ACT I

The Capulets and Montagues are sworn enemies. A fight breaks out in the market place led by Romeo Montague and his friends Mercutio and Benvolio against Tybalt, Lord Capulet’s nephew, and other members of the Capulet house. The Prince of Verona commands the families to end their feud. Lord and Lady Capulet introduce their daughter Juliet to Paris, a nobleman they intend her to marry. In disguise, Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio sneak into a ball at the Capulets’ house. Romeo and Juliet are taken with each other. Later, when Juliet is on her balcony, Romeo appears below and they profess their love.

INTERVAL

ACT II

Juliet’s nurse delivers a letter to Romeo in which Juliet says she will be his wife. The lovers are secretly married by Friar Laurence. In the market place, Tybalt fights Mercutio and kills him. Romeo avenges the death of his friend and is punished with immediate exile from Verona.

INTERVAL

ACT III

Secretly, Romeo has been with Juliet through the night. In the morning, Romeo embraces Juliet and escapes as her parents enter with Paris. Juliet refuses to marry Paris, and her parents threaten to disown her. Juliet rushes to beg Friar Laurence’s help. He gives her a potion that will make her fall temporarily into a deathlike sleep. Juliet agrees to marry Paris but the next morning her parents find her apparently lifeless. Romeo, who has not received the Friar’s warning message about the subterfuge, returns to Verona at the news of Juliet’s death. In the Capulet tomb, he believes Juliet to be dead and drinks poison. Juliet awakes, finds Romeo dead, and stabs herself.