Key moments in Romeo and Juliet and some pregnant facts almost the play and its characters.

Romeo (David Dawson) receives another kiss from Juliet (Anneika Rose) at the ball.
Romeo and Juliet (2008), directed by Neil Bartlett.

Key Moments from Romeo and Juliet

Every director will cull their ain fundamental moments inRomeo and Julietdepending on how they are interpreting the play. Here we've listed some important moments in the order in which they appear in the play.

We refer to the RSC Shakespeare edition of the plays. Human activity and scene numbers vary with dissimilar editions.

The scene is set (Human action one Scene 1)

Montague and Capulet servants clash in the street, the Prince threatens dire penalization if another such ball should take place, and Romeo tells his friend, Benvolio, of his obsession with Rosaline.

The lovers meet for the first time (Act 1 Scene 4)

Romeo is persuaded to attend a masked party at the Capulet household. Not knowing who she is, he falls in love with Juliet the moment he sees her, and she, equally ignorant that he is a Montague, falls just as instantly for him (this is Act 1, Scene five in many editions).

Romeo risks death to meet Juliet once again (Act 2 Scene 1)

When everyone has left the party, Romeo creeps into the Capulet garden and sees Juliet on her balcony. They reveal their mutual dear and Romeo leaves, promising to arrange a hole-and-corner marriage and let Juliet's messenger, her quondam Nurse, have the details the following morning. This famous scene, known as the Balcony Scene, is numbered Deed 2, Scene 2 in many editions.

The wedding is held in secret (Act 2 Scene 5)

Juliet tells her parents she is going to brand her confession to Friar Laurence, meets Romeo there and, despite some personal misgivings, the friar marries them immediately.

Romeo angrily kills Juliet's cousin, Tybalt (Act three Scene 1)

Romeo meets Tybalt in the street, and is challenged by him to a duel. Romeo refuses to fight and his friend Mercutio is so disgusted by this 'cowardice' that the takes upwards the challenge instead. As Romeo tries to intermission up the fight, Tybalt kills Mercutio and, enraged, Romeo so kills Tybalt. The Prince arrives and, on hearing the full story, banishes Romeo rather than have him executed.

The unhappy couple are parted (Act 3 Scene five)

Arranged by the Friar and the Nurse, Romeo and Juliet have spent their hymeneals night together. They are immediately parted though, as Romeo must leave for adjournment in Mantua or dice if he is establish in Verona. Assertive her grief to exist for the decease of her cousin, Juliet's father tries to cheer Juliet by arranging her immediate marriage to Paris. He threatens to disown her when she asks for the wedlock to exist at least postponed, and she runs to the Friar for advice and assist.

The Friar suggests a dangerous solution (Act iv Scene i)

Juliet arrives at the Friar's to be met by Paris, who is busy discussing their wedding plans. She is and then desperate that she threatens suicide, and the Friar instead suggests that she takes a potion that will make her appear to exist dead. He promises to send a message to Romeo, request him to render secretly and be with Juliet when she wakes, in one case her 'body' has been taken to the family crypt.

Juliet is establish 'expressionless' (Human activity 4 Scene 4)

The Nurse discovers Juliet 'south 'body' expressionless' when she goes to wake her for her marriage Paris. Friar Laurence is called, counsels the family to accept their grief, and arranges for Juliet to be 'buried' immediately.

Romeo learns of the tragedy and plans suicide (Human activity five Scene 1)

Romeo'due south retainer, Balthasar, reaches Mantua before the Friar's messenger and tells Romeo that Juliet is expressionless. Romeo buys poison and leaves for Verona, planning to die alongside Juliet's trunk.

The tragic conclusion (Act 5 Scene 3)

Trying to suspension into the Capulet catacomb, Romeo is disturbed by Paris and they fight. Romeo kills Paris and reaches Juliet'due south trunk. He drinks the poisonous substance, kisses his married woman for the last fourth dimension, and dies. Having learned that Romeo never received his message, the Friar comes to the crypt to be with Juliet when she wakes. He finds Paris'south body and reaches Juliet simply as she revives. He cannot persuade her to go out her expressionless husband, and runs away in fearfulness. Juliet realises what has happened, takes Romeo's knife and stabs herself to death with information technology. The watchmen discover the gruesome sight and call the Prince, to whom the Friar confesses everything. Having heard the full story, the Montagues and Capulets are reconciled. Peace has been achieved, but the price has been the lives of two innocent immature lovers.

Facts about Romeo and Juliet

  • The outset words ofRomeo and Juliet are in the grade of a sonnet. This prologue reveals the catastrophe to the audience before the play has properly begun.
  • The play can be considered as a companion piece to that staged past the Mechanicals at the end ofA Midsummer Night's Dream. Here the young lovers take their lives in earnest, but inA Midsummer Night'south Dream the story of Pyramus and Thisbe becomes comic entertainment for three sets of newly-weds.
  • xc% of the play is in verse, with only 10% in prose. It contains some of Shakespeare's near beautiful poetry, including the sonnet Romeo and Juliet share when they kickoff meet.
  • Although a story of passionate showtime love, the play is as well full of puns. Even in decease, Mercutio manages to joke: 'inquire for me tomorrow and y'all will find me a grave human being'.
  • Juliet is only 13 at the time she meets and marries Romeo, but we never learn his verbal age.
  • SimilarKing Lear, the play was adapted by Nahum Tate, changing the story to give it a happy ending.
  • In 1748, the famous David Garrick staged a version which did not include whatsoever mention of Romeo'south love for Rosaline, because Garrick felt this fabricated the tragic hero appear too fickle.
  • In March 1662, Mary Saunderson became almost certainly the first woman to play Juliet on the professional phase. Until the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, women were not allowed to perform in public.
  • Romeo and Juliet, alongsideHamlet, is probably Shakespeare's most performed play and has also been adjusted in many forms.
  • The musicalWest Side Storyis probably the virtually famous adaptation, while Baz Luhrmann'sRomeo + Julietbrought Shakespeare's play to the MTV generation.