Sampson is biting his thumb at the
Montagues, but eventually Gregory steps in and asks if Abram is trying to start a fight (the
Capulet servants are trying to put the blame of the whole entire fight on the Montagues).
Abram, trying not to get in trouble, declines any intention to start a fight, but Sampson
reciprocates by saying that if Abram does want to fight, Sampson would be a good match for
him. Abram says, however, that Sampson wouldn’t be a good match for him (Abram is saying
that Sampson is below his level).
A new man, Benvolio, enters and tells Sampson that he should tell Abram that he is
below Sampson’s level, as to further feed the fire. Sampson agrees, and Abram disagrees with
the idea. To this, Sampson finally starts a fight to prove who the better man is. Benvolio, who
has watched the fight break out, tells the men to break up the fight because neither side has a
clue what the heck they are even doing.
A new character named Tybalt enters. Tybalt looks at Benvolio and asks him why he
would pull out his sword to partake in any battle. Benvolio, whose intention wasn’t to fight, just
says that he wanted to keep the peace. However, Tybalt doesn’t believe Benvolio and he
challenges him to a sword fight. Citizens come to watch the sword fight, chanting for either side
to maim one another.
All of a sudden, Capulet and his wife, Lady Capulet, enter the scene and Capulet, who is
appalled by the noise, asks for the cause of it. Capulet demands a sword to get in on the action,
but his wife insists that a crutch would better suit him. The Capulets are now joined by the
Montagues (Montague and Lady Montague), and Capulet demands his sword once more so
that he can take a poke at Montague. Montague calls Capulet a villain, and when he intends to
take a poke at Capulet, Lady Montague holds Montague back, saying that Montague shouldn’t
step in the direction of the foe.
At this point, Prince Escalus enters the scene and starts turning up the whole situation.
He’s all like “You get shame! You get shame! You all get shame!” He states that three riots have
broken out on the streets just because of the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. He
threatens both parties by saying that if another fight ever breaks out again, they’ll pay for it
with their lives. He asks Capulet to come with him, and he tells Montague to come to court later
for his verdict on the situation.
Everybody leaves except for Montague, Lady Montague, and Benvolio. Montague
interrogates his nephew, Benvolio, to figure out who started the whole mess. Benvolio rats out
the servants and, of course, throws in that he tried to stop it all. Lady Montague, noticing that
she hasn’t seen her son, asks Benvolio where Romeo is. Romeo, according to Benvolio, was seen
earlier today on a walk, but he tried to hide when somebody neared him (he evidently wanted
to be alone). Montague furthers this thought by saying that Romeo has been seen crying a lot,
and he is running away to his room, which he keeps dark even in the daylight. Benvolio asks
why Romeo would act like this, but Montague doesn’t know.
Benvolio, now seeing Romeo entering, tells Montague that he’ll get the truth out of him.
As to leave Benvolio alone with Romeo, Montague and his wife leave the scene. Benvolio greets
his cousin, Romeo, who is surprised to find out that it is still the morning (he says that time
goes by slowly when he’s sad)! Benvolio begins to ask Romeo why he is said, and Romeo says
that he loves somebody, but she doesn’t love him back. Benvolio tries to convince Romeo that
love isn’t supposed to be this intense, committed relationship that works out 100% of the time,
but when Romeo begins to cry, Benvolio has to rethink his strategy. He asks who Romeo loves,
but he doesn’t disclose that information. Rather, he just discloses the information that the
woman he loves is beautiful and sworn to being a virgin for life. Benvolio, now caught up in
this preteen drama, tells Romeo to simply stop thinking about her, but Romeo counters by
saying he can’t (of course he can’t). Benvolio tells Romeo to let his eyes wander and look at other
women as to distract Romeo from his problems. Benvolio promises that he’ll show Romeo how
to get over his love (Romeo is not in love with Juliet yet! This is a different woman!), and both
Romeo and Benvolio leave.
Scene 2
The scene opens up to Capulet, Paris, and Capulet’s servant (Peter). Paris is trying to
convince Capulet to let him marry Juliet (Capulet’s daughter), but Capulet insists on waiting
two more years before he hands off his daughter. Paris tries to convince Capulet again, but
Capulet says that Paris should be worrying more about making sure Juliet loves him before
trying to get her dad’s approval of the relationship. Capulet invites Paris to come to a party the
Capulets are hosting later that night so that Paris can meet other woman and decide if Juliet is
really the one for Paris. Capulet hands a list of people that are invited to the party to Peter and
tells him to tell them that they are invited.
Capulet and Paris leave, and Peter is left to find the people on Capulet’s list. There’s just
one problem: Peter doesn’t know how to read. However, just in time, Romeo and Benvolio
come strolling into the scene. Benvolio and Romeo are still debating the politics of Romeo’s love
life, but Peter stops Romeo and asks if he can read. Because he can, he lists off the names of the
people to be invited. Romeo asks where the guests are supposed to go, and Peter responds that
the party is at his master’s house (Capulet). Peter invites Romeo to the party and then leaves the
scene.
Benvolio and Romeo continue to talk about Romeo’s love life. Benvolio, now invited to
the party, tells Romeo that he can get over Rosaline (This is the first time that Romeo’s love is
mentioned; her name is Rosaline) by looking at other beautiful women at the party. However,
Romeo counters and says that no woman is more beautiful than Rosaline. Romeo finally agrees
to go to the party, but he says that his sole purpose in doing so is to see Rosaline and nobody
else.
Scene 3
The scene opens up to Lady Capulet asking the Nurse where Juliet is. Juliet, now
entering the scene, asks who called her in, and when she learns that her mother called for her
she asks what the occasion is. Lady Capulet, at first, tells Nurse to leave, but after considering
that Nurse probably known more about Juliet than she (Lady Capulet) does, she lets her stay
and listen in. Nurse babbles on about Juliet’s age, but Lady Capulet quickly grows tired of
listening to Juliet baby stories. Lady Capulet asks Juliet about her plans to marry, and Juliet says
that she has no plans (wisdom that Nurse claims to have given her). Lady Capulet, surprised by
this, tells Juliet that she really ought to lose her virginity. As a matter of fact, most women of
Verona are already mothers! Anyways, Lady Capulet tells Juliet that she should marry Paris.
Lady Capulet and Nurse go on about how dreamy and drop dead gorgeous Paris is before Juliet
finally agrees that she’ll take a look at Paris (at the dance) and see what she thinks. Peter, a
servant to the Capulets, enters and tells Lady Capulet and Juliet that the dance is starting!
Scene 4
Our scene opens up to Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio followed by five or six other
masked friends. Romeo asks the others if they should enter the dance in secret or make up an
excuse to be in attendance, but Benvolio just says that they should go with the flow.
Remembering that he should be sad and depressed, Romeo tells Mercutio that he doesn’t really
want to dance. However, all of his friends tell him to go! Romeo and Mercutio go back on forth
on the subject matter until Romeo finally starts to agree to go to the dance.
On the way to the dance, Romeo brings up the fact that he had an interesting dream the
other night. Mercutio begins to tell a long tale about Queen Mab (queen is slang for a whore,
and Mab is a stereotypical name for a prostitute around the time). Queen Mab is supposedly a
small fairy-like figure that jumps around to different sleeping people while implanting certain
dreams into their minds. For example, Queen Mab gives soldiers dreams of war while she gives
courtiers dreams of curtsying. Romeo, not amused by the foolish words, tells Mercutio to shut
it. Benvolio tells the group that they need to get a move on (or else they will be late), but
Romeo—being his emotional self again—has this bad feeling about going to the dance too early.
He believes that this dance will somehow be the start of his own death.
Scene 5
The scene switches to the Capulet’s dance, and after servants finish up their last minute
tasks, Lord Capulet welcomes everybody to the dance. Romeo, now at the dance, asks a nearby
servant who the girl across the room is. The servant has no clue, but Romeo is absolutely
hooked by the beauty of the girl; he now has no recollection of his previous love (Rosaline), but
he is rather now in love with this new girl.
Tybalt, overhearing Romeo, quickly talks to Lord Capulet and reports the stray
Montague. Capulet, not really caring, tells Capulet to calm down. After all, Capulet has heard
many wonderful things about the young man. Tybalt, not really agreeing with Lord Capulet’s
way of doing business, tells Capulet that he will not disturb the dance for his petty little
arguments, but Tybalt makes a point that he will get revenge on Romeo at some time.
Romeo, now having met up with the girl he saw earlier (who happens to be the one, the
only, JULIET CAPULET!), takes her hand and begins to work his magic on her, telling her that
their lips should be doing what their hands are doing (they are pushed together). Juliet says that
his hands are plenty fine and that the gesture shows polite devotion. However, Romeo isn’t
going home without a kiss tonight, so he and Juliet exchange a few more persuasive words
before Romeo goes in for the kiss. While Juliet accepts the kiss, she soon after tells Romeo that
he kisses by the book.
After this whole entire teenage love story goes down, Nurse beckons forth Juliet (her
mother wants to talk to her). Romeo asks the Nurse who Juliet’s mom is, and when he finds out
that Juliet is a Capulet he flips out. Romeo leaves and the Nurse shares the news with Juliet
(that Romeo is a Capulet) and she has an equally “OMG” reaction before the scene closes out.
Act 2
Act 2 Prologue
The Chorus begins to narrate again. They state that Romeo’s past affection for Rosaline
is dead, but Romeo has a new love for Juliet, who actually has reciprocating feelings for him.
Both individuals are falling in love, but Romeo has run into trouble, for Juliet is of the Capulet
family! Due to the family rivalry, there is little chance that the two will have much time to meet
up. However, thanks to the power of love, these two love birds are going to work things out.
Scene 1
Romeo enters the scene alone and asks where he should go with a sad heart. Romeo (just
as fast as he entered the scene) quickly leaves the scene as Benvolio and Mercutio enter. Both
friends call Romeo by his name, and they soon start to tease him by trying to summon him by
calling him madman, passion, and lover. Mercutio also tries to attract Romeo by making sexual
comments about Rosaline (keep in mind that Benvolio and Mercutio still think that Romeo is in
love with Rosaline; they haven’t heard all of this Juliet nonsense yet). However, when Benvolio
and Mercutio realize that Romeo isn’t coming to them, they abandon their efforts and leave.
Scene 2
Romeo, now in the Capulet’s yard, is speaking to himself. Juliet walks out onto the
balcony that faces Romeo and Romeo begins to babble about the fair girl that he sees. He sits
there like a star struck lover muttering about Juliet’s beautiful eyes and the brightness of her
cheeks. Juliet literally says two words, and Romeo goes crazy. He fascinates over the fact that
Juliet said something! Romeo continues to stare up at Juliet as if a man was looking at an angel.
Juliet, not knowing that Romeo is beneath her, begins to ask why Romeo has to be
Romeo. She is hung up on the fact that Romeo has to be a Montague. She wants to call Romeo
another name just so that he doesn’t have to be a family enemy (she says that a rose would still
be sweet if it wasn’t called a rose; she is saying that Romeo would still be the amazing guy he is
if he wasn’t a Montague).
Romeo finally calls up to Juliet, which ultimately just makes Juliet think that she has this
crazy stalker under her balcony. Romeo explains himself and Juliet realizes who it is. Juliet asks
how Romeo got into the Capulet property, and he (of course) says that the wings of love flew
him in. Juliet keeps asking questions, but Romeo keeps giving lame lovey-dovey responses to
everything she asks.
This love talk just drags on as the two lovers confess their love for each other and loosely
discuss marriage. Juliet tells Romeo that she will send a messenger to Romeo tomorrow; Romeo
should tell this messenger the plans of the wedding. Romeo and Juliet continue to talk about
how they don’t want to leave each other, etc. They finalize the plans about the messenger and
they finally go their separate ways after saying some more romantic stuff.