Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet synopsis
The chorus sets the scene as Verona
where two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, feud.
The play then erupts onto the streets of Verona and the brawl between the families
The Prince of Verona intervenes to stop the fighting
and old capulet agrees to betroth his daughter, Juliet, to the Prince's young kinsman, Paris
Old Capulet arranges a masked ball to celebrate
Young Romeo Montague and his friends, including the witty Mercutio, sneak into the ball
to get a glimpse of Rosalind Capulet, the object of Romeo's unrequited love.
Instead, Romeo meets Juliet Capulet, Rosalind's cousin, and is overwhelmed by her beauty.
Did my heart love till now?
Forswear it, sight, For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.
Later that night, Romeo, lingering below Juliet's balcony, overhears Juliet's avowal of love for him.
My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep.
The more I give to thee The more I have, for both are infinite.
He makes himself known to her and the pair resolve to marry the following night.
Friar Laurence and Juliet's nurse agree to help them, hoping the union will end the feud.
Romeo and Juliet are secretly married by Friar Laurence
The next day, Mercutio taunts Tybalt Capulet, Juliet's cousin,
a hot-tempered young man, and the two begin to fence
Romeo tries to break up the fight but Tybalt fatally wounds Mercutio.
A plague o' both your houses. They have made worms' meat of me.
Romeo kills Tybalt in revenge and the Prince banishes Romeo from Verona to Mantua.
Romeo and Juliet spend their wedding night together before Romeo flees to Mantua.
Juliet's wedding to Paris is arranged.
Desperate, Juliet asks Friar Laurence for help.
He advises her to take a sleeping potion which will make her seem dead for 42 hours
The Friar will send a message to Romeo in Mantua
who can then rescue her from the family tomb when she awakens.
Juliet goes ahead with the plan and is found, apparently dead, in her bed.
The Friar's message does not reach Romeo,
and he hears only of Juliet's death.
Grief-stricken, Romeo rushes back to Verona and creeps into the Capulet tomb where he meets Paris.
The two fight and Paris is killed.
Romeo lays down besides Juliet's body, takes poison, and dies.
Not long after, Juliet regains consciousness and finds Romeo dead.
Heartbroken, she tries to take the poison from his lips with a kiss
but death alludes her.
So she stabs herself and dies.
As the bodies are discovered, Friar Laurence explains the story to the Prince,
who lambastes the families whose feuding has brought about this  tragedy.
Horrified by the sorry situation the Montagues and the Capulets end their feud.
Oh brother Montague, give me thy hand.
A glooming peace this morning with it brings.
The sun for sorrow will not show his head.
