Romeo and Juliet - Story and Characters summarised Flashcards
What happens in Act 1?
Starting off with the prologue, we are told that the two lovers from the Montague and Capulet have a pre-determined fate. In which the families’s only way of reconciliation is through their death.
Then we the writer juxtaposingly describes Romeo and Paris by illustrating why they want love, We conclude that Paris and Romeo are in love with different individuals so far (Rosaline and Juliet), however Paris only wants to marry Juliet for the sole purpose of improving his societal status.
Furthermore, Capulet initiates that he will invite Paris to a party so that he may fall in love with another woman because he thinks that Juliet is too young.
We are then introduced to 2 new characters, the nurse and Juliets mother who seem keen at the fact that Juliet is marrying Paris.
Romeo and Juliet meet each other at the party and we discover that the 2 characters are in love with someone they should be hating..
What happens in Act 2?
In the beginning of this Act, Romeo decides that he should leave the capulet house as his presence their could result in his death, however on his way out Romeo discovers that although his body is out the building, his heart isn’t..
We are then introduced to the balcony scene where the 2 lovers start to question if they should fully commit to their love and betray their families.
A new character by the name of friar Lawrence is introduced, in which both lovers prepare their marriage with him.
In the final scene of act 2, both lovers marry each other in the hopes of ending the feuding families..
What happens in Act 3?
In the beginning of Act 3 we see that Tybalt provokes Mercutio and they end up fighting, Romeo joins the fight in the hopes of breaking it up however Tybalt ends up getting stabbed by Mercutio.
In revenge, Romeo kills Tybalt and flees from the scene however during his absence he is banished from Verona.
On the other hand Juliet has no idea that any of these events had actually occurred, as she waits for Romeo to return she compares him to the pure white snow on a raven’s back however when she’s informed about Tybalt’s death she compares him to raven disguised in the white feathers of a peaceful dove. This shows how conflicted she is…
The nurse goes out to meet friar Lawrence in his cell however she also finds Romeo in a miserable state and on the verge of committing suicide.
Capulet also discovers that Juliet is also in a miserable state and to make her happy he decides that she will marry Paris win 3 days.
Romeo spends his last night with Juliet before he leaves..
In the end, Juliet confronts capulet about her marriage with Paris, she tells that she doesn’t want to marry him however Capulet furiously reacts and threatens to disown her if she doesn’t marry Paris.
What happened in Act 4?
In Act 4, Friar Lawrence comes up with a plan that enables Juliet and Romeo to escape and happily live together, Juliet has to drink a potion that will put her to sleep for 48 hours and that will make her look dead…
To relieve pressure and threat Juliet pleases lord Capulet by agreeing to marry Paris..
Juliet drinks the potion and her body is discovered by the nurse, the family send her body to a family tomb thinking she is dead.
What happened in Act 5?
All a long the person delivering the letter to Romeo didn’t inform him about the plan as he doesn’t make it in time.
Balthazar, a friend of Romeo, doesn’t know about the plan and is so fooled by it just like anyone else…He later on tells Romeo about Juliet’s death.
Devastated and controlled by emotion, Romeo goes to an apothecary (a person who sells medicine) and asks him for deadly poison to kill him self, however this is strictly forbidden however the person that has the ability to make the poison is poor. Romeo takes advantage of that and bargains him to do it.
In the end, the scene takes place at night in the capulets grave yard where Paris is seen mourning about Juliet’s death in which he sees a dark figure approaching and decides to hide.
The dark figure turns out to be non-other then Romeo, he goes in to see Juliet one last time however before he does that he is provoked by Paris, they fight and Romeo comes out victorious…. He then lies by Juliets body and drinks the potion, Juliet wakes up to see the horrific view and as a result she grabs Romeo’s dagger and stabs her self…
The families finally reconcile and agree to end the feuded hatred that been tormenting them for years..
