Prologue and Act I

In the Prologue, the Chorus tells us that the play is set in Verona, where there is a long-time feud between two families, which nothing can mend. The play will tell the story of the "deathmarked love" of their two, "a pair of star-crossed lovers," whose self-inflicted deaths signal an end to their families' violent struggle.

The servants of the two families—the Montagues and Capulets—engage in a street brawl. Romeo's cousin Benvolio, a Montague, enters and tries to stop the fight but is challenged by Tybalt, Capulet's nephew. The fathers, Montague and Capulet, arrive and immediately are drawn into the brawl. Prince Escalus enters and forbids, on pain of execution, any more fighting between the two households.

Lord and Lady Montague discuss their son Romeo's recent distracted behavior with Benvolio, who offers to find out what troubles him. To his friend's inquiries, Romeo expresses his unrequited love for Rosaline, a young woman determined to remain chaste, and he rejects Benvolio's advice to forget her and look around for someone else.

Lord Capulet gives the Count Paris permission to court his young daughter Juliet at the Capulets' party that night. Lady Capulet tells Juliet of Paris's desire to marry her; obedient, Juliet agrees to entertain Paris's attention to her. Benvolio and Romeo, learning of the Capulet feast where Rosaline is among the invited guests, decide to attend in disguise. Romeo confesses his reluctance to go because of ominous dreams, and his friend Mercutio teases him that "Queen Mab" has caused his nightmares. Tybalt catches sight of Romeo at the party and angrily storms away when his uncle, Lord Capulet, forbids any confrontation in his house. Romeo and Juliet meet and immediately fall in love; both are deeply distressed to find out that their new love's family is an enemy to their own.

Act II

As Romeo and his friends leave the party, he slips away and hides in Capulet's garden. Thinking that she is alone on her balcony above the garden, Juliet speaks of her new feelings for Romeo. When he reveals himself, both confess their love. Juliet tells Romeo that she will send a messenger to him the next day to find out his plan for their marriage. Romeo confides in Friar Laurence and asks him to help them marry; hoping to end their families' hatred, the Friar agrees. The next morning in the public square, Romeo instructs Juliet's nurse to tell Juliet to go to Friar Laurence, who will join them in marriage that same afternoon. The Nurse returns to tease Juliet, who is impatient to hear Romeo's plan. When she learns of Romeo's proposal, Juliet leaves immediately for the Friar's, where she and Romeo are secretly married.

Act III

Tybalt, enraged by the Montague's uninvited presence at his uncle's party the night before, looks for Romeo to confront him, but he comes upon Benvolio and Mercutio instead. Mercutio picks a fight. When Romeo arrives, Tybalt insults him and challenges him to a duel. Romeo refuses the challenge, saying that he loves Tybalt as his own family. Mercutio, disgusted by Romeo's apparent cowardice, challenges Tybalt. Romeo intercedes to stop the fight, and, as he does, Mercutio is slain, receiving a mortal wound as Romeo tries to pull him away. Now in blind rage, Romeo avenges his friend's death and kills Tybalt. The Prince spares Romeo's life but banishes him from Verona, sentencing death if he returns. Juliet, longing for night so that she can see her husband, is informed by her Nurse of Tybalt's murder and Romeo's banishment. Juliet talks of suicide but is comforted when the Nurse offers to find Romeo and bring him to her. Friar Laurence informs Romeo of his banishment and Romeo says that life without Juliet is a fate worse than death. The Friar chastises him and advises him to spend the night with his bride, then flee to Mantua until he can reveal the marriage. Romeo agrees. Lord Capulet accepts Paris's offer for his daughter's hand and sets the wedding three days away. Romeo and Juliet take their farewells as daybreak lights Juliet's bedchamber. Lady Capulet enters to inform Juliet that she is to marry Paris. Enraged by his daughter's refusal, Lord Capulet swears to disown her. Ignoring her Nurse's advice to forget Romeo and marry Paris, Juliet seeks counsel from the Friar.

Act IV

At Friar Laurence's cell, Juliet encounters Paris and avoids his advances. She confesses her despair to the Friar and talks of killing herself. He persuades her instead to follow his plan: to return home and consent to marry Paris; then, on the night before the wedding, to drink the herbal potion he now gives her. The potion will induce a deathlike trance, and she will be entombed in the Capulet crypt; when she wakes Romeo will be there to take her to Mantua, where the couple can live until their two families are reconciled. Juliet returns home, and, apologizing for her disobedience, agrees to marry Paris. Lord Capulet decides to move the wedding to the next day. Alone in her room, Juliet fears that the potion might kill her or that she will wake before Romeo arrives and, trapped in a tomb with Tybalt's corpse, that she will go mad. Invoking Romeo's name, she drinks the potion. The next morning, her body is discovered by her Nurse. Her family and Paris are devastated. Friar Laurence instructs the family to arrange for her funeral.

Act V

Before news of the Friar's plan reaches him in Mantua, Romeo learns of his beloved's death from his friend Balthasar, and, resolving to join her in death, buys poison from a poor Apothecary. Friar John returns from Mantua, informing Friar Laurence that he was prevented from delivering the Friar's letter to Romeo. Friar Laurence heads to the tomb to avert disaster. When he reaches the tomb, Romeo encounters Paris, whom in the darkness of night he does not recognize. When Paris sees him, he challenges a desperate Romeo to a duel. Romeo urges him to get away, but when Paris refuses, they fight and Romeo kills his opponent before recognizing him. Entering the tomb and kissing Juliet, Romeo drinks the poison and dies. The Friar enters the tomb as Juliet awakens. He begs Juliet to flee with him, but she refuses and kills herself with Romeo's dagger as she hears the townspeople outside. The two families and Prince are summoned. The Friar recounts the whole story, volunteering for a punishment of death if the Prince finds him guilty of misconduct. The Prince blames their children's deaths on their parents' hatred. The two lords resolve to abandon their feud and vow to erect golden statues in memory of their two children.

– Contributed by the CST Education Department

Prólogo y Primer Acto

En el prólogo, el coro nos dice que en Verona hay un odio antiguo entre las familias Capulet y Montague. El amor marcado por la muerte entre dos jóvenes apasionados enseña a las familias orgullosas que hay mas en la vida que el odio.

Un día, criados de las familias rivales empiezan a pelear en la calle. Benvolio, el primo de Romeo, trata de parar la pelea cuando se enfrenta con Tybalt, el sobrino del Sr. Capulet, y continúan a pelear. También Montague y Capulet entran peleando. Pero en ese momento Prince Escalus, cansado de la batalla antigua, decreta que la violencia debe terminar bajo la pena de muerte.

Preocupado por su hijo, el Sr. y Sra. Montague hablan con Benvolio sobre el mal humor de Romeo. Benvolio decide preguntarle que causa su mal humor y Romeo confiesa que está enamorado de Rosalind, una mujer determinada a quedarse virgen. Benvolio le aconseja a Romeo que la olvide y busque a otra pero Romeo no le hace caso.

El Señor Capulet organiza un gran baile donde el Conde Paris acortejara a la dama Julieta. Julieta obedece el deseo de sus padres y entretiene al Conde Paris en la fiesta. Mercutio, Benvolio y otros jóvenes locos encuentran una invitación y deciden ir a la fiesta disfrazados. Romeo ha tenido unas pesadillas terribles y no tiene ganas de ir. Mercutio, el payaso del grupo, le dice que las pesadillas han sido creadas por la Reina Mab. En la fiesta, Tybalt descubre a los jóvenes Montague pero su tío Capuleto no quiere pleitos. Tybaldo sale furioso y declara su venganza. Romeo y Julieta se encuentran e inmediatamente se enamoran. Un amor prohibido.

Segundo Acto

En el Jardín Capuleto los jóvenes manifiestan su amor y deciden casarse. El día siguiente en la plaza, Romeo le revela sus planes de matrimonio a la nodriza de Julieta. La joven enamorada espera noticias del matrimonio y cuando la nodriza le revela lo que Romeo dijo se vuelva loca de amor. En secreto Fraile Laurence casa a los dos jóvenes, esperando que el casamiento pondrá un fin a la discordia entre las familias.

Tercer Acto

Con rabia, Tybalt se va en busca de Romeo para cumplir su venganza y se encuentra a Mercutio y a Benvolio. Mercutio, el payaso que es, molesta a Tybaldo. Tybalt se emociona con la llegada de Romeo y lo desafía a un duelo. Romeo no desea pelear porque ahora lo quiere como familia. Insatisfecho con la decisión, Mercutio empieza a pelear con Tybalt. Cuando Romeo entra para pararlos, Tybalt mata a Mercutio. Con rabia ciega Romeo asesina a Tybalt en la calle. Prince Escalus destierra a Romeo de Verona con la pena de muerte si regresa. Cuando escuchas las noticias, Julieta tiene ganas de morirse. Preocupado con lo que ha pasado, la nodriza cariñosa decide buscar a Romeo. Los dos duermen juntos esa noche y en la mañana Romeo huye Verona. Las ganas de morirse crecen en Julieta cuando la promesa de matrimonio entre ella y Paris se ha hecho. Desesperadamente busca la ayuda del Fraile Laurence.

Cuarto Acto

Julieta le confiesa su gusto de morirse al Fraile Laurence y juntos crean un plan apasionado. En el plan ella tendrá que decir que se casará con Paris, tomará una poción la noche antes de la boda que la pondrá en un estado de coma, al despertar Romeo la llevará a la ciudad de Mantua donde esperarán la reconciliación de sus familias. Nerviosamente Julieta sigue con el plan. La nodriza y la familia están devastados cuando encuentran el cuerpo inmóvil de Julieta. Sr. Capulet organiza el funeral de su única hija.

Quinto Acto

Romeo recibe la noticia de la muerte de Julieta y se vuelve loco. él nunca recibió el mensaje del Fraile. Se compra una poción fatal y viaja a Verona a ver el cuerpo de su amor. Llegando a la tumba se encuentra a Paris y lo mata. Al ver el cuerpo de la hermosa Julieta se toma la poción fatal y muere a su lado. Julieta despierta con mucha esperanza pero encuentra a su marido muerto. Ella decide reunirse con él matandonse con una espada. Fraile Laurence les cuenta lo que ocurrió a las familias y las familias deciden reconciliar su odio y construir unos monumentos en su honor.

– Contribuido por el Departamento de Educación de CST