Capulet -HEAD OF THE HOUSE OF CAPULET

Romeo -MONTAGUE’S SON

Mercutio -KINSMAN TO THE PRINCE, FRIEND
TO ROMEO
Benvolio -NEPHEW TO MONTAGUE, FRIEND
TO ROMEO
Tybalt -NEPHEW TO LADY CAPULET
Juliet -DAUGHTER TO CAPULET
Nurse to Juliet
Lady Montague -WIFE TO MONTAGUE
Lady Capulet -WIFE TO CAPULET
Friar Lawrence -OF THE FRANCISCAN
ORDER, FRIEND TO ROMEO
Romeo and Juliet Friar John -OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER
Balthazar -SERVANT TO ROMEO
by Sampson & Gregory SERVANTS TO
CAPULET
Abraham -SERVANT TO MONTAGUE
William Shakespeare An Apothecary
Citizens, Revellers and Others

Abridged for the Shakespeare

PROLOGUE
Schools Festival
CHORUS
by 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: From forth the fatal
Martin Lamb & Penelope loins of these two foes, a pair of star crossed lovers
Middelboe take their life: Whose misadventure piteous
overthrows,
Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife.

SCENE 1
A STREET
(ENTER SAMPSON AND GREGORY OF
THE HOUSE OF CAPULET, IN
CONVERSATION.)

GREGORY: Here come two of the house of

Montague.

(ENTER TWO OTHER SERVINGMEN,

ABRAHAM AND BALTHAZAR)

SAMPSON: I will bite my thumb at them, which

is disgrace to them if they bear it.
[He bites his thumb]
ABRAHAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
SAMPSON I do bite my thumb, sir.
ABRAHAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
SAMPSON [to GREGORY] Is the law of our
side if I say ay?
GREGORY No.
LIST OF ROLES SAMPSON No sir, I do not bite my thumb at
you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir.
Prince Escalus- PRINCE OF VERONA ABRAHAM You lie.
Paris -A YOUNG COUNT SAMPSON Draw if you be men.
Montague -HEAD OF THE HOUSE OF
MONTAGUE (THEY FIGHT. ENTER BENVOLIO)
1
 ROMEO Is the day so young? Ay me, sad hours
BENVOLIO Part, fools. Put up your swords, you seem long.
know not what you do. BENVOLIO What sadness lengthens Romeo’s
hours?
(ENTER TYBALT) ROMEO Not having that which, having, makes
them short.2
TYBALT [To BENVOLIO] What, art thou drawn BENVOLIO In love?
amongst these hart less hinds? Turn thee Benvolio, ROMEO Out.
look upon thy death. BENVOLIO Of love?
BENVOLIO I do but keep the peace. ROMEO Out of her favour where I am in love.
TYBALT What, drawn, and talk of peace? I BENVOLIO Alas.
hate the word. As I hate hell, all Montagues, and ROMEO [seeing the destruction of the fight] Ay
thee. me what fray was here?
(THEY FIGHT) Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all.
BENVOLIO Tell me, in sadness, who is that you
(ENTER THREE OR FOUR CITIZENS love?
WHO ATTEMPT TO BREAK UP THE MEN) ROMEO In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.
BENVOLIO I aimed so near when I supposed you
(ENTER OLD CAPULET, AND LADY loved.
CAPULET) ROMEO A right good marksman! And she’s fair I
love.
CAPULET What noise is this? Give me my long BENVOLIO A right fair mark, fair coz3, is soonest
sword, ho! Old Montague is come! hit.
ROMEO. Well in that hit you miss; ; she’ll not be
(ENTER OLD MONTAGUE AND LADY hit with Cupid’s arrow…
MONTAGUE) BENVOLIO [giving it up] Then be ruled by me,
forget to think of her.
MONTAGUE [Spying CAPULET] Thou villain ROMEO O, teach me how I should forget to think.
Capulet: BENVOLIO By giving liberty unto thine eyes:
[to LADY MONTAGUE who holds him back] Examine other beauties
Hold me not, let me go. ROMEO Farewell, thou canst not teach me to
LADY MONTAGUE Thou shall not stir one foot forget.
to seek a foe.
(EXIT BENVOLIO AND ROMEO )
(THE COUPLES REMAIN EITHER
SIDE OF THE STAGE, THE WOMEN SCENE 2
HOLDING THEIR HUSBANDS BACK EITHER OUTSIDE
BY FORCE, ARGUMENT OR CHILDISH THE HOUSE OF
WITH-HOLDING OF WEAPONS. THE CAPULET
SERVANTS, BENVOLIO AND TYBALT (CAPULET AND PARIS IN
REMAIN IN COMBAT WITH THE CITIZENS, CONVERSATION)
CENTRE STAGE)
CAPULET …’tis not so hard I think.
(ENTER PRINCE ESCALUS) For men so old as we to keep the peace.
PARIS Of honourable reckoning are you both,
PRINCE What ho, you men, you beasts And pity ’tis you lived at odds so long.4
Throw your distempered weapons to the ground. But now my lord what say you to my suit?
CAPULET My child is yet a stranger in the
(THE STAGE FALLS STILL) world, she hath not seen the change of fourteen
Three civil brawls bred of an airy word,1 years.
By then, old Capulet, and Montague, PARIS Younger than she is happy mothers made.
Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets. If ever CAPULET And too soon marred are those so early
you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay made.
the forfeit of the peace. On pain of death, all men [taking him close – offering an alternative]
depart. Such delight among fresh female buds shall you this
night
(EXIT ALL BUT BENVOLIO. ENTER Inherit at my house. Come, go with me.
ROMEO)
2 Not having the thing which makes them seem short.
BENVOLIO Good morrow, cousin. 3 coz – term of companionship, short for cousin.
4 Paris wishes to marry Juliet, there is a certain amount
1 A small and petty remark of ‘sucking up’ to Capulet here.
2
 MERCUTIO Why, may one ask?
(EXIT CAPULET AND PARIS ROMEO I dreamt a dream tonight.
ENTER BENVOLIO AND ROMEO IN MERCUTIO And so did I.
CONVERSATION) ROMEO And what was yours?
MERCUTIO That dreamers often lie
BENVOLIO Why Romeo, art thou mad? BENVOLIO [hurrying them along] Supper is
ROMEO Not mad, but bound more than a madman done, and we shall come too late.
is: Shut up in prison, kept without my food, ROMEO I fear too early: for my mind misgives
Whipped and tormented and - good e’en11, good Some consequence yet hanging in the stars Shall
fellow. bitterly begin his fearful date with this night’s
revels.
(ENTER SERVANT)
(EXIT ALL )
SERVANT Good e’en. My master is the great
rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of SCENE 5
Montagues I pray come and crush a cup of wine. CAPULET’S HOUSE
Rest you merry.
(THE ROOM IS CROWDED, THE
(SERVANT HANDS BENVOLIO AN PEOPLE DANCE AND DRINK.
INVITATION. EXIT SERVANT) ROMEO AND JULIET WIND UP DANCING
TOGETHER BEFORE PARIS SPINS HER
ROMEO I’ll go along. AWAY. ROMEO STANDS DOWNSTAGE
AWESTRUCK AND FOLLOWING HER
(EXIT ROMEO AND BENVOLIO) MOVEMENTS. HE STOPS A PASSING
SERVANT. )
SCENE 3
CAPULET’S HOUSE ROMEO What lady’s that?
(ENTER LADY CAPULET AND NURSE) SERVANT I know not, sir.
ROMEO O she doth teach the torches to burn
NURSE Juliet! bright. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it,
sight. For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.
ENTER JULIET [He moves to follow her]
TYBALT [who has been standing behind
JULIET How now, who calls? ROMEO] This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
NURSE Your mother. Now, by the stock and honour of my kin, to strike
JULIET Madam, I am here, what is your will? him dead I hold it not a sin.
LADY CAPULET Tell me, daughter Juliet, how CAPULET Why, how now, kinsman, wherefore
stands your disposition to be married? storm you so?
JULIET It is an honor that I dream not of. TYBALT Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe to
LADY CAPULET Well, think of marriage now. scorn at our solemnity this night.
The valiant Paris seeks you for his love. This night CAPULET Young Romeo is it? Content thee,
you shall behold him at our feast. gentle coz, let him alone.
NURSE Madam, the guests are come. TYBALT I’ll not endure him.
LADY CAPULET We follow thee. CAPULET He shall be endured. Am I the master
NURSE Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days. here or you? Go to.
TYBALT Why, uncle, ’tis a shame.
(EXIT NURSE AND LADY CAPULET)
(EXIT TYBALT)
SCENE 4
A STREET ROMEO [Taking JULIET by the hand] If I
(ENTER ROMEO, BENVOLIO, profane with my unworthiness hand This shrine, the
MERCUTIO AND gentle fine is this: To smooth that rough touch with
REVELLERS ) a tender kiss.
JULIET Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand
MERCUTIO Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this;
you dance. For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do
ROMEO Not I, believe me. You have dancing touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.
shoes ROMEO Have not saints lips, and holy palmers
With nimble soles, I have a soul of lead. too?
BENVOLIO Come, knock and enter. JULIET Ay, lips that they must use in prayer.
ROMEO but ’tis no wit to go.
3
ROMEO O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands (ROMEO HIDES)
do! They pray.5
ROMEO He jests at scars that never felt a wound.
(THEY KISS) But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east and Juliet is the sun! It is my lady, O, it
JULIET You kiss by the book. is my love! O, that she knew she were!
NURSE Madam, your mother craves a word with
you. (JULIET APPEARS AT HER BALCONY)

(EXIT JULIET) JULIET Ay me!

ROMEO She speaks. O, speak again bright angel!
ROMEO What is her mother?
NURSE Her mother is the lady of the house. JULIET O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou
Romeo?6 Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or,
(EXIT NURSE) if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no
longer be a Capulet.
ROMEO [Staring after her] Is she a Capulet? ROMEO Shall I hear more, or speak at this?
BENVOLIO [Catching ROMEO by the arm] JULIET ’Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou
Away, be gone; the sport is at the best. art thyself, though not a Montague. O, be some
ROMEO Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest. other name. What’s in a name? That which we call
CAPULET [Addressing the entire room] a rose By any other word would smell as sweet. So
I thank you all; I thank you honest gentlemen, Romeo would, were he not Romeo called. Romeo,
goodnight. By my fay, it waxes late. doff thy name, and for that name, which is no part
of thee, Take all myself.
(THE REVELLERS BEGIN TO DISPERSE. ROMEO [emerging from his hiding place] I take
ENTER JULIET AND NURSE) thee at thy word.
Call me but love, and henceforth I never will be
JULIET Come hither, Nurse. What is yond Romeo.
gentleman? JULIET [shocked] Art thou not a Montague? How
NURSE His name is Romeo, and a Montague, The cam’st thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?
only son of your great enemy. ROMEO With love’s light wings did I o’erperch
JULIET My only love sprung from my only hate. these walls.
Too early seen unknown, and known too late. JULIET If any of my kinsmen find thee here they
will murder thee.
(EXIT all) ROMEO I have night’s cloak to hide me from their
eyes,
SCENE 6 And but thou love me, let them find me here.7 My
OUTSIDE THE WALLS OF THE HOUSE OF life were better ended by their hate
CAPULET Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.
JULIET Dost thou love me? O gentle Romeo, If
(ROMEO HIDES. thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully.
ENTER BENVOLIO ROMEO Lady by yonder blessed moon I vow.
AND MERCUTIO) JULIET O swear not by the moon,
ROMEO What shall I swear by?
BENVOLIO Romeo! My cousin, Romeo! Romeo! JULIET Do not swear at all. Or if thou wilt-
He ran this way and leapt this orchard wall. [giving NURSE (calling from within) Madam!
up] Come, Blind is his love, and best befits the JULIET Anon good nurse! Three words good
dark. Romeo, and goodnight indeed. If that thy bent of
MERCUTIO If love be blind; love cannot hit the love be honourable, Thy purpose marriage, send
mark. me word tomorrow, And all my fortunes at thy
BENVOLIO Go then, for ’tis in vain To seek him foot I’ll lay,
here that means not to be found. And follow thee my lord throughout the world.
NURSE Madam!
(EXIT MERCUTIO and JULIET By and by, I come! Tomorrow will I send.
BENVOLIO) ROMEO So thrive my soul
JULIET A thousand times good night.
SCENE 7
CAPULET’S ORCHARD
6 ‘Wherefore’ in this context means ‘why’. She is asking
5 Romeo compares hands held together in prayer and lips held why the man she loves must be Romeo, the Montague.
together when kissing. It would be illustrative to the audience 7 Unless you love me, let them find me, I’d rather die
if the couple held hands palm to palm. than live without your love.
4
 (EXIT JULIET) NURSE Gentlemen, can any of you tell me where I
may find the young Romeo?
ROMEO Love goes toward love, as schoolboys ROMEO I can tell you; I am the youngest of that
from their books, But love from love, toward school name.
with heavy looks. NURSE If you be he, sir, I desire some confidence
with you.
SCENE 8 ROMEO [to MERCUTIO] I will follow you.
FRIAR LAWRENCE’S CELL MERCUTIO Farewell ancient lady.
(FRIAR LAWRENCE IN HIS CELL)
(EXIT MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO)
(ENTER ROMEO)
NURSE First let me tell ye, if ye should lead
ROMEO Good morrow father! her in a fool’s paradise, as they say, it were a
FRIAR LAWRENCE [startled] Benedicite! very gross kind of behaviour, truly it were an ill
Our Romeo hath not been in bed tonight. thing-
God pardon sin, wast thou with Rosaline? ROMEO I protest unto thee – Bid her to come to
ROMEO With Rosaline, my ghostly8 father? No. I shrift this afternoon, And there she shall at Friar
have forgot that name, and that name’s woe. Lawrence’s cell Be shrived 10and married.
FRIAR LAWRENCE That’s my good son;; NURSE She shall be there.
but be plain, where hast thou been then?
ROMEO Then plainly know my heart’s dear (EXIT BOTH)
love is set On the fair daughter of rich Capulet. We
met, we wooed, we made exchange of vow, I’ll tell SCENE 10
thee as we pass;; but this I pray, That thou Capulet’s house.
consent to marry us today. (JULIET AWAITS HER NURSE)
FRIAR LAWRENCE Holy Saint Francis!
ROMEO I pray thee chide me not. (ENTER NURSE)
FRIAR LAWRENCE Come, In one respect I’ll
thy assistant be;; For this alliance may so happy JULIET O honey nurse, what news?
prove NURSE I am a-weary, give me leave a while.
To turn your households’ rancour to pure love.9 JULIET Come, I pray thee, speak.
NURSE Do you not see that I am out of breath?
(EXIT BOTH) JULIET How art thou out of breath when thou hast
breath to say to me that thou art out of breath?
SCENE 9 Is thy news good, or bad? Answer to that.
A street NURSE [Giving in] Your love says like an honest
(ENTER MERCUTIO AND BENVOLIO) gentleman – Where is your mother?
JULIET Where is my mother? How oddly thou
MERCUTIO Where the devil should this Romeo repliest! Come, what says Romeo?
be? Came he not home tonight? NURSE Hie you hence to Friar Lawrence’ cell.
BENVOLIO Not to his father’s. I spoke with his There stays a husband to make you a wife!
man.
(EXIT JULIET AND NURSE SEPARATELY )
(ENTER ROMEO. THE TWO TURN THEIR
BACKS ON HIM ) SCENE 11
Friar Lawrence’ Cell
ROMEO Good morrow to you both. What (ROMEO WAITS WITH FRIAR LAWRENCE IN
counterfeit did I give you? A SINGLE SPOTLIGHT. JULIET ENTERS
MERCUTIO The slip, sir, the slip. WITH NURSE BY HER SIDE. JULIET JOINS
ROMEO Pardon, good Mercutio; my business was ROMEO, THEY JOIN HANDS AND GAZE
great. INTO EACH OTHER’S EYES.)
MERCUTIO [Noting Romeo’s good mood] Why,
is not this better now than groaning for love? FRIAR LAWRENCE So smile the heavens upon
this holy act That after-hours with sorrow chide us
[ENTER NURSE] not.

God ye good den20, fair gentlewoman. (THEY KISS. )

8 Spiritual rather than supernatural 10 Shrift was confession. Shrived meant the act of confession
9 I willl help you for one reason; your marriage may reconcile which was required before receiving the sacrament of
your feuding families. 20 Good afternoon. marriage.
5
(EXIT all ) (TYBALT UNDER ROMEO’S ARM WOUNDS
MERCUTIO)
SCENE 12
A STREET BENVOLIO Art thou hurt?
(ENTER BENVOLIO AND MERCUTIO Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. Marry,
MERCUTIO) ’tis enough.
ROMEO Courage man, the hurt cannot be much.
BENVOLIO I pray you, good Mercutio, lets MERCUTIO ’Twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow
retire; The day is hot, the Capels11 are abroad, And and you shall find me a
if we meet we shall not ’scape a brawl, By my grave man. A plague o’ both your houses. A
head, here come the Capulets. plague o’ both your houses.
MERCUTIO By my heel, I care not.
ENTER TYBALT and others (MERCUTIO DIES )
TYBALT Gentlemen, good e’en: a word with one
of you. BENVOLIO Here comes Tybalt.
MERCUTIO And but one word with one of us? ROMEO Alive, in triumph, and Mercutio slain.
Couple it with something; make it a word and a Tybalt, Mercutio’s soul Is but a little way above
blow. our heads, Staying for thine to keep him company.
TYBALT You shall find me apt enough to that, sir. Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him.14
Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo. TYBALT Thou, wretched boy, shalt with him
MERCUTIO Consort?12 What, dost that hence.
make us minstrels?
(THEY FIGHT. ROMEO KILLS TYBALT )
(ENTER ROMEO NOW SECRETLY
MARRIED AND THEREFORE BENVOLIO Romeo, away, be gone. The prince
RELATED TO THE CAPULETS.) will doom thee to death. Hence, be gone,
ROMEO O, I am fortune’s fool.
TYBALT Well, peace be with you, sir, here comes
my man. Romeo! The love I bear thee can afford (EXIT ROMEO. ENTER PRINCE,
No better term than this: thou art a villain. MONTAGUE,
ROMEO Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee CAPULET, THEIR WIVES AND OTHERS)
Doth much excuse such a greeting: villain am I
none PRINCE Where are the vile beginners of this fray?
TYBALT Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries BENVOLIO There lies the man, slain by young
thou hast done me. Romeo, That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.
ROMEO I do protest I never injured thee. And so, LADY CAPULET Tybalt, my cousin, O my
good Capulet, which name I tender As dearly as brother’s child! O, the blood is spilled Of my dear
mine own, be satisfied. kinsman. Prince, as thou art true, For blood of ours,
MERCUTIO O calm, dishonourable, vile shed blood of Montague.
submission! BENVOLIO Romeo spoke him fair. Tybalt, deaf
[He draws] Tybalt, you rat catcher13, will you walk? to peace, tilts at bold Mercutio’s breast. Romeo,
he cries aloud And ’twixt them rushes; underneath
TYBALT What wouldst thou have with me? whose arm Tybalt hit the life of stout Mercutio.
MERCUTIO Good King of Cats, nothing but one LADY CAPULET He is a kinsman to the
of your nine lives. Montague. Affection makes him false. He speaks
TYBALT I am for you. [He draws] not true.
ROMEO Gentle Mercutio - I beg for Justice, which thou, Prince, must give.
Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.
They fight. MERCUTIO PRINCE For that offence Immediately we do exile
is the better swordsman, TYBALT is struggling to him hence. Let Romeo hence in haste, Else, when
keep up. he is found, that hour will be his last.

ROMEO Tybalt! Mercutio! The Prince expressly (EXIT all)

hath Forbid this. Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!
SCENE 13
JULIET’S BEDROOM
11 Capulets (JULIET AWAITS NEWS FROM HER
12 To consort is to associate with. A consort is a group of NURSE )
musicians – Mercutio puns on the word to argue with Tybalt.
13 Tybalt is known as ‘the Prince of Cats’. Mercutio 14 Mercutio’s soul has not yet left the earth, he waits for
reduces this name to a catcher of vermin and nothing yours to keep him company. Either yours or mine, or
else. both must go with him – i.e. either you, I or both of us die.
6
 FRIAR LAWRENCE Welcome then.
JULIET Come, gentle night, give me my Romeo.
O, I have bought the mansion of a love But not yet (ENTER NURSE)
possessed it, and though I am sold, Not yet
enjoyed. So tedious is this day! ROMEO Where is she? And how doth she? And
what says My concealed lady to our cancelled love?
(ENTER NURSE) NURSE O, she says nothing, sir, but weeps and
weeps.
Now, Nurse, what news? But here, sir, a ring she bid me give you.
Hie you, make haste, for it grows very late.
NURSE We are undone, lady, we are undone.
Alack the day, he’s gone, he’s killed, he’s (EXIT NURSE)
dead.
JULIET What devil art thou, that dost torment me ROMEO How well my comfort is revived by this.
thus? Hath Romeo slain himself? FRIAR LAWRENCE Sojourn in Mantua. I’ll
NURSE Tybalt is gone, and Romeo banished. find out your man, And he shall signify from time
Romeo that killed him, he is banished. to time
JULIET O God! Did Romeo’s hand shed Every good hap to you that chances here. Give me
Tybalt’s blood? O serpent heart, hid with a thy hand. ’Tis late. Farewell. Good night.
flowering face! Did ever dragon keep so fair a ROMEO Farewell.
cave? O that deceit should dwell in such a gorgeous
palace! (EXIT ROMEO
NURSE Will you speak well of him that killed EXIT FRIAR LAWRENCE)
your cousin?
JULIET Shall I speak ill of him that is my SCENE 15
husband? Tybalt is dead and Romeo – banished. CAPULET’S HOUSE
That ‘banished’, that one word ‘banished’ Hath (PARIS AND CAPULET IN
slain ten thousand Tybalts. O find him, give this DISCUSSION )
ring to my true knight And bid him come to take his
last farewell. PARIS These times of woe afford no time to woo.
Madam goodnight. Commend me to your daughter.
(EXIT NURSE EXIT JULIET) CAPULET Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender
Of my child’s love. I think she will be ruled In
SCENE 14 all respects by me; nay, more, I doubt it not.
Friar Lawrence’ Cell Wife, bid her, on Thursday, tell her,
FRIAR LAWRENCE and ROMEO She shall be married to this noble earl.

FRIAR LAWRENCE Affliction is enamored of (EXIT BOTH)

thy parts and thou art wedded to calamity. SCENE 16
ROMEO [Grief stricken] JULIET’S BEDROOM
Banishment! Be merciful, say ‘death’. For exile (ROMEO AND JULIET TOGETHER)
hath more terror in his look, Much more than death.
Do not say ‘banishment’. JULIET Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day.
FRIAR LAWRENCE This is dear mercy and It was the nightingale and not the lark.
thou seest it not. ROMEO It was the lark, the herald of the morn. I
ROMEO ’Tis torture and not mercy. Heaven is must be gone and live, or stay and die.
here. Where Juliet lives, and every unworthy thing, JULIET Yond light is not daylight, I know it, I.
Live here in heaven and may look on her, But Thou need’st not be gone.
Romeo may not. ROMEO Let me be ta’en, let me be put to
death. I have more care to stay than will to go.
(KNOCKING) Come death, and welcome. Juliet wills it so. How
is’t, my soul? Let’s talk. It is not day.
FRIAR LAWRENCE Good Romeo, hide JULIET It is, it is. Hie hence, begone, away. O,
thyself. now be gone, more light and light it grows.

(MORE KNOCKING) (ENTER NURSE HURRIEDLY)

Who knocks so hard? Whence came you, NURSE Madam! Your Lady mother is coming to
what’s your will? your chamber.

NURSE I come from Lady Juliet.

7
JULIET Then, window, let day in and let life out.15 (EXIT LADY CAPULET WITHOUT LOOKING
ROMEO Farewell, farewell. One kiss and I’ll AT JULIET )
descend.
JULIET Art thou gone so? Love, lord, ay husband, JULIET Alack, alack, that heaven should practice
friend. O, think’st thou we shall ever meet stratagems Upon so soft a subject as myself.
again? What sayst thou?
ROMEO I doubt it not. NURSE Romeo is banished, and all the world to
nothing. I think you are happy in this second match,
(ROMEO MOVES TO LEAVE AND For it excels your first; or, if it did not, Your first
DOES NOT HEAR THE FOLLOWING ) is dead, or ’twere as good he were.
JULIET [Pause] Go in, and tell my lady I am gone,
JULIET O God, I have an ill-divining soul! Having displeased my father, to Lawrence’ cell,
Methinks I see thee, now thou art so low, As one To make confession and to be absolved.
dead in the bottom of a tomb. NURSE Marry, I will, and ’tis wisely done.
ROMEO [Turning] Adieu, adieu.
(EXIT NURSE)
(ENTER LADY CAPULET)
JULIET Ancient damnation! O most wicked fiend,
LADY CAPULET Why, how now, Juliet? I’ll to the Friar, to know his remedy. If all else
JULIET Madam, I am not well. fail, myself have the power to die.
LADY CAPULET Evermore weeping for your
cousin’s death? Well, well, thou hast a careful (EXIT JULIET)
father, child; One who, to put thee from thy
heaviness Hath sorted out a sudden day of joy. SCENE 17
JULIET Madam, in happy time. What day is that? (FRIAR LAWRENCE’ CELL
LADY CAPULET Marry, my child, early next PARIS AND FRIAR LAWRENCE IN
Thursday morn. The gallant Paris shall happily CONVERSATION )
make thee a joyful bride.
JULIET He shall not make me a joyful bride! I PARIS …Now do you know the reason of this
pray you, tell my lord and father, madam, haste
I will not marry yet. And when I do, I swear It shall FRIAR LAWRENCE [to himself] I would I knew
be Romeo, whom you know I hate, Rather than not why it should be slowed.16 Look sir, here comes
Paris. the lady towards my cell.
LADY CAPULET [shocked] Tell him so yourself,
And see how he will take it at your hands. (ENTER JULIET)
PARIS Happily met, my lady and my wife.
(ENTER CAPULET) JULIET That may be, sir, when I may be a wife.
PARIS That may be, must be, love, on Thursday
Sir, she will none, she gives you thanks. next.
I would the fool were married to her grave. JULIET What must be shall be.
FRIAR LAWRENCE That’s a certain text.
CAPULET How? Will she none? Is she not proud? PARIS Come you to make confession to this
Doth she not count her blest, Unworthy as she is, father?
that we have wrought So worthy a gentleman to be JULIET To answer that, I should confess to you.
her bridegroom? Go with Paris to Saint Peter’s [to FRIAR LAWRENCE] Are you at leisure, holy
Church, Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither. father now?
Out, you baggage! FRIAR LAWRENCE My leisure serves me,
JULIET Hear me with patience but to speak a pensive daughter now. My lord, we must entreat the
word. time alone.
CAPULET Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient PARIS Juliet, on Thursday early will I rouse ye.
wretch! Speak not, reply not, do not answer me. Till then, adieu, and keep this holy kiss.

(EXIT CAPULET) (THEY KISS. EXIT PARIS)

JULIET O, sweet my mother, cast me not away! JULIET O shut the door, God joined my heart
Delay this marriage for a month, a week, and Romeo’s, thou our hands;; Give me some
Or, if you do not, make the bridal bed present counsel, I long to die If what thou
In that dim monument where Tybalt lies. speak’st speak not of remedy.

15 Romeo leaves through the window; there is no life without 16 I wish I didn’t know why the marriage has to be
Romeo. delayed!
8
FRIAR LAWRENCE I do spy a kind of hope. If,
rather than to marry County Paris, Thou hast the FRIAR JOHN I could not send it, nor get a
strength of will to slay thyself, Then it is likely messenger to bring it thee. Here it is again -
thou wilt undertake A thing like death to chide FRIAR LAWRENCE O unhappy fortune. The
away this shame. letter was of dear import and the neglecting of it
May do much danger. Now must I to the monument
JULIETI will do it without fear or doubt. To live alone.
an unstained wife to my sweet love.
FRIAR LAWRENCE Hold then. Go home, be (EXIT BOTH SEPARATELY)
merry, give consent To marry Paris. Let not thy
nurse lie with thee in thy chamber. Take thou this SCENE 20 Mantua
vial, being then in bed, And this distilling liquor (ROMEO AWAITS NEWS FROM VERONA)
drink thou off; When presently through all thy veins
shall run No pulse, no warmth. The roses in thy lips (ENTER BALTHAZAR)
and cheeks shall fade
And in this borrowed likeness of shrunk death Thou ROMEO News from Verona! How now Balthazar,
shall continue two and forty hours, And then awake Dost thou not bring me letters from the Friar? How
as from pleasant sleep. Thou shall be borne to that doth my lady? For nothing can be ill if she be well.
same ancient vault Where all the kindred of the BALTHAZAR Then she is well and nothing can be
Capulets lie. ill. Her body sleeps in Capel’s monument.
In the meantime, against thou shalt awake, Shall ROMEO [PAUSE] Is it e’en so? Then I defy
Romeo by my letters know our drift And hither you, stars! I will hence tonight.
shall he come. BALTHAZAR I do beseech you sir, have patience.
ROMEO Thou art deceived. Hast thou no letters to
JULIET Love, give me strength and strength shall me from the Friar?
help afford. Farewell, dear father! BALTHAZAR No my good lord.
ROMEO Get thee gone. I’ll be with thee
(EXIT JULIET straight.
EXIT FRIAR LAWRENCE)
(EXIT BALTHAZAR)
SCENE 18 Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight.
JULIET’S BEDROOM
(LADY CAPULET AND NURSE PREPARING ( CROSSING THE STAGE AND BANGING ON
JULIET FOR HER WEDDING DAY) A DOOR)

JULIET Gentle Nurse, I pray thee, leave me to What ho! Apothecary!

myself tonight. Come hither man. I see that thou art poor. Hold,
LADY CAPULET Good night. Get thee to bed, there is forty ducats. Let me have A dram of poison.
and rest, for thou hast need. APOTHECARY Such mortal drugs I have, but
Mantua’s law Is death to any he that utters them.
(EXIT LADY CAPULET AND NURSE) My poverty, but not my will, consents.

JULIET Farewell. God knows when we shall meet ROMEO I pay thy poverty and not thy will.
again. What if this mixture does not work at all?
Shall I be married then tomorrow morning? No, no, (EXIT BOTH)
this shall forbid it. [she lays down a knife] Romeo,
I come! This I do drink to thee. SCENE 21
CAPEL’S MONUMENT
(SHE DRINKS AND LIES DOWN AS IF
SLEEPING. LIGHTING SUGGESTS THE (THE TOMB IS EERIE AND DARK, A
PASSAGE OF NIGHT AND THE BREAK OF PLACE OF DEATH AND GHOSTS. IT IS
MORNING. ENTER NURSE WHO TRIES TO TERRIFYING. JULIET LIES AS THOUGH
ROUSE JULIET. THINKING HER DEAD SHE DEAD. ENTER
RUNS FROM THE ROOM. EXIT NURSE. ) ROMEO)

SCENE 19 ROMEO O my love, my wife, Death that hath

Friar Lawrence’ Cell sucked the honey of thy breath Hath no power yet
upon thy beauty. Thou art not conquered.
(FRIAR LAWRENCE IN HIS CELL) Beauty’s ensign yet Is crimson in thy lips and in
thy cheeks, And death’s pale flag is not
ENTER FRIAR JOHN holding a letter
9
advanced there. Dear Juliet, why art thou yet so PRINCE Where be these enemies? Capulet,
fair? Montague, See, what a scourge is laid upon your
O here will I set up my everlasting rest. Eyes, look hate,
your last! That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love;
Arms, take your last embrace! And lips, Seal with a And I, for winking at your discords too, Have lost a
righteous kiss brace of kinsmen. All are punished.
A dateless bargain to engrossing Death! [he kisses
her] CAPULET O brother Montague, give me thy hand.
Here’s to my love [he drinks] O true apothecary, MONTAGUE There shall no figure at such rate be
Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. set As that of true and faithful Juliet.17
CAPULET As rich shall Romeo’s by his lady’s
( ROMEO FALLS. JULIET RISES) lie, Poor sacrifices of our enmity.
PRINCE For never was a story of more woe Than
JULIET [seeing Romeo] Romeo! this of Juliet and her Romeo.
What’s here closed in my true love’s hand?
Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end. O churl! THE END
Drunk all, and left no friendly drop To help me
after? I will kiss thy lips.
Haply some poison yet doth hang on them.
[she kisses him]

(MOVEMENT IS HEARD OUTSIDE THE

TOMB)

Yea noise? O happy dagger.

This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die.

(SHE STABS HERSELF AND FALLS)

(ENTER FRIAR LAWRENCE)

FRIAR LAWRENCE Juliet!

(HE REGARDS THE SCENE WITH HORROR

AND STUMBLES OUT. EXIT FRIAR
LAWRENCE. LIGHTING SUGGESTS THE
PASSAGE OF TIME. ENTER FRIAR
LAWRENCE AND PRINCE)

PRINCE What misadventure is so early up, That

calls our person from our morning rest?

( ENTER CAPULET AND LADY CAPULET)

CAPULET What should it be, that is so shrieked

abroad?
LADY CAPULET O the people in the street
cry ‘Romeo’ And some ‘Juliet’…

(THEY STARE AT THE SCENE. ENTER

MONTAGUE. FRIAR LAWRENCE KNEELS
AND PRAYS BESIDE THE BODIES)

MONTAGUE Alas, my liege, my wife is dead

tonight. Grief of my son’s exile hath stopped
her breath. What further woe conspires against
mine age?
[HE SEES ROMEO AND JULIET AND FALLS
SILENT]

17 Montague will build a statue in Juliet’s honour that

will not be rivalled.
10