Romeo and Juliet

Synopsis

Read Shakespeare's plays in all their brilliance-and understand what every word means!
 
Don't be intimidated by Shakespeare! These popular guides make the Bard's plays accessible and enjoyable.

Each No Fear guide contains:

• The complete text of the original play
• A line-by-line translation that puts the words into everyday language
• A complete list of characters, with descriptions
• Plenty of helpful commentary

Summary

Chapter 1

* Summary: Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet at a masked ball and fall deeply in love, despite the bitter rivalry between their families.
* Real Example: "When he beheld her, straight his eye did woo/And little straight his eye, with tender view."

Chapter 2

* Summary: Romeo and Juliet secretly marry with the help of Friar Laurence, who hopes to reconcile their families.
* Real Example: "Two such opposed kings encamp them still/In man's weak breast the weak and devilish will."

Chapter 3

* Summary: Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, challenges Romeo to a duel after discovering his presence at the Capulet's ball. Romeo kills Tybalt in self-defense.
* Real Example: "This day's black fate on more days doth depend/This but begins the woe, others must end."

Chapter 4

* Summary: For killing Tybalt, the Prince banishes Romeo from Verona. Juliet is devastated and vows to die rather than live without him.
* Real Example: "O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face!/Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?"

Chapter 5

* Summary: Friar Laurence gives Juliet a potion that will make her appear dead for 42 hours. He plans to notify Romeo so they can reunite. However, Romeo receives a false message stating that Juliet is actually dead.
* Real Example: "Hold, daughter! I do spy a kind of hope,/Which craves as desperate an execution/As that is desperate which we would prevent."

Chapter 6

* Summary: Romeo returns to Verona and finds Juliet seemingly dead in the Capulet tomb. Despairing, he poisons himself.
* Real Example: "Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here's drink--I drink to thee."

Chapter 7

* Summary: Juliet awakens to find Romeo dead beside her. Horrified, she kills herself with his dagger.
* Real Example: "O happy dagger, this is thy sheath,/There rust and let me die."

Chapter 8

* Summary: Friar Laurence reveals the truth of the situation to the feuding Montagues and Capulets. Stunned by the tragic consequences of their hatred, they pledge to end their conflict.
* Real Example: "See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate,/That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love!"