R&J Final Study Notes

The Inciting brawl was an argument/fight between servants from both the Capulet (Sampson and Gregory) and Montague (Abram and Balthasar) households, which made the Prince say that if the families were caught fighting again, it would be death for both people involved.

Romeo is heartbroken at the beginning of the play because he is in love with Rosaline but she has sworn a vow of chastity and will not marry him

After the Capulet feast, Romeo and Juliet discover that they are from feuding families, which means that their love is forbidden

The balcony scene is when Romeo and Juliet have a conversation, Juliet on her balcony and Romeo in the Capulet orchard, which quickly leads to the two making a plan to marry the next morning

The same night of the balcony scene, Romeo begs friar Lawrence to marry him and Juliet but the Friar originally refuses. Friar Lawrence only agrees because he hopes the union will bring the two families together.

Later in the day that Romeo and Juliet marry, Mercutio and Tybalt get into a fight because Mercutio was mocking tybalt. Tybalt Kills Mercutio in this fight and Romeo then avenges Mercutio by killing Tybalt. Since the houses aren’t allowed to fight but technically a life (mercutio’s) has been payed for with a life (Tybalt’s), Romeo gets the smaller punishment of banishment instead of death. Romeo is banished to Mantua and will be killed if found back in Verona. Immediately after killing Tybalt, Romeo goes to the Friar’s cell where he is convinced to consumate his marrige with Juliet. The couple consummates and then Romeo leaves to Mantua.

Juliet is so heartbroken by the banishment of Romeo (but her parents don’t know this and think she is depressed over Tybalt’s death) that Lord Capulet promises Juliet to Paris with the intention of making her feel better by marrying them that Thursday (in three days)

Juliet is so heartbroken by the idea of marrying Paris that she goes to the Friar’s cell to ask for help of how to avoid her marriage. The Friar gives her a sleeping potion and tells her to go home and tell her parents that she is actually ready to marry Paris. Then, on Wednesday evening (the night before her wedding) she will make sure she goes to bed alone, take the potion, and fall in to a death-like slumber. Her family will find her the next day and have a funeral for her. Then, Romeo will get a letter informing him of the plan and come to Juliet’s tomb when she’s about to wake up. The couple will then run off with each other without suspection of the relationship. This plan is flawed though, because the letter could not reach Romeo in time, the potion could not work well enough and she might wake up early or it might work too well and she actually dies, or the letter could be intercepted and they could be found out.

Romeo receives news of Juliet’s “death” because Balthasar saw her funeral. The letter informing Romeo of the plan did not reach Romeo because the mail carrier was travelling with someone sick, so the mail carrier and the letters had to be quarantined. Romeo then (under the impression that Juliet was actually dead) went to an apothecary, bought poison, and showed up to Juliet’s tomb with the intention of killing himself to be with her again.

Once Romeo got to the tomb, he saw Paris, they dueled, and Paris is killed by Romeo. Then, Romeo took the poison and died next to Juliet. Juliet then woke up, realized Romeo was dead next to her, tried to take the poision as well, and then stabbed her heart with a knife when she found no poision left, dying next to Romeo. Four deaths in total took place that night including Romeo’s mother who died from heartbreak due to her son’s banishment.

At the very end, The Friar explains the entire story of the couple’s love affair, the Prince says that all are at fault but admits he is as well, and Capulet and Montague make up. Montague says he’s going to build a statue of Juliet and Capulet says he’s going to do something for Romeo too.

Romeo - impulsive, romantic; male lead; his quick decisions drive the tragedy (the decision to marry Juliet, killing tybalt, killing himself)

Friar Lawrence - Kind, helpful, tactiful; his influence on Romeo and Juliet heavily effect their decisions and how the plot unwravells; his intentions don’t always work out the way he wants them to (married them to unite the families but their marriage led to the fight between Tybalt and Romeo; Gave juliet the potion and made the plan to help the couple live together but the plan ended in the couple killing themselves)

Tybalt - quick to anger, stubborn; these two things led to him wanting to duel with Romeo, which led to him dueling with Mecutio, which led to him dueling with Romeo, which led to his death; all of these things could’ve been prevented had Tybalt not been so stubborn and listened to Romeo instead of fighting.

Lord Capulet - Origninally a man who intended on allowing Juliet to pick who she marries, but becomes a man who very forcefully pushes a marriage between Paris and Juliet, resulting in Juliet’s sleeping potion plan, which resulted in Juliet killing herself. Lord Capulet’s forcing a marriage upon Juliet further advanced the plot.

Juliet - Obiedent yet bold, impulsive, romantic; Female lead; her bravery and fears are displayed in her soliloquy before she takes the potion, further showing how she is less irrational than thought to be, and in the tomb scene. Her choices in the story also heavily advance the plot (agreeing to marry Romeo, agreeing to consummate her marriage, taking the potion, killing herself)

Mercutio - Pessimistic of love, witty, loyal, stubborn; Mercutio helps the plot advance by forcing Romeo to do things like to go the Capulet party, but his death advanced thee plot the most, causing Romeo to get into the duel with Tybalt that led to his banishment and pushed the fast rolling ball of the rest of the events in the story down the hill. Mercutio’s final words shamed Tybalt for killing him, but also shamed Romeo for not helping him after he was struck, causing Romeo to feel the guilt that made him Fight Tybalt for vengance.

The Nurse - The nurse was extremely influential on Juliet, giving imput on every situation Juliet found herself in throughout the play. Also the advocator for Juliet and the messenger between Romeo and Juliet of where to meet or what is happening. the nurse originally helped Juliet with her relationship to romeo, but after romeo’s banishment, the nurse then advises Juliet to give up on their relationship and embrace her future marriage to Paris.

Paris - Paris confronts Romeo at the tomb because Romeo was banished at this point and not allowed to be in Verona, but also to protect Juliet’s body. Paris dies by being murdered by Romeo