Romeo and Juliet, a Tragic Love Story
“LOOK!” SAID A SERVANT FROM THE HOUSE OF MONTAGUE, pointing down the street. “Those servants from the House of Capulet are coming our way.”
“When they pass,” said another Montague servant, “I will show them what I think of them! I'll bite my thumb at them.”
One of the Capulets servants noticed the gesture. “Hey, you!” he called. “Are you biting your thumb at me?”
“What if I'm biting my thumb?” said the Montague servant. “Who says I’m biting it AT you?”
“You know exactly what you’re doing!” said the Capulet servant, drawing his sword. The two groups of servants rushed to each other, their swords held high.
"You know exactly what you're doing!" said the Capulet servant, drawing his sword
The Prince of Verona galloped up on horseback. “Everyone, stop!” he boomed. All the servants stopped and waited for the Prince to speak.
“This, again?” he admonished. “This is the third fight this month between the House of Montague and the House of Capulet. I’ve had it with your two Houses! Let the word be known – from now on, any Capulet who injures a Montague in a fight, or any Montague who injures a Capulet in a fight, will be banished from Verona forever. Or worse – put to death. I will put an end to this insanity, once and for all!”
The next morning at the Montague estate, the Lord Montague and the Lady Montague were discussing the Prince's decree. Could it spell a period of peace, or were the flames of rivalry too hot to extinguish? Then Lady Montague looked around. Where was their son Romeo? She summoned her nephew, Brando. "Tell me,” she said. “Do you have any idea where Romeo is? For days he’s shut himself up in his room from dawn to dusk. But today he’s nowhere to be found.”
Brando nodded. He knew where to find his cousin. At a certain bridge he found Romeo, leaning over the rail and with his head bowed low.
Brando knew where to find his cousin.
“Good morning, cousin,” said Brando.
Romeo looked up. “Who says this is a good morning?”
“What’s the matter?” said Brando. Then dropping his voice, “are you in trouble?”
“I’m not in anything,” said Romeo. “It’s more like what I’m out of.”
“Out of… your mind?” Brando teased.
“Out of favor.”
“Whose?”
“Rosaline’s,” Romeo sighed. “The woman I love. She has pledged to marry no man.”
“For crying out loud, Romeo!” said Brando. “This is all about Rosaline? Forget about her! There are plenty of other ladies around.”
“Not like Rosaline!”
“For crying out loud, Romeo!” said Brando. “This is all about Rosaline? Forget about her!”
Just then, a servant came up to the bridge, clutching a scroll. The servant’s master, Lord Capulet, had charged the servant to invite each guest on the scroll to a masked feast the Capulets were hosting that very night. But the servant dared not admit to his master that he could not read!
“Good sirs,” said the servant, eagerly. “Would you help with something?”
Brando and Romeo read aloud for the servant the names on the list. Their names were not on the list, as they were of the House of Montague, but Brando could not help but notice something. When the servant crossed to the other side, Brando said, “Romeo, dozens of Capulet maidens are going tonight to the masked feast tonight. Let’s get eye masks for ourselves and crash the party. No one will be able to tell we’re Montagues. A roomful of ladies – that’s what you need, my friend!”
Romeo agreed to go, but for a reason of his own. He also noticed something on the list – the name of Rosaline.
Romeo agreed to go, but for a reason of his own.
Meanwhile at the Capulet estate, Lord Capulet was entertaining a rich Count whose name was Paris. The visitor cleared his throat and said to his host Lord Capulet, “I’ll get right to the point. I've come here about your daughter, Juliet. I wish to marry her.”
“Hmm,” said Lord Capulet, rubbing his chin. No doubt Paris would make a fine match for his daughter. In addition to his great wealth, Paris was also related to the rich and powerful Prince of Verona. But how would his daughter view the match? “My daughter is young,” said Lord Capulet, “and has a mind of her own. Come to my masked feast tonight. Find Juliet and we will see how she takes to you. For my part,” Lord Capulet leaned closer to Paris, “I hope it goes well.” Paris agreed, confident that Juliet would soon be his bride.
That night, holding eye masks tightly on their faces, three Montagues – Romeo, his cousin Brando and a friend named Marco, had no problem getting admitted to the Capulet’s feast and blending in with the crowd. Romeo scoured the room - where was Rosaline?
Romeo scoured the room - where was Rosaline?
Then Romeo’s eyes lit on a certain young woman whose eyes caught his own, too. There was something about her gaze. She seemed cast adrift, as he felt too. Yet he also sensed a yearning to connect. The two of them stared at each other, unblinking.
Without realizing how or why, they moved closer and closer, all the time holding a steady gaze. When Juliet stood in front of the masked stranger, she said, “Are you a friend of the Capulet family?”
“I’m a friend,” Romeo said from behind his eye mask.
“Though sometimes I wonder what all the fuss is about,” said Juliet, turning her head a bit, “I mean, between the Capulets and the Montagues.”
“I don't know if anyone knows what it is actually about,” said Romeo. “Maybe things will change, now that the Prince of Verona commanded both Houses to stop fighting.”
“I wouldn't count on it,” said Juliet. They exchanged quick smiles.
Without realizing it, they had taken each other’s hands. As if drawn together by an invisible pull, their faces came closer and closer together. Their lips brushed.
Without realizing it, they had taken each other's hands.
“Juliet!” called her nurse from behind them, startling her. “Your mother wants a word with you.”
“Of course,” said Juliet, quickly pulling away. To Romeo she said, “I must go.”
In a blink of an eye, Juliet vanished into the crowd. Romeo turned to her nurse. “If I may ask you kindly. Who was she, and who is her mother?”
“Why, that was Juliet, of course,” said the nurse, “daughter of the lady who is hosting this party, the Lady Capulet.”
Romeo realized the young woman he just met was none other than the daughter of his father’s sworn enemy - Lord Capulet, head of the House of Capulet.
Just then, a cousin of Juliet’s whose name was Tybalt overheard a familiar-sounding voice. Realizing the voice belonged to Romeo, the son of Lord Montague, he charged over to his uncle, the host of the party, Lord Capulet.
“Uncle, Romeo is here, the son of Lord Montague. How dare he sneak into our feast!” Tybalt drew his sword. “No worries, sir, I’ll take care of him!”
“Tybalt, no! Put that sword away!” said Lord Capulet. "I will not let a fight ruin my feast tonight. And remember the ban.”
“But Uncle…!” Tybalt was exasperated. Yet he obeyed.
"Tybalt, no! Put that sword away!" said Lord Capulet.
That very moment, Juliet was doing her best to find out the identity of the intriguing young man she had just met. When she learned he was none other than Romeo, the son of Lord Montague, her father's arch-enemy, Juliet’s heart sank. Surely any relationship between them would be impossible!
When the party ended, it was the wee hours of the morning. Romeo left with his friends but once outside, he told them goodbye and returned to the Capulet estate. He climbed over their stone wall where he could not be seen. The sun was starting to rise. “It’s a soft new light to the east,” he thought, “and my Juliet is the sun.”
When Romeo reached the Capulet mansion, he gazed up at its high stone wall. How could he find Juliet? Then his heart pounded – standing on the balcony overhead was Juliet herself!
“Romeo, Romeo!” Juliet was calling his name! “Wherefore art thou, Romeo?”
"Romeo, Romeo!" Juliet was calling his name! "Wherefore art thou, Romeo?"
"If I spoke aloud now," Romeo wondered, “would that frighten her?”
Juliet grasped the stone railing with both hands. “What does a family name mean?" she called out. "It's not a hand or a foot, an arm or a face. What we call a rose, if we were to call it by another name, wouldn't it smell just as sweet?”
“A family name means nothing!” Romeo called out, breaking his silence. "If my name was not Montague or Romeo, I would see you just as I see you now.”
"Romeo!" called out Juliet in surprise. "What kind of man hides in the darkness like this, listening to a maiden talk?”
“A man who is not himself!” said Romeo. “For I hardly know myself since we met at the party. Forgive me Juliet, I had to return to see you again.”
“How did you get in here?” said Juliet, looking around. “If my kinsmen were to find you, it would surely be the death of you!”
“Not being with you is death to me!” declared Romeo.
“In my heart, I feel the same,” said Juliet. “Though is this too much, too soon? Are we speaking too quickly of love?”
“Nay!” said Romeo. “Every second is wasted when we don't speak of it!”
“What if our feelings are like the lightning?” said Juliet, “disappearing before anyone can say, ‘Look! It lightens.’”
“For us,” said Romeo, “the lightning will flash forever in our hearts.”
"For us," said Romeo, "the lightning will flash forever in our hearts."
A voice from inside the mansion called out: “Juliet, where are you?” It was Juliet’s nurse. Juliet turned around. “Coming!” she said.
“What, before we exchange vows?” said Romeo. “Let us pledge vows to each other – here and now!”
“My mind says this is too soon," said Juliet. "Yet my heart says Yes! For our love feels true, and as deep as the sea. The more love I give to you, the more I have to give, for both are infinite.”
Again, a call from inside. “Juliet! Where are you?”
“One more minute, please!” urged Romeo. “I will know no rest if we don’t exchange vows.”
“If your intent is marriage,” Juliet said in a hushed voice, “make the arrangements.”
“I will,” promised Romeo. “I will speak to Friar Lawrence this very morning, as soon as the sun rises.”
"If your intent is marriage," Juliet said in a hushed voice, "make the arrangements."
“And I will send my nurse to Friar Lawrence at noontime,” said Juliet, “to find out what arrangements you have made." Then she cried, “Ah, parting is such sweet sorrow!”
“Until we meet again,” said Romeo. Juliet disappeared into the Capulet mansion and Romeo climbed back over the stone wall. He hurried to the home of Friar Lawrence.
“It is an early day for you, isn’t it, Romeo?” the Friar Lawrence said.
“After a wonderful night,” said Romeo, beaming.
“My goodness!” said the Friar. “Things are going that well with your beloved Rosaline?”
“Who? Oh, no!” said Romeo. “My heart is set on Juliet, the daughter of Lord Capulet. In fact, today Juliet and I exchanged vows to marry.”
"My heart is set on Juliet, the daughter of Lord Capulet."
“Romeo, I can’t keep up with you!” said the Friar, shaking his head.
“It will always be Juliet!” Romeo exclaimed. “Please, Friar,” he said, falling to one knee. “I beg you! Will you conduct the marriage ceremony for us today?”
Friar Lawrence was taken aback. How quickly Romeo’s heart had switched to the Capulet’s daughter! Yet looking at him, how much the young man yearned for marriage! Then a thought struck him - perhaps a marriage between the son of Lord Montague and the daughter of Lord Capulet would connect the two Houses in peace. “Such a union,” thought the Friar, “could do more to calm the streets of Verona than any decree by the Prince.”
The Friar turned to Romeo. “Very well,” he said. “I will conduct the ceremony.”
“Today?” Romeo cried. The Friar agreed and Romeo rejoiced. A time was set for that very afternoon.
The Friar agreed and Romeo rejoiced.
Later that day, Juliet was pacing at the Capulet mansion. She had already sent her nurse to Friar Lawrence to arrive by noon, as agreed, to learn what arrangements Romeo had made. But her nurse was late in returning. When she finally arrived, Juliet rushed to her.
“Did you see the Friar?” cried Juliet. “What’s the news?”
“What a rushed journey this was,” said the nurse. “Do you not see that I am out of breath? I need to sit down.”
“How can you be out of breath when you have enough breath to say that you are out of breath? You can talk while you're sitting down. Tell me!” said Juliet impatiently, “is the news good or bad?" To her relief, Juliet learned that a wedding ceremony was arranged for that very afternoon.
Until the appointed time it seemed to Romeo and Juliet like they were waiting for twenty years. But a mere three hours later, Romeo and Juliet were wed by the Friar Lawrence.
But a mere three hours later, Romeo and Juliet were wed by the Friar Lawrence.
After the wedding ceremony, the young lovers decided they must quickly tell the news to each of their families. Romeo sped to the Montague estate to tell his family, and then he would hasten over to the Capulet’s and meet Juliet there.
A few blocks away, Romeo’s cousin Brando and their friend Marco were standing on a street corner. “Heads up,” said Brando with a nod. “On your left. Capulets.”
“What do I care?” shrugged Marco.
Tybault, Juliet’s cousin from the masked feast, strode up to Marco and Brando.
“Gentlemen,” said Tybalt with an over-polite bow. “A word with you.”
“If your word is what we think it is,” said Brando, “you will meet my sword!” He reached to draw his sword.
“Hold on a minute,” said Tybalt. “You’re friends with Romeo. I’m looking for him, is all.”
“The last thing we’d do is tell Romeo your ugly face is looking for him.” Swords were drawn and the next moment Tybalt and Marco were battling each other. Romeo heard the commotion and ran up.
“Stop, both of you!” he called out. “The Prince of Verona forbade us to fight.”
“Romeo," said Tybalt, turning around. "How convenient, since I came to fight you. You thought you could invade our family’s party and get away with it? Think again!” His sword was drawn
Romeo's head raced. This morning Tybalt was his enemy. Now he was a cousin of his bride's. He was kin.
“You just stand there?” laughed Tybalt. “You street worm!”
“You don't say that to a Montague!" cried Marco. And he swung at the Capulet.
"You just stand there?" laughed Tybalt. "You street worm!"
Tybalt swung at Marco. Romeo rushed in between them. Swords were swung and thrust in vain. Suddenly, one sword thrust made contact. It was Marco! He fell, bleeding. Shocked, Tybalt ran away.
“Romeo, I am hurt!” gasped Marco. “Why did you come between us? I was defending you, defending us.”
“I was trying to stop the fight,” said Romeo in gasps.
“And look what happened!” Marco moaned. “That Capulet escaped and not a scratch on him!”
“Marco, save your strength,” Romeo said in a hushed voice, kneeling beside him. Brando joined Romeo to kneel beside Marco.
“I am gone for this world,” whispered Marco. He took his last breath and died.
A few moments later, Brando looked up. “Romeo, look!” he called, pointing down the street. “Tybalt has the nerve to come back!”
"Romeo, look!" he called, pointing down the street.
“I’ve come to finish what I came to do!” declared Tybalt, brandishing his sword.
Romeo rushed up. “Marco is dead, because of you!” he cried. “One of us will keep him company in the afterworld. It will be you or me, or both of us!”
“It will be you!” cried Tybalt. Both swords out, Romeo and Tybalt clashed and jousted. They stepped forward, then backward. First one had the advantage, then the other. Thrusting and ducking, each tried to catch his opponent exposed. Then one was slain - Tybalt. He fell heavily to the ground.
“Romeo, run!” yelled Brando. “Get out of here! If the Prince of Verona catches you, he will have your head!” Romeo fled, not knowing where he was going.
"Romeo, run!" yelled Brando. "Get out of here!"
The Prince of Verona rode up. He saw two fallen young men bleeding on the street. “You!” he pointed to Brando. “I command you! Tell me who started this bloody fight.”
Brando had no choice but to tell the Prince everything that had happened. The Prince of Verona raised one finger to the sky and declared, “I decree that for Romeo’s offense against Tybalt, he is forever exiled from this city! From this point forth, if Romeo is found anywhere in Verona, that hour will be his last.”
Not knowing any of this, Juliet was waiting at home for Romeo to come join her after the appointed hour. Yet the hour had already come and gone, and the bride yearned for her husband. So tedious the time felt to her! “Oh come, Romeo, come!” her heart pleaded.
Then Juliet heard footsteps of her nurse approaching. “Here comes my nurse!” she said, relieved. “She must bring news.”
But the news the nurse brought was bitter indeed. That her cousin Tybalt had been slain! Juliet was reeling with the news when the nurse shared the rest – that Tybalt had died at the hands of Romeo! And as a result, that the Prince had banished Romeo from Verona.
The nurse shared the rest - that Tybalt had died at the hands of Romeo!
“Romeo, banished?” Juliet cried. “Is there no end, no limit, no measure or bound to the darkness of this world?” Juliet looked around. “Where are my mother and father?”
“They grieve for your cousin Tybalt,” said the nurse.
“The grief they know has only one pain,” said Juliet. “While I suffer so much more. I cannot live without Romeo!” She fell on her bed in gloom.
“Do not despair so,” urged the nurse. “I will find Romeo and bring him to you. He must be hiding at the home of Friar Lawrence.”
“Please go find him!” cried Juliet. “Bid my dear love to come see me to at least to take his last farewell.”
Indeed, Romeo had fled to the home of Friar Lawrence after Tybalt had fallen. Word spreads fast and the Friar already heard of Romeo’s banishment.
“I'm banished?” said Romeo in horror. This was the first he heard of it. What about Juliet his wife, and their live together?
"I'm banished?" said Romeo in horror.
The Friar Lawrence comforted Romeo, saying, “This is a grievous turn, to be sure. But it could have been death. At least this is only banishment. Be patient – the world is broad and wide, and the years are long.”
“You don’t understand!” cried Romeo. “This is a torture, not a mercy! I cannot bear to be parted from Juliet for another minute! If you were young and just married, then banished, you’d tear your hair and fall on the ground too, as I do now.”
A knock on the door. It was Juliet’s nurse, come to see Romeo. “How is Juliet?” cried Romeo, rushing at her. “Does she think me a murderer now?”
“She says nothing, Sir,” said the nurse, “but just weeps and weeps. She falls on her bed, and then starts up. And then falls down again.”
"She says nothing, Sir," said the nurse, but just weeps and weeps."
Romeo was beside himself to hear of this. Friar Lawrence turned to the nurse. “Take him to Juliet,” he said. “You know how to transport him unseen.” The Friar turned to Romeo, “Go now and comfort your wife. But beware! You must escape from the Capulet estate before the sun rises. Get to the city of Mantua. There you can live until we can make your marriage public and make peace between your families. We’ll ask the Prince to pardon you. Then you’ll be able to return to Verona and live with Juliet openly.”
“Yes, we must do that!” cried Romeo.
He sped off with the nurse back to the Capulet mansion. The two of them tiptoed in a back door and the nurse led Romeo to Juliet’s room, seen by no one. The time Romeo and Juliet spent together that night was cherished by them, short as it was.
Streaks of dawn shone through the window. Romeo and Juliet knew their time together was drawing to an end. “If I am to survive,” said Romeo, leaning out the window, “I have no choice but to escape.”
"If I am to survive," said Romeo, leaning out the window, "I have no choice but to escape."
“Must you go right now?” said Juliet. "I don’t believe that’s daylight at all. It must be the light of some meteor instead, coming out of the sun. Romeo, stay a little longer!”
“I want to, more than anything!” he cried. “Yes, of course. The daylight is not really that bright yet.”
“Ah, Romeo,” cried Juliet, “who are we kidding? Look at the sky – brighter and brighter it grows every second.”
“As it brightens,” said Romeo, “the darker our woes.”
“You must go now, love,” said Juliet. They clutched their hands and kissed. He dropped a ladder out the window and climbed to the ground.
“Will you be gone, just like that?” Juliet called down to him. “My husband, my friend! One minute alone spent waiting for you will hold so many days.”
“Our reunion will be all the sweeter!” cried Romeo. “Goodbye, my love!” And he was gone.
"Our reunion will be all the sweeter!" cried Romeo. "Goodbye, my love!"
Juliet pulled up the ladder. “Ah,” she sighed, turning back into her room. “As the light comes in the window, my life goes out of it.”
Juliet’s nurse came to the door. Her parents were looking for her.
“So early?” said Juliet.
“It looks like something important,” said her nurse.
Juliet stepped downstairs. “My daughter, you look pale,” said her mother with concern. “We all grieve for Tybalt.”
“And so much more,” said Juliet.
“Yet cheer up, daughter," said her father. "We bring good news.”
"Yet cheer up, daughter," said her father. "We bring good news."
“What is it?” said Juliet.
“On Thursday this week you will be wed!” said her mother with a smile.
“What? How can that be?” said Juliet. Turning to her father: “Father?”
“It’s all set!” said he brightly. “The man you will marry has come to me more than once for your hand. You will find no better match than Count Paris. You are one lucky young lady!”
“And such a fine-looking man,” added her mother.
“I cannot marry!” Juliet cried, shrinking in fear and trying to think fast. “We're still in mourning for Tybalt. And Paris hasn’t even come to court me. Mother, Father, you must know that I cannot be married. I refuse!”
“It's not so easy!” snapped her father. “Paris is related to the Prince of Verona. With everything that’s been happening lately between our House and the Montagues, this match will put our family on the side of the Prince of Verona. I told Paris you will marry him, and that you will!”
"It's not so easy!" snapped her father.
“It won’t be a grand affair,” said her mother soothingly. “So soon after Tybalt’s death, that wouldn't be appropriate. About a dozen guests is all.”
“I don’t care if there are no guests!” said Juliet. “I won’t marry Paris, period!”
“You will!” said her father, “if I have to drag you to the wedding myself!”
“Mother?” said Juliet, pleading, her last hope.
“Grow up, child,” said her mother under her breath.
Juliet could not think. What to do? Friar Lawrence would know. The moment she could, she rushed to his house. On the way, she decided that if there were no other way out of this marriage, she would kill herself.
“Friar!” Juliet called, pounding at his door.
"Come in, of course!" said the Friar. In despair, Juliet explained her peril. “What can I do?” she wailed.
In despair, Juliet explained her peril.
The Friar proposed a plan. He would give Juliet a vial with a sleeping potion. She must tell her family that after thinking about it, she agreed to marry Paris. The night before the wedding, she must take the sleeping potion. For 42 hours it would seem as if she were dead and the family would lay her in the family tomb.
In the meantime, the Friar would send a letter to Romeo in Mantua and in the letter he’d describe the plan. The person who would take the letter to Romeo would be his friend, Friar John. Once Romeo read the letter, Romeo would know to secretly return to Verona. Then together, Romeo and the Friar Lawrence would go to Juliet’s tomb and be there when she woke up. Romeo would secret her back to Mantua where they could live, far from the unapproving eyes of her parents.
Juliet was quick to agree. She put the vial of sleeping potion in her pocket and went directly home. Her father was pleased to hear that Juliet had agreed to marry Paris with no further fuss. In fact, he was so pleased that he moved the wedding up to the very next day.
That night, Juliet lay awake, worrying. What if the sleeping potion were really poison, and the Friar Lawrence was covering up that he was the one who had married her and Romeo in the first place? Or what if it was really a sleeping potion but when she awakened, no one was there to rescue her? She would go mad with fear!
That night, Juliet lay awake, worrying.
In the end, Juliet decided she had no choice but go ahead and take the sleeping potion.
The next morning was one of great frivolity at the Capulet estate. Servants were getting the house ready for the wedding and the Lord and Lady Capulet were already celebrating their happy day.
When it was time to wake up Juliet, the nurse was horrified to find the maiden in her bed, apparently dead! Lord Capulet and Lady Capulet rushed to Juliet’s room. She must have died of grief, they decided, so devastated was she by the loss of her cousin Tybalt.
When Paris arrived for his wedding, along with Friar Lawrence and a group of musicians, they all expected to find a home of great joy. Instead, they entered a house shaken with grief. Lord Capulet, Lady Capulet, and Paris wailed, reeling about. How death had robbed them!
After awhile, the Friar reminded the mourners that Juliet had gone to a better place. He urged them to prepare for her funeral. With sorrow, the Capulets prepared to take Juliet to her tomb.
With sorrow, the Capulets prepared to take Juliet to her tomb.
It wasn’t long before one of Romeo’s servants, still living in Verona, ran to Mantua to tell his master the horrible news that Juliet had died. Romeo was thunderstruck. He searched his mind for any hope there might be. “Don’t you have a letter for me from the Friar Lawrence?” he asked. But the servant had none.
You may be wondering – what happened to the letter that was entrusted to Friar John? Alas! On his way, Friar John was quarantined because he ran into authorities who thought he was exposed to the plague. And so the letter he carried in his pocket never reached its destination.
Crushed to hear his servant’s devastating news, Romeo decided he would travel to Juliet’s tomb and kill himself. That way he could lie next to his beloved for all of eternity. He went to an apothecary and secured the poison.
Romeo arrived at Juliet’s tomb, carrying flowers in his arms. He scattered the flowers around the tomb. Then with a crowbar he opened the top of the grave.
Romeo arrived at Juliet's tomb, carrying flowers in his arms.
He looked in and couldn’t help but notice how peacefully Juliet lay there. He climbed into the tomb with her and gazed at her. Romeo wondered how she could still look so beautiful, as if she were not dead at all. He kissed his bride. Then he took his own poison, kissed her again, and there he died, lying across Juliet’s chest.
At the same time, Friar Lawrence was headed to the cemetery. He was worried – why didn’t Romeo come to see him? Something must be wrong! Still, it would soon be time for Juliet to awaken and he must get there in time to open her tomb. Shocked he was to find her grave was already open. What’s more, on closer look, that Romeo was inside with her, apparently dead! Juliet was stirring. The Friar reeled. Everything had gone horribly wrong!
The Friar heard a rustling in the woods. Was the night watchman coming this way? He knew he must keep the watchman away from Juliet’s tomb so he could have more time to figure out what to do. The Friar rushed off to think of some way to distract the night watchman.
The Friar heard a rustling in the woods. Was the night watchman coming this way?
While he was gone, Juliet’s eyes opened. She raised her head. She felt Romeo’s body across her, still and unmoving. The strong smell of poison came from his lips. As her senses cleared, Juliet realized with horror what she was seeing and feeling. Romeo, her beloved husband, was gone! Holding his dear face in her hands, she kissed his lips, hoping to get some of the poison from him.
Then the sound of people coming – there was no time to wait for the poison to take effect! Juliet took Romeo’s dagger and stabbed herself.
When Friar Lawrence could no longer distract the night watchman, they both arrived at Juliet’s grave and found both bodies inside her opened tomb. The watchman sent other watchmen to round up anyone in the vicinity. Soon the Capulets, the Montagues, and the Prince, too, all arrived at the grisly scene.
Friar Lawrence sadly explained the terrible sequence of events that had led to this tragedy. Hearing all of it, the Prince of Verona said that the House of Capulet and the House of Montague had been punished for living so many years with this senseless feud.
Friar Lawrence sadly explained the terrible sequence of events that had led to this tragedy.
“I lost a daughter,” said Lord Capulet.
“And I lost a son,” said Lord Montague.
“For what?” said Lord Capulet. They were both silent.
“I cannot find any sense to it,” said Lord Montague.
“We can put an end to this nonsense,” said Lord Capulet.
“Why did it take that–” and Lord Montague pointed to the sad scene before them, “for us to do this?” He stretched out his hand to Lord Capulet. “Brother Capulet,” he said quietly.
Lord Capulet took his hand and clasped it. “Brother Montague,” he said with intensity. "This feud is over." The two fathers leaned forward and touched their heads together.
Said the Prince, “All of Verona will know that peace has finally arrived between the House of Montague and the House of Capulet. For never was there a story of more woe, than this one of Juliet and Romeo.”
