"Romeo and Juliet" is a tragedy in 5 acts written between 1591 and 1595 by William Shakespeare. The story centres around two prominent households of Verona - the Montague's and the Capulet's - who are at odds with one another. Romeo, a Montague, is in love with Rosaline, a Capulet, and is intent on meeting her at the Capulet ball. However, Romeo instead meets Rosaline's cousin, Juliet, and subsequently falls in love with her. Juliet is already being courted by Count Paris, whom, against her father's wishes, she does not intend to marry.
With the assistance of Friar Laurence and Juliet's Nurse, who want to put an end to the bloodshed by uniting the two families, the pair marry in secret. Tybalt, a cousin of Juliet's, is enraged upon learning that Romeo sneaked into the ball, and challenges Romeo to a duel. Romeo declines this offer, but his friend Mercutio accepts, and is killed when Romeo tries to stop the fighting. In an act of revenge, Romeo confronts and kills Tybalt. Benvolio, a cousin of Romeo's, argues that Romeo was in the right by "executing" Tybalt, but Escalus, the Prince of Verona, does not agree, and banishes Romeo.
Meanwhile, Juliet, who is set to marry Paris, sees Friar Laurence in secret, with the hope of reuniting with her banished husband. The Friar gives Juliet a potion that will put her in a self-induced coma for 42 hours, after which she will escape Verona with Romeo. Friar Laurence sends a message to Romeo with the details of this plan, but this letter does not reach Romeo. Thus, upon hearing of Juliet's "death," Romeo, grief-stricken, returns to Verona. Prior to entering Verona, Romeo visits an apothecary, from whom he purchases poison with the intent of taking his own life.
Romeo goes to the Capulet family crypt, and upon entering finds Paris, who is mourning Juliet. Paris, believing that Romeo has come to desecrate Juliet's remains, challenges Romeo to a duel, which results in Paris' death. Seeing Juliet's body, Romeo drinks the poison and dies. Shortly thereafter, Juliet awakens from her catalepsy, and, finding Romeo with a vial of poison in his hands, she takes her own life with Romeo's dagger. The two families, upon finding the "star-cross'd lovers," agree to put their differences aside and live in peace.
#memes #literature #shakespeare
