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In Verona, Sampson and Gregory (Capulet servants) complain that they
will not put up with insults from the Montague family. Abram and Balthasar
(Montague servants) appear and the four start quarreling. Benvolio (Lord
Montague's nephew) appears and tries to break up the quarrel, but Tybalt
(Lady Capulet's nephew) appears and picks a fight with Benvolio. At length,
officers try to break up the fight, even while Lord Capulet and Lord
Montague begin to fight one another. The Prince of Verona (Escalus) appears
and stops the fighting, proclaiming sentences of death to any that renew
the fighting.
At Montague's house, he, his wife, and Benvolio discuss how melancholy
Romeo (Montague's only son) has been lately. Benvolio vows to find out why.
Speaking with Romeo, Benvolio finds Romeo is in love with a woman who has
sworn to stay chaste (Rosaline). Benvolio suggests pursuing other women,
but Romeo refuses. Separately, Paris (a kinsman of the Prince of Verona)
talks to Lord Capulet about wooing his daughter Juliet for marriage.
Capulet responds that she is too young (nearly 14 years old) and must wait
two years to marry, and then only to the man whom she chooses.
Still, Capulet invites Paris to a party in the evening. Capulet's
servant is sent to invite guests, but he can't read the list so he entreats
Romeo to do so. Upon hearing of the party, Benvolio convinces Romeo to
attend and compare his unattainable love Rosaline to more beautiful women
to get his mind off Rosaline. At Capulet's house, Lady Capulet speaks to
Juliet about her feelings for marrying Paris while Juliet's Nurse listens
on, telling stories of Juliet's childhood. Juliet, although hesitant,
promises to be courteous. Masked, Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio head to the
Capulet party. Romeo is still depressed, saying he dreamt a fearful dream
of an untimely death that will result because of the evening's events, but
Benvolio just makes fun of him.
At Capulet's house, the Montagues attend the party (in masks), Romeo
spies Juliet, and he falls in love with her. Tybalt sees Romeo and takes up
arms, but Lord Capulet attempts to calm him, though Tybalt vows to revenge
Romeo's intrusion the next day. Juliet, too, falls for Romeo, but falls
into despair when her Nurse informs her Romeo is a Montague, as does Romeo
when he learns Juliet is a Capulet.
While leaving the party, Romeo hides in the orchard while
Mercutio and Benvolio call for him to come out of hiding and go home with
them; yet he will not. After they leave, Romeo appears and speaks to Juliet
under her window, by and by they swear their love to one another. Juliet
tells Romeo she'll send a messenger to him the next day to learn the
details of their wedding. Having stayed up all night, Romeo visits Friar
Lawrence's cell and tells him of this new love for Juliet. Although
Lawrence is critical at first, Romeo eventually convinces him to marry
them.
In the street, Benvolio tells Mercutio that Rom |