The Love Story of Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is an enduring tragic love story written by William Shakespeare about two young star-
crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. Shakespeare borrowed his plot from
an original Italian tale.  It is believed Romeo and Juliette were based on actual characters from Verona.  
The Montague and Capulet families are feuding.  The Prince of Verona intervenes and declares that any
further fighting will be punishable by death. When the Count of Paris approaches Lord Capulet about
marrying his daughter, Juliet, he is wary of the request because she is only thirteen.  Capulet asks the
Count of Paris to wait another two years and invites him to attend a ball.  Lady Capulet and Juliet's nurse
urge Juliet to accept Paris' courtship. In the Montague house, Benvolio talks with his cousin Romeo, Lord
Montague's son, about Romeo's recent melancholy.  Benvolio discovers Romeo's unrequited infatuation
for a girl named Rosaline, a niece of Lord Capulet's nieces.  Persuaded by Benvolio Romeo attends the
ball at the Capulet house in hopes of meeting Rosaline.  But it is not Rosaline who sweeps him off his feet
- it is the fair Juliette. After the ball, Romeo sneaks into the Capulet courtyard and overhears Juliet on her
balcony vowing her love to him in spite of her family's hatred for his family.   Romeo makes himself
known to her and they agree to be married. 
Juliet in the Balcony of Verona

With the help of a friar, who hopes to reconcile the two families through their children's union, they are
secretly married the next day. Juliet's cousin Tybalt, incensed that Romeo had crashed the Capulet ball,
challenges him to a duel.  Romeo, now considering Tybalt his kinsman, refuses to fight.  Romeo's friend,
Mercutio is offended by Tybalt's insolence, as well as Romeo's "vile submission" and accepts the duel on
Romeo's behalf.  Mercutio is fatally wounded when Romeo attempts to break up the fight.  Grief-stricken
and wracked with guilt, Romeo confronts and slays Tybalt. Montague argues that Romeo has justly
fought and killed Tybalt for the murder of Mercutio.  The Prince exiles Romeo from Verona and declares
that if Romeo returns, he will be executed.  Romeo secretly spends the night in Juliet's chamber, where
they make love for the first and last time, consummating their marriage.  In the morning, he prepares to
leave and kisses her one last time.  Lord Capulet, misinterpreting Juliet's grief, agrees to marry her to
Count Paris and threatens to disown her when she refuses.  Juliette pleads for the marriage to be delayed,
but her mother rejects her. Juliet visits Friar Laurence for help, and he offers her a drug that will put her
into a death-like coma for forty-two hours.  The Friar promises to send a messenger to inform Romeo of
the plan, so that he can rejoin her when she awakens.  On the night before her wedding to the Count,
Juliet takes the drug and, when discovered apparently dead, she is laid in the family crypt. The messenger,
however, failed to reach Romeo and, instead, he learned of Juliet's apparent demise from his servant. 
Heartbroken, Romeo buys poison from an apothecary and goes to the Capulet crypt.  There, he encounters
Count Paris who has come to mourn Juliet privately. Believing Romeo to be a vandal, Paris confronts him
and, in the ensuing battle, Romeo kills Paris.  Still believing Juliet to be dead, Romeo drinks the poison.
Juliet then awakens only to find her beloved Romeo dead.  Unwilling to live without him, she stabs
herself with his dagger. The feuding families and the Prince meet at the tomb to find all three dead.   The
Friar recounts their story.  The families are reconciled by their children's deaths and agree to end their
violent feud.

Multiple Choice: Choose the word or phrase that best completes each sentence.
1. When the play opens, Romeo is in love with
a. Himself b. Juliet c. Angelina d. Rosaline
2. Romeo agrees to go to the Capulet’s party because he
a. Loves to dance c. wants to see Rosaline
b. Can’t wait to see Juliet d. wants to fight with Tybalt
3. Through his actions, we see that Tybalt’s nature is to
 a. Make peace at every opportunity c. do the right thing
b. Flirt with all the girls d. fight
4. When Juliet says, “Wherefore art thou Romeo” she is saying
a. Where are you, Romeo? C. When can I see you, Romeo?
b. Who is Romeo? D. Why are you, Romeo?
5. Romeo and Juliet agree to marry after knowing each other for
a. A few hours c. a few months
b. A few days d. a few years
6. When Romeo interferes in the fight between Tybalt and Mercutio,
a. Benvolio defends Mercutio
b. Tybalt, under Romeo’s arm, stabs Mercutio
c. Benvolio, under Romeo’s arm, stabs Tybalt
d. Capulet defends Tybalt
7. The friar agrees to perform Romeo and Juliet’s marriage in the hope that it will
a. Give him work
b. Stop the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues
c. Get Romeo to stick to one girl
d. Teach the Montagues a lesson
8. When Mercutio says, A plague on both your houses, “he has just been
a. Stabbed by Tybalt and is about to die
b. Informed of the wedding
c. Banished from fighting
d. Sentenced to death by the prince
9. After Romeo killed Tybalt, Romeo directly went to hide at
a. Mantua c. Benvolio’s house
b. Home d. Friar Laurence’s cell
10. When the nurse brings news of Tybalt’s death, Juliet
a. At first thinks Romeo has been killed
b. Swears she never want to see Romeo again
c. Is glad
d. Order the nurse to leave
11. According to Lord Capulet, Juliet weeps all the time because
a. The death of Mercutio c. the death of Tybalt
b. Paris’s marriage proposal d. the banishment of Romeo
12. Juliet finally agrees to marry Paris because
a. He is handsome c. she cannot resist her father
b. He is wealthy d. the friar advised her to pretend that she agrees
13. The person who brings news of Juliet’s death to Romeo is
a. Balthasar c. Benvolio
b. Tybalt d. Friar John
14. As Juliet prepares to drink the potion, her main thoughts are about
a. Tricking Paris
b. Waking up alone in the tomb
c. Rejoining Romeo
d. Disappointing her father
15. Minutes before Juliet awakens,
a. Romeo and Paris fight and kill each other
b. Romeo dies and Paris poisons himself
c. Friar Laurence arrives in time to save Romeo
d. Romeo kills Paris and then poisons himself
16. Friar Laurence’s plans fall because
 a. Juliet cannot take the drug
b. The letter doesn’t get delivered to Romeo
c. Romeo will not leave Verona
d. The nurse tells the Capulets about the plan
17. Paris attacks Romeo at the tomb because Paris believes Romeo
a. Is going to kill him
b. Has come to damage the dead bodies or tomb
c. Is a murderer who should be killed
d. Married Juliet before he did
18. Juliet, the last of the major characters to die on stage, dies
a. By poisoning herself
b. From a heart attack because of grief
c. From fright in the scary tomb
d. By stabbing herself
19. Arriving to inspect the corpse of Paris, Romeo, and Juliet, the Montagues and Capulets realize
too late
a. Friar Laurence’s treachery
b. What the nurse had predicted
c. The foolishness of their bitter quarrel
d. The tragic nature of young love
20. The Capulet and the Montagues agree to end the feud and
a. Have a double funeral for Romeo and Juliet
b. Give a donation to the friar’s church
c. Move to another town
d. Raise statues of their dead children