简介Theplaybeginswitha14-lineprologueintheformofaShakespeareansonnet.ThechorusexplainstotheaudiencethatthestoryconcernstwonoblefamiliesofVerona,theCapuletsandtheMontagues,thathavefeudedforgenerations.Theprologuealsoexplainsthatthelovers'tragicsuicides"[bury]theirparents'strife."

　　ActI

　　RomeoandJulietstatueinCentralParkinNewYorkCity.Theactionstartswithastreet-battlebetweenthetwofamilies,startedbytheirservantsandputdownbythePrinceofVerona,Escalus.ThePrincedeclaresthattheheadsofthetwofamilies(knownsimplyas"Montague"and"Capulet")willbeheldpersonallyaccountable(withtheirlives)foranyfurtherbreachofthepeace,anddispersesthecrowd.

　　CountParis,ayoungnobleman,talkstoCapuletaboutmarryinghisthirteen-year-olddaughter,Juliet.Capuletdemurs,citingthegirl'stenderage,andinviteshimtoattracttheattentionofJulietduringaballthatthefamilyistoholdthatnight.MeanwhileJuliet'smothertriestopersuadeheryoungdaughtertoacceptParis'wooingduringtheircomingball.JulietisnotinspiredbytheideaofmarryingParis—infact,sheadmitstonotreallyhavingconsideredmarriageatall.But,beingadutifuldaughter,sheaccedestohermother'swishes.ThisscenealsointroducesJuliet'snurse,thecomicreliefoftheplay,whorecountsabawdyanecdoteaboutJulietatgreatlengthandwithmuchrepetition.

　　Inthemeantime,MontagueandhiswifefrettotheirnephewBenvolioabouttheirsonRomeo,whohaslongbeenmopingforreasonsunknowntothem.BenvoliopromisesMontaguethathewilltrytodeterminethecause.BenvolioqueriesRomeoandfindsthathismelancholyhasitsrootsinhisunrequitedloveforagirlnamedRosaline(anunseencharacter).Romeoisinfatuatedbutlamentsthatshewillnot"opeherlaptosaint-seducinggold."PerhapsmostfrustratingtoRomeoisthefactthatRosaline"willnotbehitwithCupid'sarrow/ShehathDiane'swit".Inotherwords,it'snotthatshefindsRomeohimselfobjectionable,butthatshehasforesworntomarryatall(shehasvowednottofallinlove,andtodieavirgin).Despitethegood-naturedtauntsofhisfellows,includingthewittynoblemanMercutio(whogiveshiswellknownQueenMabspeech),RomeoresolvestoattendthemasqueradeattheCapulethouse,relyingonnotbeingspottedinhiscostume,inthehopesofmeetingupwithRosaline.

　　Romeoattendstheballasplanned,butfallsforJulietassoonasheseesherandquicklyforgetsRosaline.JulietisinstantlytakenbyRomeo,andthetwoyouthsproclaimtheirloveforoneanotherwiththeir"lovesonnet"inwhichRomeocompareshimselftoapilgrimandJuliettothesaintwhichistheobjectofhispilgrimage.

　　Tybalt,Juliet'shot-bloodedcousin,recognizesRomeounderhisdisguiseandcallsforhissword.Capulet,however,speakskindlyofRomeoand,havingresolvedthathisfamilywillnotbefirsttoviolatethePrince'sdecree,sternlyforbidsTybaltfromconfrontingRomeo.Tybaltstalksoffinahuff.Beforetheballends,theNurseidentifiesJulietforRomeo,and(separately)identifiesRomeoforJuliet.

　　ActII

　　Emboldened,RomeoriskshislifebyremainingontheCapuletestateafterthepartybreaksup,tocatchanotherglimpseofJulietatherroom,andinthefamousbalconyscene,thetwoeloquentlydeclaretheirloveforeachother.ThisscenecontainsarguablythemostfamouslineofR