act summaries

act 1 •The opening lines sum up the entire play: Two families have fought each other for what could be over a century. A son from one house and a daughter from the other house fall in love, but this love is not meant to be. Both lovers will take their lives, and their deaths will bring peace to both houses. •After the prologue, the scene shifts to the streets of Verona where two of Capulet’s men (Sampson and Gregory) discuss the tension between their lord and lord Montague. During their discussion they notice Abram and Balthasar, two of Montague’s men. After a little prodding, Sampson gets Gregory to start an argument with the Montagues. A fight breaks out between the men, causing all of the people in the streets to begin fighting. Benvolio tries to stop the fight, but is attacked by Tybalt. The Prince arrives with his men and breaks up the fight. He announces that if anyone from either house disturbs the peace once more, they will be put to death. •After the fight, Benvolio is sent to find Romeo. Romeo has been brooding all morning because the love of his life does not love him anymore. He can’t imagine how he can ever find joy, happiness, or love without Rosaline. Benvolio tries to cheer-up Romeo. During their conversation, a Capulet servant walks by and asks if they could read the note that he is carrying. The note is actually a list of people that are invited to Capulet’s house for a party. Benvolio, seeing Rosaline’s name on the list, persuades Romeo to go to the party and compare Rosaline’s beauty with the other women at the party. Basically, Benvolio is telling Romeo that there is more than one woman in the world. •The next scene begins at the House of Capulet. The Nurse has raised Juliet since she was born, as was the custom for most births of royalty or nobles. Lady Capulet tells Juliet that Paris, a young count and cousin of the Prince, wishes to marry Juliet. Juliet is told that she will meet him at the party that night, and she is asked if she can like him. She states that she will try if that is what they want her to do. •Later that evening, Romeo, Benvolio, Mercutio, and around five or six other men are making their way to the party. Mercutio tends to be a joker, and he makes fun of Romeo because of his attitude about love. Romeo then says he dreamt that it wasn’t a good idea to go to the party. Mercutio then says that dreams lie, and he begins a long speech about dreams. The speech becomes so strange that Romeo stops him and tells Mercutio that he speaks nonsense. In a way, I think the speech is a way for Mercutio to show Romeo that he shouldn’t just sit around thinking about lost love, but instead live life to the…