Romeo and Juliet

Synopsis

It's the most famous love story in the world. Romeo and Juliet's families hate each other, but when the two young people fall in love, can they bring the families together and be happy?

Includes a word list, 5 pages of activities and free online audio (British English and American English).

1,200 headwords, 3,565 words

Summary

Chapter 1

* A prologue introduces the setting and conflict: two feuding families, the Montagues and Capulets, in Verona.
* The Montague servant, Gregory, sparks a fight with the Capulet servant, Samson.
* Tybalt, a hot-tempered Capulet, joins the fray and kills Mercutio, Romeo's close friend.
* Romeo, overcome with grief and anger, duels and kills Tybalt.

Example:

"A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows,
Doth with their death bury their parents' strife."

Chapter 2

* Romeo hides out at Friar Laurence's cell, where the friar agrees to marry him to Juliet.
* Juliet, disguised as a page, arrives at the Friar's cell to ask him for help.
* The Friar agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet in secret, hoping their union will reconcile the feuding families.

Example:

"But soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun."

Chapter 3

* Romeo and Juliet meet in secret and declare their love for each other.
* The Nurse agrees to help them exchange messages and keep their meetings a secret.
* Friar Laurence performs the secret wedding ceremony.

Example:

"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."

Chapter 4

* Tybalt challenges Romeo to a duel, but Romeo refuses to fight his new wife's cousin.
* Mercutio, Romeo's friend, steps in and is killed by Tybalt.
* Romeo, angered by Mercutio's death, kills Tybalt.

Example:

"Romeo, the hate I bear thee can afford
No better term than this: thou art a villain."

Chapter 5

* The Prince banishes Romeo from Verona.
* Juliet, heartbroken, seeks help from Friar Laurence.
* The Friar gives Juliet a potion that will make her appear dead for 42 hours.

Example:

"O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris,
From off the battlements of any tower,
Or walk in thievish ways; or bid me lurk
Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears;
Or shut me nightly in a charnel-house,
O'er-covered quite with dead men's rattling bones."

Chapter 6

* Juliet takes the potion and appears dead.
* Romeo, unaware of the plan, returns to Verona and finds Juliet seemingly lifeless.
* Romeo poisons himself and dies next to Juliet.

Example:

"O true apothecary!
Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss, I die."

Chapter 7

* Juliet awakens to find Romeo dead and Friar Laurence, who explains the plan.
* Juliet refuses to live without Romeo and kills herself with his dagger.
* The families find their children dead and discover the secret marriage.

Example:

"O happy dagger, this is thy sheath;
There rust, and let me die."