The Love Story of Romeo and Juliet

Friday, January 21, 2011 35 comments
Romeo and Juliet is an enduring tragic love story written by William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. Shakespeare borrowed his plot from an original Italian tale.  It is believed Romeo and Juliette were based on actual characters from Verona. 

The Montague and Capulet families are feuding.  The Prince of Verona intervenes and declares that any further fighting will be punishable by death.

When the Count of Paris approaches Lord Capulet about marrying his daughter, Juliet, he is wary of the request because she is only thirteen.  Capulet asks the Count of Paris to wait another two years and invites him to attend a ball.  Lady Capulet and Juliet's nurse urge Juliet to accept Paris' courtship.

In the Montague house, Benvolio talks with his cousin Romeo, Lord Montague's son, about Romeo's recent melancholy.  Benvolio discovers Romeo's unrequited infatuation for a girl named Rosaline, a niece of Lord Capulet's nieces.  Persuaded by Benvolio Romeo attends the ball at the Capulet house in hopes of meeting Rosaline.  But it is not Rosaline who sweeps him off his feet - it is the fair Juliette.


 
 

After the ball, Romeo sneaks into the Capulet courtyard and overhears Juliet on her balcony vowing her love to him in spite of her family's hatred for his family.  Romeo makes himself known to her and they agree to be married. 

 
Juliet's Balcony in Verona

With the help of a friar, who hopes to reconcile the two families through their children's union, they are secretly married the next day.


Juliet's cousin Tybalt, incensed that Romeo had crashed the Capulet ball, challenges him to a duel.  Romeo, now considering Tybalt his kinsman, refuses to fight.  Romeo's friend, Mercutio is offended by Tybalt's insolence, as well as Romeo's "vile submission" and accepts the duel on Romeo's behalf.  Mercutio is fatally wounded when Romeo attempts to break up the fight.  Grief-stricken and wracked with guilt, Romeo confronts and slays Tybalt.

Montague argues that Romeo has justly fought and killed Tybalt for the murder of Mercutio.  The Prince exiles Romeo from Verona and declares that if Romeo returns, he will be executed.  

Romeo secretly spends the night in Juliet's chamber, where they make love for the first and last time, consummating their marriage.  In the morning, he prepares to leave and kisses her one last time. 

  
Lord Capulet, misinterpreting Juliet's grief, agrees to marry her to Count Paris and threatens to disown her when she refuses.  Juliette pleads for the marriage to be delayed, but her mother rejects her.

Juliet visits Friar Laurence for help, and he offers her a drug that will put her into a death-like coma for forty-two hours.  The Friar promises to send a messenger to inform Romeo of the plan, so that he can rejoin her when she awakens.  On the night before her wedding to the Count, Juliet takes the drug and, when discovered apparently dead, she is laid in the family crypt.

The messenger, however, failed to reach Romeo and, instead, he learned of Juliet's apparent demise from his servant.  Heartbroken, Romeo buys poison from an apothecary and goes to the Capulet crypt.  There, he encounters Count Paris who has come to mourn Juliet privately.

Believing Romeo to be a vandal, Paris confronts him and, in the ensuing battle, Romeo kills Paris.  Still believing Juliet to be dead, Romeo drinks the poison.

Juliet then awakens only to find her beloved Romeo dead.  Unwilling to live without him, she stabs herself with his dagger.

The feuding families and the Prince meet at the tomb to find all three dead.  The Friar recounts their story.  The families are reconciled by their children's deaths and agree to end their violent feud.

35 comments:

  • Tracy Falbe said...

    I remember in high school we had to read Romeo and Juliet in English class. The teacher said we should like it because it was about teenagers. Of course Romeo and Juliet is a compelling story, but I remember wishing we could read a romance with a happy ending instead of being confronted with the message that teenage sex leads to death. Sigh.

  • Shelley said...

    For anyone who hasn't seen it on Netflix, the delightful Slings and Arrows series includes some episodes with really interesting scenes from Romeo and Juliet.

  • Nicole said...

    The story of Romeo and Juliet is very tragic , indeed ... I wish the happy ending of this story was more like happy ...

  • avantika said...

    the story of Romeo nd Juliet is similar to my story............i m feeling very alone widout my romeo i love him so much so it is really a heart touching story nd my condition is jst lyk juliet............

  • Luis Saunders said...

    According to Shmoop, it is unclear whether or not Romeo and Juliet is based on actual events, however, when writing the play, Shakespeare drew inspiration from several different sources, such as Arthur Brooke's poem The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet, which was published two years before Shakespeare was born as well as The Story of Pyramus and Thisbe which is part of Ovid’s Metamorphasis.

  • irfan said...

    really it is a true story of two lovers. it impressed me much. i also feel alone without my beloved as i loved her very much and now she lives any unknown place. even today i remember her.
    a great regards for those true lovers who sacrificed everything in love.
    i like it and want to read again and again.

  • Dipti.. said...

    It's really a romantic tragic story written by william shakespere..vry often people fail to understand true lovers n try to separate them..:-(a grant salute to those true lovers..i wish for them to have a happy ending.

  • Pooja Veeranki said...

    I love this story very much.i read it again though it is already completed 100 times.But everyone on the earth should believe that true love exists in one or the other lovers.Don't try to separate them that gives tragic ends.love you romeo and juliet.let your souls be happy with love in heaven.

  • Unknown said...

    Romeo n juliet heart touchng romantic lve tragdy ....aftr i finsh readng this book i said my self《wow what a slfls love》...love u romeo♥..

  • Unknown said...

    I LIKE THIS STORY VEY MUCH IT IS DIFFICUTH TO GET SUCH LOVE IN THIS WORLD
    I AM ALSO LIKE JULIET ONLY LOVING ONE PERSON GET AFTER 18YRS SUDDENLY
    SO CARING N KIND HEARTED
    GOD BLESS HIM ALWAYSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

  • Unknown said...

    This story is heart touching and tragedic ending of a true love. But very soon you will read a new love story as Romeo and Juliet but with happy ending in admiring ambiance. I will be the author... I love you my Love :)

  • Anonymous said...

    Romeo and Juliet the true lovers and their true love. What we can say about their love its just like one soul in two bodies. I hope my love has a happy ending together...

  • Unknown said...

    I am really at a crying condition after reading this story , the same is hapenning with me too , I am a 12 year old Indian girl and I am in love with a 15 year old american guy . We both love each other so much but our families are totally against it because we are of different religion and country . My parents are forcing me to leave my love , they have even banned going outside for me , I am crazy for my love and I can do anything for him , even suicide . SO please all those who believe in love please pray to god for a happy ending of my true love story or I will really die .

 

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