1 Prologue

Original Text Modern Text Enter CHORUS The CHORUS enters. CHORUS CHORUS Two households, both alike in dignity In the beautiful city of Verona, where our story takes (In fair Verona, where we lay our scene), place, a long-standing hatred between two families From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, erupts into new violence, and citizens stain their 5 Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. hands with the blood of their fellow citizens. Two From forth the fatal loins of these two foes unlucky children of these enemy families become A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, lovers and commit suicide. Their unfortunate deaths Whose misadventured piteous overthrows put an end to their parents' feud. For the next two 10 Doth with their death bury their parents' strife. hours, we will watch the story of their doomed love The fearful passage of their death-marked love and their parents' anger, which nothing but the And the continuance of their parents' rage, children’s deaths could stop. If you listen to us Which, but their children’s end, naught could remove, patiently, we’ll make up for everything we’ve left out Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage— in this prologue onstage. The which, if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. Exit The CHORUS exits. Blank Verse – unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter 2 Iamb – a metrical foot with an accented and unaccented syllable Quatrain – four lines of verse Couplet – two lines of verse (summarizes or responds to the verses preceding)

Quatrain Two households, both alike in dignity

(In fair Verona, where we lay our scene), From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

Quatrain From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents' strife.

Quatrain The fearful passage of their death-marked love And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children’s end, naught could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage—

Couplet The which, if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

Act I, Scene i 3 Original Text Modern Text

Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY of the house of SAMPSON and GREGORY, servants of the Capulet family, enter carrying Capulet, with swords and bucklers swords and small shields. SAMPSON SAMPSON Gregory, on my word, we’ll not carry coals. Gregory, I swear, we can’t let them humiliate us—can’t take their garbage. GREGORY GREGORY No, for then we should be colliers. (teasing SAMPSON) No, because then we’d be garbagemen. SAMPSON SAMPSON I mean, an we be in choler, we’ll draw. What I mean is, if they make us angry we’ll pull out our swords. GREGORY GREGORY Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of collar. Maybe you should focus on pulling yourself out of trouble, Sampson. SAMPSON SAMPSON 5 I strike quickly, being moved. I hit hard when I’m angry. GREGORY GREGORY But thou art not quickly moved to strike. But it’s hard to make you angry. SAMPSON SAMPSON A dog of the house of Montague moves me. One of those dogs from the Montague house can make me angry. GREGORY GREGORY To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand. Angry enough to run away. You won’t stand and fight. Therefore if thou art moved thou runn’st away. SAMPSON SAMPSON 10 A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I will A dog from that house will make me angry enough to take a stand. If I pass take the wall of any man or maid of Montague’s. one of them on the street, I’ll take the side closer to the wall and let him walk in the gutter. GREGORY GREGORY That shows thee a weak slave, for the weakest goes That means you’re the weak one, because weaklings get pushed up to the wall. against the wall. 4 SAMPSON SAMPSON 'Tis true, and therefore women, being the weaker ves-sels, You’re right. That’s why girls get pushed up against walls—they’re 15 are ever thrust to the wall. Therefore I will push weak. So what I’ll do is push the Montague men into the street and Montague’s men from the wall, and thrust his maids the Montague women up against the wall. to the wall. GREGORY GREGORY The quarrel is between our masters and us their men. The fight is between our masters, and we men who work for them. SAMPSON SAMPSON 'Tis all one. I will show myself a tyrant. When I It’s all the same. I’ll be a harsh master to them. After I fight the 20 have fought with the men, I will be civil with the men, I’ll be nice to the women—I’ll cut off their heads. maids. I will cut off their heads. GREGORY GREGORY The heads of the maids? Cut off their heads? You mean their maidenheads? SAMPSON SAMPSON Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads. Cut off their heads, take their maidenheads—whatever. Take my Take it in what sense thou wilt. remark in whichever sense you like. GREGORY GREGORY 25 They must take it in sense that feel it. The women you rape are the ones who’ll have to “sense” it. SAMPSON SAMPSON Me they shall feel while I am able to stand, and They’ll feel me as long as I can keep an erection. Everybody knows ’tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh. I’m a nice piece of flesh. 5

Act I, Scene i Setting: Verona

o servants of the Capulets Sampson and Gregory They are conceited and insulting to others.

o servants of the Montagues Abram and Balthasar They enter the scene. Sampson and Gregory try to get them to start a fight. Fact The law will go easier on those who defend themselves rather than start a fight.

Action The four men begin to fight with swords.

Benvolio o Romeo’s cousin

[Benvoliolo and Tybalt are dramatic foils.] He pulls his sword to stop the fight between the Montague servants and Capulet servants. Their personalities are opposite. o He’s trying to be peaceful and stop the fight. o Juliet’s cousin Tybalt He attacks Benvolio for having his sword drawn.

He arrives and chews out Lord Capulet and Lord Montague (who have arrived on the Prince of Verona scene) for their continual family feud.  He vows to execute anyone caught fighting again.

Lady Montague He asks Benvolio about Romeo,

Benvolio He saw Romeo early in the day; he didn’t want any company.

Lord Montague He knows that Romeo is moody and upset about something.

Original Text Modern Text 6 BENVOLIO BENVOLIO 150 Good morrow, cousin. Good morning, cousin. ROMEO ROMEO Is the day so young? Is it that early in the day? BENVOLIO BENVOLIO But new struck nine. It’s only just now nine o'clock. ROMEO ROMEO Ay me! Sad hours seem long. Oh my, time goes by slowly when you’re sad. Was that my father Was that my father that went hence so fast? who left here in such a hurry? BENVOLIO BENVOLIO It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours? It was. What’s making you so sad and your hours so long? ROMEO ROMEO Not having that which, having, makes them short. I don’t have the thing that makes time fly. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO 155 In love? You’re in love? ROMEO ROMEO Out. Out. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Of love? Out of love? ROMEO ROMEO Out of her favor, where I am in love. I love someone. She doesn’t love me. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, It’s sad. Love looks like a nice thing, but it’s actually very rough 160 Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof! when you experience it. ROMEO … (his speech shows his sensitivity) ROMEO Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, What’s sad is that love is supposed to be blind, but it can still Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will! make you do whatever it wants. So, where should we eat? Where shall we dine?—O me! What fray was here? (seeing blood) Oh my! What fight happened here? No, don’t tell Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. me—I know all about it. This fight has a lot to do with hatred, but 165 Here’s much to do with hate but more with love. it has more to do with love. O brawling love! O loving hate! Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, Love that comes from nothing! Sad happiness! Serious O anything of nothing first created! foolishness! Beautiful things muddled together into an ugly mess! O heavy lightness, serious vanity, Love is heavy and light, bright and dark, hot and cold, sick and Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms! healthy, asleep and awake—it’s everything except what it is! This 170 Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, is the love I feel, though no one loves me back. Are you laughing? 7 Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! This love feel I, that feel no love in this. Oxymoron—two opposite words together Dost thou not laugh? BENVOLIO BENVOLIO No, coz, I rather weep. No, cousin, I’m crying. ROMEO ROMEO Good heart, at what? Good man, why are you crying? BENVOLIO BENVOLIO 175 At thy good heart’s oppression. I’m crying because of how sad you are. ROMEO ROMEO Why, such is love’s transgression. Yes, this is what love does. My sadness sits heavy in my chest, Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast, and you want to add your own sadness to mine so there’s even Which thou wilt propagate, to have it pressed more. I have too much sadness already, and now you’re going to With more of thine. This love that thou hast shown make me sadder by feeling sorry for you. Here’s what love is: a 180 Doth add more grief to too much of mine own. smoke made out of lovers' sighs. When the smoke clears, love is a Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs; fire burning in your lover’s eyes. If you frustrate love, you get an Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; ocean made out of lovers' tears. What else is love? It’s a wise Being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears. form of madness. It’s a sweet lozenge that you choke on. What is it else? A madness most discreet, Goodbye, cousin. 185 A choking gall, and a preserving sweet. Farewell, my coz. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Soft! I will go along. Wait. I’ll come with you. If you leave me like this, you’re doing me And if you leave me so, you do me wrong. wrong. ROMEO ROMEO Tut, I have lost myself. I am not here. I’m not myself. I’m not here. This isn’t Romeo—he’s somewhere This is not Romeo. He’s some other where. else. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO 190 Tell me in sadness, who is that you love. Tell me seriously, who is the one you love? ROMEO ROMEO What, shall I groan and tell thee? Seriously? You mean I should groan and tell you? BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Groan! Why, no. But sadly, tell me who. Groan? No. But tell me seriously who it is. 8 ROMEO ROMEO 195 A sick man in sadness makes his will, You wouldn’t tell a sick man he “seriously” has to make his will—it A word ill urged to one that is so ill. would just make him worse. Seriously, cousin, I love a woman. In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.

BENVOLIO BENVOLIO I aimed so near when I supposed you loved. I guessed that already when I guessed you were in love. ROMEO ROMEO A right good markman! And she’s fair I love. Then you were right on target. The woman I love is beautiful. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit. A beautiful target is the one that gets hit the fastest. ROMEO ROMEO Well, in that hit you miss. She’ll not be hit Well, you’re not on target there. She refuses to be hit by Cupid’s 200 With Cupid’s arrow. She hath Dian’s wit. arrow. She’s as clever as Diana (the godess of chastity), and And, in strong proof of chastity well armed shielded by the armor of chastity. She can’t be touched by the From love’s weak childish bow, she lives uncharmed. weak and childish arrows of love. She won’t listen to words of She will not stay the siege of loving terms, love, or let you look at her with loving eyes, or open her lap to Nor bide th' encounter of assailing eyes, receive gifts of gold. She’s rich in beauty, but she’s also poor, 205 Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold. because when she dies her beauty will be destroyed with her. Oh, she is rich in beauty, only poor That when she dies, with beauty dies her store. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste? So she’s made a vow to be a virgin forever? ROMEO ROMEO She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste, Yes she has, and by keeping celibate, she wastes her beauty. If 210 For beauty, starved with her severity, you starve yourself of sex you can’t ever have children, and so Cuts beauty off from all posterity. your beauty is lost to future generations. She’s too beautiful and She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair, too wise to deserve heaven’s blessing by making me despair. To merit bliss by making me despair. She’s sworn off love, and that promise has left me alive but dead, She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow living only to talk about it now. 215 Do I live dead that live to tell it now. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Be ruled by me. Forget to think of her. Take my advice. Don’t think about her. ROMEO ROMEO O, teach me how I should forget to think! Teach me to forget to think! 9 BENVOLIO BENVOLIO By giving liberty unto thine eyes. Do it by letting your eyes wander freely. Look at other beautiful Examine other beauties. girls. ROMEO ROMEO That will only make me think more about how beautiful she is. 220 Beautiful women like to wear black masks over their faces—those 'Tis the way black masks only make us think about how beautiful they are underneath. A man who goes blind can’t forget the precious eyesight he lost. Show me a really beautiful girl. Her beauty is like To call hers exquisite, in question more. a note telling me where I can see someone even more beautiful. 225 These happy masks that kiss fair ladies' brows, Goodbye. You can’t teach me to forget. Being black, puts us in mind they hide the fair. He that is strucken blind cannot forget The precious treasure of his eyesight lost. Show me a mistress that is passing fair; What doth her beauty serve but as a note Where I may read who passed that passing fair? Farewell. Thou canst not teach me to forget. BENVOLIO BENVOLIO I’ll pay that doctrine or else die in debt. I’ll show you how to forget, or else I’ll die owing you that lesson. Exeunt They exit. 10

Chorus

Romeo’s love for Rosaline is replaced with his love for Juliet.

Act II, Scene i Setting: Near Capulet’s Orchard

Romeo He is alone, thinking of his sudden love for Juliet.

Mercutio and Benvolio (friends) They call to him playfully; he does not respond.

Act II, Scene ii Setting: Capulet’s Orchard

He spies Juliet in a window. He compares her to the sun (line 2), her eyes to the Romeo (metaphors) stars (lines 14-16).

Juliet She fears that Romeo will be killed if seen (line 70). He responds that he would be more afraid of a look of disapproval in her eyes (lines Romeo 71-73).

She realizes that appropriate behavior for a young lady is to act demure, but she Juliet rejects conventional behavior. He overheard her speak of her true love’s passion, and she doesn’t deny it (lines 85-106).

The lovers commit their love one for another (even though they have just met). Plot Remember … love at first sight.

She tells Romeo that if he really wants to marry her, he should send her word the Juliet next day. She will meet him for the marriage ceremony and give up everything (lines 142-148). 11

Act II, Scene iii Setting: Friar Lawrence’s cell

The term “friar” comes from the Latin word for “brother”. A friar is a member of a religious order and lives humbly, devoting themselves to charitable work. Friars live amongst those who they serve, not apart from.

Romeo After some pleasantries, Romeo asks Friar Lawrence to perform a marriage.

Naturally, the Friar is confused because the prior day Romeo was sooooo in love with Friar Lawrence Rosaline.

Romeo He understands Friar Lawrence’s doubt, but impresses the urgency of the marriage. He believes the alliance between Romeo and Juliet may end the family feud. He Friar responds: “Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast” (line 94).

Act II, Scene iv Setting: Verona, a street

The boys banter playfully. Mercutio prefers Romeo when he’s not depressed by love Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio or loveloss.

[Enter Nurse] Nurse She basically threatens Romeo not to play with Juliet’s heart.

Plot She is easily persuaded and agrees to help him and Juliet be married that day.

Act II, Scene v Setting: Capulet’s Orchard

Plot The Nurse informs Juliet that she’ll meet Romeo at Friar Lawrence’s under the guise of a confession. Act II, Scene vi Setting: Friar Lawrence’s cell

Plot the marriage ceremony

Act III, Scene i Setting: a public place 12 Mercutio and Benvolio They argue about who is most likely to engage in a fight.

Monologue: a long speech by one person [line 15 through 26] Mercutio’s monologue Soliloquy: a long speech by one person ALONE ON STAGE

[Enter Tybalt and others] o Audience will expect some type of confrontation.

Plot o Tybalt is angry because Romeo showed up at his house for the feast. Romeo came only to see Rosaline (his former love interest). Plot o Romeo wants to make peace now that he has married a Capulet—Juliet. ROMEO ROMEO I do protest I never injured thee, I disagree. I’ve never done you harm. I love you more than you can understand until But love thee better than thou canst devise, you know the reason why I love you. And so, good Capulet—which is a name I love Till thou shalt know the reason of my love. like my own name—you should be satisfied with what I say. And so, good Capulet—which name I tender As dearly as my own—be satisfied.

MERCUTIO MERCUTIO O calm dishonourable, vile submission! This calm submission is dishonorable and vile. The thrust of a sword will end this Alla stoccata carries it away. (draws his sword) surrender. (draws his sword) Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you go fight me? Tybalt, you ratcatcher, will you walk?

Mercutio feels like Romeo is ‘kissing up’ to Tybalt and he won’t stand to allow his best friend to behave in such a manner.

Remember, Mercutio and Tybalt are both strong-headed young men. They are always looking for a fight.

Original Text Modern Text

Romeo tries to break up the fight. Tybalt reaches under Romeo’s arm and stabs Plot Mercutio. 13 ROMEO ROMEO

Courage, man. The hurt cannot be much. Have courage, man. The wound can’t be that bad. MERCUTIO MERCUTIO

No, ’tis not so deep as a well nor so wide as a No, it’s not as deep as a well, or as wide as a church door, but it’s enough. It’ll do church-door, but ’tis enough, ’twill serve. Ask for the job. Ask for me tomorrow, and you’ll find me in a grave. I’m done for in this me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave world, I believe. May a plague strike both your houses. Dammit! I can’t believe that man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. dog, that rat, that mouse, that cat could scratch me to death! That braggart, punk A plague o’ both your houses! Zounds, a dog, a villain who fights like he learned swordsmanship from a manual! Why the hell did rat, a mouse, a cat to scratch a man to death! A you come in between us? He struck me from under your arm. braggart, a rogue, a villain that fights by the book of arithmetic! Why the devil came you Mercutio’s words are a foreshadowing of his death. between us? I was hurt under your arm. ROMEO ROMEO

I thought all for the best. I thought it was the right thing to do. Plot Mercutio dies. Romeo goes berserk and runs after him to get revenge (giving no thought to his new bride and his responsibility to her). Romeo intentionally kills Tybalt. He then flees the scene. Benvolio speaks to the Prince on Romeo’s behalf.

Rather than execution, Romeo receives banishment from Verona, which is considered just as bad. If he returns, he’ll be executed. 14

Act III, Scene ii Setting: Capulet’s Orchard

The Nurse tells Juliet that someone is dead, but she does not say whom. Juliet Plot assumes it is Romeo until the Nurse tells her it is her cousin Tybalt, and Romeo is the executioner.

JULIET JULIET

O serpent heart hid with a flowering face! Oh, he’s like a snake disguised as a flower. Did a dragon ever hide in such a Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave? beautiful cave? He’s a beautiful tyrant and a fiendish angel! He’s a raven with the Beautiful tyrant! Fiend angelical! feathers of the dove. He’s a lamb who hunts like a wolf! I hate him, yet he seemed Dove-feathered raven, wolvish-ravening lamb! the most wonderful man. He’s turned out to be the exact opposite of what he Despisèd substance of divinest show, seemed. He’s a saint who should be damned. He’s a villain who seemed honorable. Just opposite to what thou justly seem’st. Oh nature, what were you doing in hell? Why did you put the soul of a criminal in A damnèd saint, an honorable villain! the perfect body of a man? Was there ever such an evil book with such a beautiful O nature, what hadst thou to do in hell cover? Oh, I can’t believe the deepest evil lurked inside something so beautiful! When thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend Juliet cries a number of oxymorons in her anguish. In moral paradise of such sweet flesh? Was ever book containing such vile matter So fairly bound? Oh, that deceit should dwell In such a gorgeous palace!

[lines 73 – 84]

Plot Juliet recants her blasphemy against her husband of three hours. Act III, Scene iii Setting: Friar Lawrence’s cell Plot Friar Lawrence tries to appease an emotional Romeo by saying that the Prince showed mercy by not having him killed. 15 ROMEO (modern text) This monologue (a long speech with others on the stage) is a foreshadowing of Romeo’s death.

It’s torture, not mercy. Heaven is here because Juliet lives here. Every cat and dog and little mouse, every unworthy animal that lives here can see her, but Romeo can’t. Flies are healthier and more honorable and better suited for romance than Romeo. They can take hold of Juliet’s wonderful white hand and they can kiss her sweet lips. Even while she remains a pure virgin, she blushes when her lips touch each other because she thinks it’s a sin. But Romeo can’t kiss her or hold her hand because he’s been banished. Flies can kiss her, but I must flee the city. Flies are like free men, but I have been banished. And yet you say that exile is not death? Did you have no poison, no sharp knife, no weapon you could use to kill me quickly, nothing so disgraceful, except banishment? Oh Friar, damned souls use the word banishment to describe hell. They howl about banishment. If you’re a member of a divine spiritual order of men who forgive sins, and you say you’re my friend, how do you have the heart to mangle me with the word banishment?

[lines 29—44] The Nurse arrives with news of Juliet. Romeo is overcome; the Nurse takes a Plot dagger away from Romeo in his offer to kill himself.

The Friar calms him down and tells him to go comfort Juliet. He will need to leave for Mantua until where he’ll live until the marriage is made public and peace can be made between the families. Then, they’ll ask the Prince to pardon him. Act III, Scene v Setting: Capulet’s Orchard (Monday) Plot Lady Capulet recognizes how heavy Juliet’s heart is. She assumes that she is mourning the loss of her cousin. Lady Capulet tells Juliet that she has glad tidings; she will marry Paris on Thursday at Saint Peter’s Church. Juliet begs her parents not to make her marry Paris. They consider her ungrateful brat and tell her she will marry him or they’ll have nothing to do with her. The Nurse, as her nurturer, consoles her and says a marriage to Paris is better than a marriage to Romeo. Juliet curses the Nurse (silently) and swears never to tell her another secret.Juliet curses the Nurse (silently) and swears never to tell her another secret.