The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
- Author: Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
- Title: The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
- Original Language: English
- Class: Language and Literatures: English literature
- Subject: Drama
The play begins with a 14-line prologue by a Chorus in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet.
It's meant to explain explains the story plotline to the audience. The play wherabouts revolve around two noble families of Verona, the Capulets and the Montagues, that have feuded for generations and the great hate they feel for each other, although the main reason remains unknown. The middle line also point toward the tragedy of the lovers and how their tragic suicides put a cross on their parents' foolish querrels.
- Two households, both alike in dignity,
- In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
- From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
- Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
- From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
- A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
- Whole misadventured piteous overthrows
- Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
- The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
- And the continuance of their parents' rage,
- Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
- Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
- The which if you with patient ears attend,
- What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
The action proper starts with a street-battle between the two families' servants until Escalus, Prince of Verona intervenes and stop them. In the meantime, young Count Paris talks to Lord Capulet about marrying his still young daughter, Juliet.
They finally come to something when Lord Capulet invites Paris to try and catch the attention of Juliet at a family's ball.
While Juliet's mother tries to persuade her young daughter to accept Paris' wish to marry her, Benvolio queries Romeo, Montague's son, to find out the source of his melancholy, which lies in unrequited love of a girl named Rosaline (an unseen character).
Then, both Bevolio and Mercutio taunts him to attend the masquerade ball at the Capulet house, in hope of meeting Rosaline... not knowing his true love will be there and so, the fate awaiting for them both.
Characters
Ruling house of Verona
- Prince Escalus: Prince of Verona
- Count Paris: Kin of Prince Escalus; desires to marry Juliet.
- Mercutio: Another kinsman of Prince Escalus and friend of Romeo. His name derives from Mercury.
Capulets
- Lord Capulet: Head of the house of Capulet.
- Lady Capulet: Wife of Lord Capulet; wishes Juliet to marry Paris.
- Juliet: Thirteen-year-old daughter of the Capulets; the female protagonist.
- Tybalt: Cousin of Juliet; angry and pugnacious. His nickname of "the Prince of Cats" may refer to the quarrelsome and vicious character of Tybalt the Cat in the fable cycle Reynard the Fox, which would have been well-known to Shakespeare's audience.
Capulet Servants
- Nurse: Juliet's personal attendant and confidante: a comic figure.
- Peter: Capulet servant, assistant of the nurse.
- Sampson: Capulet servant; eager to fight the Montagues.
- Gregory: Capulet servant.
Montagues
- Montague: Head of the house of Montague.
- Lady Montague: Wife of Lord Montague
- Romeo: Son of the Montagues; the male protagonist.
- Benvolio: Cousin of Romeo. His name means "good-will".
Montague Servants
- Abram: Montague servant.
- Balthasar: Romeo's personal servant.
Others
- Friar Lawrence: a Franciscan friar and Romeo's confidant; he marries Romeo and Juliet. He makes potions from herbs.
- Friar John: Another friar sent by Friar Lawrence to tell Romeo that Juliet awaits him; fails in this mission.
- Apothecary: Druggist who reluctantly sells Romeo the poison.
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