Act I
The prologue sets the scene, outlines the play and suggests tragedy.
Key words and phrases:
ancient grudge/new mutiny, star-crossed lovers, misadventured piteous overthrows, with their death bury parents’ strife, death marked love
Text aids, the notes in the margin that provide definitions of language, can help you understand the play.
SUPER SHORT SUMMARIES
Scene 1
The clash between the servants provides comedy for Shakespeare’s common audience. Shakespeare used servants to bring out the feud because he could treat them humorously—the puns and Sampson’s cowardice were funny.
Benvolio - tries to keep the peace Tybalt - wants a fight
Tybalt makes his first appearance as a dramatic foil to Benvolio.
dramatic foil - a character who highlights the traits of another character through contrast
Scene 2
Capulet says about Paris’s request to marry Juliet:
1. she is too young (13)
2. Paris must wait 2 years
3. Paris must woo Juliet and get her to like him
4. Paris can only marry Juliet if he can convince her to say yes to the proposal
Romeo and Benvolio meet Capulet’s illiterate servant and, with the aid of Romeo’s wit, learn of the party at the house of Capulet.
Scene 3
Lady Capulet plants the idea of marrying Paris in Juliet’s mind. The nurse reveals her closeness to Juliet, while Lady Capulet’s distance from her daughter is noticeable.
Scene 4
We meet Romeo’s good friend Mercutio, whose Queen Mab soliloquey highlights his imagination and intelligence. The audience likes Mercutio because he is happy, especially compared to Romeo.
In this scene, Romeo continues his depression and talks about not wanting to go to the party.
Scene 5
Rosaline is forgotten when Romeo sees Juliet. It is love at first sight, and the two share a sonnet and their first kiss. At the end of the scene, they both learn that they are enemies.
Tybalt, upon hearing Romeo’s voice at the party, wants to kill him. Lord Capulet forbids such an action because he does not want his party interrupted.
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CHARACTERS
BENVOLIO
Romeo’s cousin, he is understanding and caring. He tries to keep the peace between the servants.
ROMEO
When we first meet Romeo, he is very sad over an unrequited love, Rosaline. Benvolio and Romeo discuss Rosaline, and Benvolio tries to convince Romeo to look for another girl.
TYBALT
A cousin of Juliet, he has a temper and would kill for his family.
MERCUTIO
Romeo’s friend; he is quick, eager, and determined to sample the good times. He serves as a foil to Romeo in Act I.
PARIS
A sought-after bachelor in Verona, he seeks to marry Juliet despite an age difference. He was definitely husband material, though Juliet is not immediately seeking a husband.
LORD CAPULET
he likes to fight even though he is really too old. He’s stubborn and belligerent. He claims to be devoted to his daughter; he says she is the center of his existence and his only hope in this world. He says Juliet can choose her own husband, only because he feels her choice will be the same as his. He is a proud, arrogant, self-centered and pompous man.
LADY CAPULET
In Act I, she approaches Juliet about marrying Paris without presenting much choice in the matter. She has difficulty talking to her daughter and demands the nurse be present for the conversation after initially shooing her away.
NURSE
Provides humor and many details of Juliet’s life. She is closer to Juliet than her mother is. From her, we learn that Juliet is the same age as Susan (the nurse’s deceased daughter) would be.
JULIET
In many ways, Juliet is still a child. She is respectful, obedient and indifferent to marriage and Paris. She does have a strong mind, and she allows her emotions to overrule her reason. At the end of the act, she does not tell her confidant, the nurse, of her love for Romeo. Her secretiveness is a sign that Juliet is moving rapidly from childhood into womanhood.
ROSALINE
She brings out Romeo’s dramatic side. His feelings for her are shallow; he enjoys playing the heartbroken figure. Romeo is not in love with Rosaline. He is in love with the idea of being in love. Once he sees Juliet, his imaginary love for Rosaline disappears, and he is truly in love with Juliet. Rosaline only functions to prepare Romeo for Juliet.
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ADDITIONAL POINTS
Elizabethans considered love at first sight a truly perfect kind of love. They would have believed that Romeo and Juliet could have loved each other so quickly.
The end of the act suggests upcoming tragedy. Romeo and Juliet have fallen in love and they are both shocked and saddened at their bad luck of loving a member of an enemy’s family, but neither one will disclaim their love for the other
4 forebodings of tragedy in ACT I
1. The Prince’s speech where he threatens to put death to the next person who disturbs the quietness of his streets
2. Romeo’s closing speech where he discusses how unfortunate it is that he has fallen in love with a Capulet
3. Tybalt’s warning as he is leaving the party when he vows to get revenge because Romeo attended the Capulet party
4. Juliet’s closing speech where she is distressed that she has fallen in love with a Montague
Fate
Romeo and Benvolio meet the illiterate servant and learn of the Capulet party. This leads to Romeo meeting Juliet.
What is fate?
Humor
The play is a tragedy and the audience will become very tense as the story unfolds. Shakespeare inserts humor throughout the drama to provide relief for his audience.
1. Sampson and Gregory are humorous in their teasing of one another
2. the nurse is humorous with her bawdy language and long-winded speeches
3. Capulet is, in this Act, generally a jolly guy
Key words and phrases:
ancient grudge/new mutiny, star-crossed lovers, misadventured piteous overthrows, with their death bury parents’ strife, death marked love
Text aids, the notes in the margin that provide definitions of language, can help you understand the play.
SUPER SHORT SUMMARIES
Scene 1
The clash between the servants provides comedy for Shakespeare’s common audience. Shakespeare used servants to bring out the feud because he could treat them humorously—the puns and Sampson’s cowardice were funny.
Benvolio - tries to keep the peace Tybalt - wants a fight
Tybalt makes his first appearance as a dramatic foil to Benvolio.
dramatic foil - a character who highlights the traits of another character through contrast
Scene 2
Capulet says about Paris’s request to marry Juliet:
1. she is too young (13)
2. Paris must wait 2 years
3. Paris must woo Juliet and get her to like him
4. Paris can only marry Juliet if he can convince her to say yes to the proposal
Romeo and Benvolio meet Capulet’s illiterate servant and, with the aid of Romeo’s wit, learn of the party at the house of Capulet.
Scene 3
Lady Capulet plants the idea of marrying Paris in Juliet’s mind. The nurse reveals her closeness to Juliet, while Lady Capulet’s distance from her daughter is noticeable.
Scene 4
We meet Romeo’s good friend Mercutio, whose Queen Mab soliloquey highlights his imagination and intelligence. The audience likes Mercutio because he is happy, especially compared to Romeo.
In this scene, Romeo continues his depression and talks about not wanting to go to the party.
Scene 5
Rosaline is forgotten when Romeo sees Juliet. It is love at first sight, and the two share a sonnet and their first kiss. At the end of the scene, they both learn that they are enemies.
Tybalt, upon hearing Romeo’s voice at the party, wants to kill him. Lord Capulet forbids such an action because he does not want his party interrupted.
---
CHARACTERS
BENVOLIO
Romeo’s cousin, he is understanding and caring. He tries to keep the peace between the servants.
ROMEO
When we first meet Romeo, he is very sad over an unrequited love, Rosaline. Benvolio and Romeo discuss Rosaline, and Benvolio tries to convince Romeo to look for another girl.
TYBALT
A cousin of Juliet, he has a temper and would kill for his family.
MERCUTIO
Romeo’s friend; he is quick, eager, and determined to sample the good times. He serves as a foil to Romeo in Act I.
PARIS
A sought-after bachelor in Verona, he seeks to marry Juliet despite an age difference. He was definitely husband material, though Juliet is not immediately seeking a husband.
LORD CAPULET
he likes to fight even though he is really too old. He’s stubborn and belligerent. He claims to be devoted to his daughter; he says she is the center of his existence and his only hope in this world. He says Juliet can choose her own husband, only because he feels her choice will be the same as his. He is a proud, arrogant, self-centered and pompous man.
LADY CAPULET
In Act I, she approaches Juliet about marrying Paris without presenting much choice in the matter. She has difficulty talking to her daughter and demands the nurse be present for the conversation after initially shooing her away.
NURSE
Provides humor and many details of Juliet’s life. She is closer to Juliet than her mother is. From her, we learn that Juliet is the same age as Susan (the nurse’s deceased daughter) would be.
JULIET
In many ways, Juliet is still a child. She is respectful, obedient and indifferent to marriage and Paris. She does have a strong mind, and she allows her emotions to overrule her reason. At the end of the act, she does not tell her confidant, the nurse, of her love for Romeo. Her secretiveness is a sign that Juliet is moving rapidly from childhood into womanhood.
ROSALINE
She brings out Romeo’s dramatic side. His feelings for her are shallow; he enjoys playing the heartbroken figure. Romeo is not in love with Rosaline. He is in love with the idea of being in love. Once he sees Juliet, his imaginary love for Rosaline disappears, and he is truly in love with Juliet. Rosaline only functions to prepare Romeo for Juliet.
---
ADDITIONAL POINTS
Elizabethans considered love at first sight a truly perfect kind of love. They would have believed that Romeo and Juliet could have loved each other so quickly.
The end of the act suggests upcoming tragedy. Romeo and Juliet have fallen in love and they are both shocked and saddened at their bad luck of loving a member of an enemy’s family, but neither one will disclaim their love for the other
4 forebodings of tragedy in ACT I
1. The Prince’s speech where he threatens to put death to the next person who disturbs the quietness of his streets
2. Romeo’s closing speech where he discusses how unfortunate it is that he has fallen in love with a Capulet
3. Tybalt’s warning as he is leaving the party when he vows to get revenge because Romeo attended the Capulet party
4. Juliet’s closing speech where she is distressed that she has fallen in love with a Montague
Fate
Romeo and Benvolio meet the illiterate servant and learn of the Capulet party. This leads to Romeo meeting Juliet.
What is fate?
Humor
The play is a tragedy and the audience will become very tense as the story unfolds. Shakespeare inserts humor throughout the drama to provide relief for his audience.
1. Sampson and Gregory are humorous in their teasing of one another
2. the nurse is humorous with her bawdy language and long-winded speeches
3. Capulet is, in this Act, generally a jolly guy
