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Act 1
Prologue
The Chorus introduces the play by describing two rival families in Verona.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 1: Prologue.
Scene 1
A fight breaks out between members of the Capulet and Montague houses, and Prince Escalus demands all fighting stop. Benvolio vows to help Romeo forget Rosaline.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 1: Scene 1.
Scene 2
Capulet talks with Paris about Paris's plans to marry Juliet, and invites him to a feast to begin wooing her. Romeo and Benvolio plan to attend this same party.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 1: Scene 2.
Scene 3
The Nurse recites a sexual anecdote involving Juliet. Lady Capulet asks Juliet to consider Paris as a potential husband.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 1: Scene 3.
Scene 4
Mercutio mocks Romeo and speaks about Queen Mab of the fairies. Romeo senses the night at the party will set fate in motion and lead to untimely death.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 1: Scene 4.
Scene 5
Romeo and Juliet fall in love and kiss at the feast. Tybalt wants to harm Romeo for coming to a Capulet feast, but Capulet stops him.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 1: Scene 5.
Act 2
Prologue
The Chorus explains Romeo and Juliet's intensifying love, and their determination to overcome the challenges posed by their rival families.
Scene 1
After the feast, Romeo looks for Juliet and hides from Benvolio and Mercutio.
Scene 2
Romeo stands below Juliet's balcony and they profess their love for each other. Juliet promises to send a messenger the next day to make sure Romeo is serious about marriage.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 2: Prologue & Scenes 1 & 2.
Scene 3
Romeo asks Friar Lawrence to wed himself and Juliet that day. Friar Lawrence agrees despite his skepticism, and hopes the marriage will end the family feud.
Scene 4
Tybalt challenges Romeo to a duel, and Mercutio ridicules Romeo for what he believes is his excessive love for Rosaline. The Nurse agrees to send Juliet to Friar Lawrence.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 2: Scenes 3 & 4.
Scene 5
The Nurse tells Juliet that Romeo is waiting with Friar Lawrence to marry her.
Scene 6
Friar Lawrence warns Romeo not to get too intense in his love, and then marries Romeo and Juliet.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 2: Scenes 5 & 6.
Act 3
Scene 1
Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt, so Mercutio fights instead. Tybalt kills Mercutio. Romeo kills Tybalt and runs away, and Prince Escalus demands Romeo's exile from Verona.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 3: Scene 1.
Scene 2
The Nurse tells Juliet that Romeo has killed Tybalt and is sentenced to exile, but she will make sure Romeo comes to Juliet for their wedding night.
Scene 3
The Nurse gives Romeo a ring from Juliet. Friar Lawrence suggests Romeo spend the night with Juliet and then flee to Mantua, and perhaps Prince Escalus will change his mind.
Scene 4
The Capulets promise Paris that Juliet will marry him in three days.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 3: Scenes 2–4.
Scene 5
Romeo leaves Juliet after their wedding night. The Capulets order Juliet to marry Paris, and Juliet heads to Friar Lawrence to see if he can help.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 3: Scene 5.
Act 4
Scene 1
Paris shows affection to Juliet when she comes to see Friar Lawrence. Friar Lawrence proposes to Juliet that she take a sleeping potion to feign death on her and Paris's wedding night, and Romeo and Juliet can live together in Mantua.
Scene 2
Juliet tells the Capulets she will marry Paris and they move the wedding up a day.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 4: Scenes 1 & 2.
Scene 3
After pondering what may go wrong and having a vision of Tybalt's ghost searching for Romeo, Juliet drinks the sleeping potion.
Scene 4
The Capulet household prepares for Juliet's wedding to Paris.
Scene 5
The Nurse, the Capulets, and Paris discover that Juliet is "dead," and mourn extensively.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 4: Scenes 3–5.
Act 5
Scene 1
In Mantua, Balthasar tells Romeo that Juliet is dead. Romeo buys a poison and plans to return to Verona to kill himself and lay with Juliet in her grave that night.
Scene 2
Friar Lawrence learns that Romeo never received his letter explaining Juliet's fake death plan, and plans to rescue Juliet from the tomb. He sends another letter to Romeo explaining the situation, but doesn't know that Romeo believes Juliet is dead.
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act 5: Scenes 1 & 2.
Scene 3
Romeo kills Paris in the graveyard, drinks the poison, and dies. Juliet wakes, finds Romeo dead, and stabs herself; Friar Lawrence explains everything and the Capulets and Montagues agree to end their feud.
