Romeo and Juliet Act 1 & 2 Summary

Prologue

• Introduces the two noble families of Verona: the Capulets and Montagues.

• Reveals an ancient grudge between the families leading to ongoing conflict, emphasizing the theme of feuding and division within society.

• Introduces the concept of "star-crossed lovers", highlighting themes of fate and destiny, which will emerge tragically despite the feud.

• Foreshadows a tragic ending, emphasizing the inescapability of fate, a common theme in Shakespearean plays.

Act One, Scene One

The Brawl

• Two Capulet servants, Samson and Gregory, provoke Montague servants in the streets of Verona, showcasing the themes of honor and masculinity.

• Benvolio, Romeo's cousin, tries to prevent the fight, embodying the role of a peacemaker; he uses figurative language to denote peace as preferable to conflict.

• Tybalt escalates tensions with violent language, revealing his hot-headed nature and his disdain for peace.

Prince Escalus's Intervention

• Prince Escalus forcibly interrupts the brawl, illustrating a theme of authority and justice; he threatens death for future disturbances, establishing law and order.

Romeo's Melancholy

• Benvolio learns of Romeo's unrequited love for Rosaline, who does not share his feelings. Benvolio vows to help Romeo move on, symbolizing friendship and loyalty.

• Romeo is depicted as a tortured romantic utilizing oxymorons such as "brawling love" to communicate his suffering over unreturned affection.

Act One, Scene Two

Paris's Interest in Juliet

• Lord Capulet discusses Paris’s desire to marry Juliet, cautioning that she is not yet 14, reflecting themes of parental control and marriage as a social contract.

• Capulet decides to involve Juliet in the decision-making, showcasing his affection while subtly imposing patriarchal authority.

Servants and Invitation

• A Capulet servant struggles to invite guests due to illiteracy, highlighting themes of class differences and communication challenges.

• Romeo and Benvolio learn of the Capulet feast; Romeo remains focused on Rosaline while Benvolio urges distraction through comparison.

Act One, Scene Three

Preparing for the Feast

• Lady Capulet summons the Nurse to assist Julian, revealing their close bond contrasted with her own distant parenting approach.

• The Nurse shares crude jokes, indicating her role as a comic relief character, emphasizing themes of family loyalty and protection.

Juliet's Response to Marriage

• Juliet expresses ambivalence about marriage, aligning with the theme of youth versus maturity. Her reluctance hints at a desire for true love instead of forced arrangements, showcasing early individuality.

Act One, Scene Four

The Montague Masked Ball

• Romeo and his friends don masks for the Capulet ball, highlighting the theme of identity and disguise.

• Mercutio, with his crude humor, mocks Romeo’s love sickness while invoking imagery of Queen Mab, blending fantasy and cynicism.

Fate and Foreboding

• Romeo senses an ominous fate awaiting him, invoking celestial imagery, portraying a Shakespearean sense of foreboding that suggests predestined tragedy.

Act One, Scene Five

The Capulet Ball

• Lord Capulet welcomes guests and encourages dancing, emphasizing themes of celebration while underscoring societal expectations.

• Romeo and Juliet meet and share a sonnet; their dialogue is rich with romantic and religious imagery, suggesting love as a divine experience.

Tybalt's Reaction

• Tybalt recognizes Romeo at the ball; his rage reflects the deeply ingrained familial honor and a willingness to engage in violence, representing the cycle of hatred.

• Despite Tybalt's desire to confront Romeo, Lord Capulet intervenes, showing the complexities of power dynamics within the family.

The Kiss and Discovery of Identities

• Romeo and Juliet share their first kiss, which is laden with sacred imagery, emphasizing the purity and depth of their love.

• The moment quickly becomes tragic as Romeo learns Juliet is a Capulet and Juliet realizes she's fallen for a Montague, deepening the play's central theme of forbidden love and enhancing the tragedy of their plight.

Prologue

• Introduces the two noble families of Verona: the Capulets and Montagues.

• Reveals an ancient grudge between the families leading to ongoing conflict, emphasizing the theme of feuding and division within society.

• Introduces the concept of "star-crossed lovers", highlighting themes of fate and destiny, which will emerge tragically despite the feud.

• Foreshadows a tragic ending, emphasizing the inescapability of fate, a common theme in Shakespearean plays.

Act One, Scene One

The Brawl

• Two Capulet servants, Samson and Gregory, are conversing and decide to provoke Montague servants in the streets of Verona, showcasing the themes of honor and masculinity.

• Samson bites his thumb at the Montague servants, a gesture of provocation, angering Abram, a Montague servant, who responds with hostility.

• The confrontation escalates when Balthasar, another Montague servant, joins the altercation, and all begin fighting.

• Benvolio, Romeo's cousin, intervenes, urging peace and attempting to separate the fighting servants, stating that he hates the sight of blood.

• Tybalt, a Capulet, enters the scene with a fiery temper, eager for a fight and confronting Benvolio with aggressive language, claiming his disdain for peace. He challenges Benvolio to duel, insisting on maintaining the honor of the Capulet name.

• The brawl grows larger, drawing in citizens and escalating into chaos until Prince Escalus arrives with his attendants to break it up.

Prince Escalus's Intervention

• Prince Escalus demands to know the cause of the disturbance and scolds the brawlers for disrupting the peace of Verona.

• He declares that this is the third public disturbance caused by the feuding families, and he warns that if such violence continues, death will be the penalty for future disruptions.

• The Prince’s authoritative presence emphasizes themes of law and order, signifying the necessity for peace in the turbulent city.

Romeo's Melancholy

• After the brawl, Benvolio seeks out Romeo, expressing concern over his cousin's eerie behavior.

• Romeo reveals his heartbreak over Rosaline, whom he claims he loves deeply; however, he laments that she has sworn to live a life of chastity and does not return his affections. He uses sorrowful and poetic language, including oxymorons such as "brawling love," reflecting contradictory feelings that characterize his turmoil.

• Benvolio vows to help Romeo move on from Rosaline and suggests he attend the Capulet feast to see other women, especially since he knows that Rosaline will be there to reject him. This symbolizes friendship and loyalty.

Act One, Scene Two

Paris's Interest in Juliet

• Count Paris visits Lord Capulet to seek permission to marry Juliet. Capulet responds by explaining that Juliet is only 13 years old and suggests Paris wait two years before pursuing her further.

• Lord Capulet expresses care for Juliet, citing that he wants her to be mature enough to make such a significant decision but also acknowledges Paris' suitability as a husband.

• Capulet invites Paris to the Capulet feast, suggesting that Paris can try to woo Juliet there.

Servants and Invitation

• Lord Capulet instructs his servant to send out invitations to their grand banquet.

• The servant, unable to read, encounters Romeo and Benvolio while trying to figure out the guest list. The servant asks them to help him read it, unaware that he is speaking to Montagues.

• Romeo and Benvolio discover that the Capulet feast is taking place that evening. Intrigued by the idea of seeing Rosaline, Romeo decides to attend, while Benvolio urges him to forget Rosaline and see other women, stating that there are plenty more beautiful ones to compare her to.

Act One, Scene Three

Preparing for the Feast

• Lady Capulet calls for the Nurse to assist Juliet in preparation for the upcoming Capulet feast. The Nurse has cared for Juliet since infancy and has a close bond with her.

• The Nurse shares lighthearted and inappropriate jests about Juliet arranged around her childhood, emphasizing how intimately she knows Juliet compared to Lady Capulet, who maintains a more formal demeanor.

Juliet's Response to Marriage

• Lady Capulet tries to introduce the concept of marriage to Juliet by casually mentioning Paris, suggesting he would make a suitable husband due to his wealth and status.

• Juliet expresses ambivalence about marriage, saying she has not given it much thought, and this aligns with the theme of youth versus maturity. Her reluctance is symbolic of her desire for genuine love, rather than a forced arrangement.

• Lady Capulet pressures her to consider** Paris**, but Juliet remains noncommittal and emphasizes her desire for love, asserting her individuality by hinting her hesitance to marry without true affection.

Act One, Scene Four

The Montague Masked Ball

• Romeo, Benvolio, and their friend Mercutio prepare to attend the Capulet ball, masking their identities to hide as Montagues.

• Mercutio mocks Romeo’s love-sickness, suggesting he is too serious about Rosaline. He uses coarse humor and engages in a fantastical description of Queen Mab, a fairy who visits dreams, intertwining realism with fantasy to ridicule Romeo’s idealized views of love.

• The friends arrive at the Capulet feast, each providing contrasting perspectives on love, with Mercutio's cynical view contrasting with Romeo's romanticized ideals.

Fate and Foreboding

• As they draw closer to the Capulet house, Romeo expresses foreboding, admitting he has a heavy heart and believes the night will lead to doom. He uses celestial imagery to symbolize his anxiety, referencing starry influences on their fates.

• Despite Mercutio and Benvolio’s lightheartedness, the specter of fate looms large as Romeo hints that this night’s events could result in his untimely death, foreshadowing the tragic consequences of their love.

Act One, Scene Five

The Capulet Ball

• Lord Capulet welcomes guests to the extravagant feast, encouraging them to dance and enjoy the merriment, highlighting themes of celebration and communal joy against the backdrop of their feud.

• Romeo is introduced to Juliet, and upon seeing her, he is instantly captivated by her beauty. He compares Juliet to a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear, making use of exotic imagery to depict her radiance amidst the darkness of the event, taking audiences into a divine perspective of love at first sight.

• Romeo approaches Juliet and engages her in a sonnet, their shared dialogue laden with romantic and religious imagery, likening their lips to pilgrims praying in a holy shrine, indicating a spiritual connection.

Tybalt's Reaction

• Tybalt recognizes Romeo at the ball and is filled with rage, desiring to confront him for sneaking into their family event. This moment represents his fierce loyalty to the Capulet name and the longstanding feud.

• Tybalt goes to Lord Capulet, his uncle, to inform him of Romeo’s presence; however, Lord Capulet tells Tybalt to refrain from acting violently, insisting that Romeo is behaving well, and calling him a virtuous and well-governed youth. He commands Tybalt to tolerate Romeo’s presence for the evening to avoid disturbing the festivity.

• Tybalt reluctantly agrees but remains bitter, symbolizing the struggle between family loyalty and social propriety.

The Kiss and Discovery of Identities

• Romeo and Juliet share their first kiss, laden with sacred imagery as they liken their union to a holy experience. In this moment, the purity and depth of their feelings are evident.

• After their enchanting exchange, the tragic revelation occurs: Romeo learns that Juliet is a Capulet, and Juliet discovers that Romeo is a Montague.

• This moment deepens the inevitability of tragedy throughout the play, as both characters realize they have fallen in love with someone from the family they are meant to despise, enhancing the tragic weight of their forbidden love and setting the stage for the conflict that will unfold as their relationship progresses.

Act 2 of Romeo and Juliet

Prologue

Act 2 begins with a prologue where the chorus delivers a sonnet explaining the shift in Romeo's love from Rosaline to Juliet.

The chorus notes that Romeo's new love for Juliet will cause complications for the couple.

In the final rhyming couplet of the sonnet, Shakespeare credits the passion between Romeo and Juliet as giving them power to overcome obstacles such as family feuds and expectations.

Shakespeare also suggests that Romeo and Juliet have time to savor and enjoy their new love, hinting at some of the romantic scenes that will follow.

Themes:

• Fate and Destiny: The chorus continues the theme of fate by suggesting that love will both empower and challenge the couple.

• Love as a Force of Change: Romeo’s love for Juliet is immediate and transformative, shifting his focus entirely from Rosaline.

• Conflict Between Love and Society: The mention of family feuds and expectations highlights the tension between personal love and social constraints.

Characteristics of Shakespearean Plays:

• The use of a prologue sonnet to foreshadow events.

• The chorus acts as a narrative device, guiding the audience.

Act 2, Scene 1

Romeo gains new knowledge that Juliet is a Capulet and feels a sudden urge to meet her again, leading him to climb over the orchard wall into the Capulet garden.

Benvolio and Mercutio enter the garden, calling out for Romeo, but he does not answer, and they decide to give up their search.

Benvolio and Mercutio comment that it is foolish to look for someone who does not wish to be found, before leaving the garden.

Themes:

• Love as an Overpowering Force: Romeo cannot resist the pull toward Juliet, even though he knows the risks.

• Secrecy and Concealment: Romeo hides from his friends, symbolizing his shift from past friendships to his newfound love.

Figurative Language:

• Foreshadowing: Romeo climbing the orchard wall hints at later dangers in the play when secrecy leads to tragedy.

Characteristics of Shakespearean Plays:

• Comic Relief: Mercutio’s playful teasing about Romeo’s love provides humor before the intensity of the next scene.

Act 2, Scene 2 (The Balcony Scene)

Romeo notices light from an upstairs window at the Capulet house, expecting Juliet's arrival, and compares her to the sun, saying, "It is the East, and Juliet is the sun."

Juliet appears at the window, speaking of Romeo being a Montague and questioning why he bears that name, expressing frustration that her love is a Montague.

Juliet suggests that if Romeo were to refuse his family name, she too would give up hers to be with him, and Romeo responds by saying he will never be Romeo again.

Romeo reveals his presence to Juliet, who is startled and warns him of the danger if he is caught, but Romeo claims that love will protect him.

Juliet questions Romeo's love, and he responds by swearing his love by the moon, but Juliet interrupts, saying the moon is inconstant and unreliable.

Juliet expresses her fear that things are moving too fast and bids Romeo good night, but he proposes that they marry, and Juliet agrees to arrange a meeting for the next day.

Juliet returns to tell Romeo that if he truly means to marry her, he should send word for her tomorrow, and they agree to meet at 9:00.

The couple continues to exchange loving words before eventually parting.

Shakespeare presents the couple's blossoming romance through Romeo's language, which is full of imagery of nature, expressing his idealistic vision of love.

Romeo compares Juliet to the sun, revealing how he is captivated by her and sees her as a heavenly being who brings warmth and hope to his life.

Juliet responds to Romeo's language with frustration, instructing him not to swear by the moon, which is symbolic of impermanence and unreliability.

Juliet's response presents her as more careful and circumspect than Romeo, showcasing her intelligence and confidence.

Themes:

• Love vs. Reason: Juliet acknowledges the recklessness of their love, contrasting Romeo’s impulsive nature.

• Light vs. Darkness: Romeo describes Juliet as the sun, reinforcing the imagery of light overcoming darkness.

• Identity and Transformation: The idea of shedding their family names symbolizes their desire to create a new identity together.

Figurative Language:

• Metaphor: Juliet is the sun, illuminating Romeo’s world.

• Personification: The moon is described as fickle, paralleling the uncertainty of Romeo's past affections.

Characteristics of Shakespearean Plays:

• Dramatic Irony: The audience knows the dangers of their love, even as they remain hopeful.

• Use of Soliloquy: Juliet’s speech about Romeo’s name is introspective and reveals her thoughts to the audience.

Act 2, Scene 3

Friar Lawrence is collecting plants in a basket and contemplating the power of nature, reflecting on the good and evil within humans.

Romeo enters and informs the friar that he has fallen in love with Juliet and wishes to marry her, which initially shocks the friar due to Romeo's quick shift in affection from Rosaline to Juliet.

The friar comments on the fickleness of young love, but Romeo argues that Juliet returns his love, unlike Rosaline, and the friar considers that the match may heal the rift between the two houses.

The friar consents to marry Romeo and Juliet, acting as a wise and cautious foil to Romeo's impulsive and dramatic character, and playing a father figure to Romeo.

The friar's actions present an opportunity for Romeo and Juliet's love to progress, and in the lines "Allegiance May so happy prove to turn / Your household's rancor to pure love," Shakespeare uses a rhyming couplet that hints at his belief in the completeness of Romeo and Juliet's love.

The use of oxymoron with the contrasting words "rancor" (bitterness) and "love" recalls the language of the prologue, which predicts the end to the family's feud through Romeo and Juliet's death, marked love, reminding us that the path of true love is often complex and conflict may again rear its head as events move forward.

Themes:

• Wisdom vs. Impulsivity: The friar serves as a rational counter to Romeo’s recklessness.

• Hope vs. Tragedy: The friar hopes the marriage will mend the feud, but the audience anticipates disaster.

Figurative Language:

• Oxymoron: "Rancor to pure love" foreshadows the tragic resolution.

• Foreshadowing: The friar warns of the dangers of hasty decisions.

Characteristics of Shakespearean Plays:

• Mentor Figures: The friar serves as a guide but ultimately enables the tragic sequence of events.

Act 2, Scene 4

Benvolio and Mercutio discuss Tybalt’s challenge to Romeo, noting that Tybalt is a skilled duelist.

Mercutio mocks Tybalt’s style and ridicules Romeo for being love-struck.

Romeo arrives, and Mercutio playfully teases him, noting that his mood has improved from his previous sorrow.

The Nurse enters, and Mercutio mocks her as well before leaving with Benvolio.

The Nurse warns Romeo to treat Juliet sincerely, and Romeo reassures her that he intends to marry Juliet that afternoon.

Romeo instructs the Nurse to have Juliet meet him at Friar Lawrence’s cell, and the Nurse promises to deliver the message.

Themes:

• Love vs. Honor: Romeo’s love conflicts with the challenge issued by Tybalt.

• Friendship and Loyalty: Mercutio’s teasing contrasts with Romeo’s seriousness about love.

Figurative Language:

• Wordplay/Puns: Mercutio’s banter is full of puns, mocking both Tybalt and Romeo.

• Dramatic Irony: The audience knows that Romeo is already married when Mercutio mocks him.

Characteristics of Shakespearean Plays:

• Comic Relief: Mercutio’s playful nature contrasts with the seriousness of upcoming events.

Act 2, Scene 5

Juliet anxiously waits for the Nurse to return with Romeo’s message.

The Nurse delays, teasing Juliet by complaining about her aches before finally revealing that Juliet is to meet Romeo at Friar Lawrence’s cell.

Excited, Juliet hurries away.

Themes:

• Impatience and Young Love: Juliet’s eagerness highlights the impulsiveness of youth.

Figurative Language:

• Hyperbole: Juliet exaggerates her impatience, comparing it to waiting for eternity.

Characteristics of Shakespearean Plays:

• Nurse as a Comedic Character: Her delay adds humor to an otherwise tense love story.

Act 2, Scene 6

Romeo and Juliet meet at Friar Lawrence’s cell.

The friar warns them about the dangers of rushing into love, saying, "These violent delights have violent ends."

Romeo and Juliet express their love, and the friar leads them off to be married.

Themes:

• Love and Fate: The warning of "violent ends" foreshadows tragedy.

• Wisdom vs. Passion: The friar cautions restraint, but Romeo and Juliet are too passionate to listen.

Figurative Language:

• Foreshadowing: "Violent delights have violent ends" predicts the couple’s fate.

• Metaphor: Love is compared to fire and gunpowder, which consume each other.

Characteristics of Shakespearean Plays:

• Dramatic Irony: The audience knows this rushed marriage will lead to disaster.