kligor's Full Review: Alistair McCallum - Romeo & Juliet: A Guide
Romeo And Juliet have been the most popular teens for centuries. These two "star-crossed" lovers that come from two families that have a grudge against each other, sacrifice their lives, because of their parents mutinies.
Here is an intro, the same one as in the book:
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 loins of these two foes
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their lives.
Whole misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-marked love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
For those of you who don't understand old English, here is a translation:
Two households, which are alike in wealth, and fame. In Verona, is where the story takes place. From their ancestors feud, they break into mutiny. From the families of these two enemies, come two destined lovers who commit suicide. After all their adventures, they die. Even after Romeo and Juliet die for love, their parents continue to hate. If you will wait patiently, you will hear the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
Below, I will summarize each act and each scene.
Act I
Scene I:
Act I starts with some of the men of the Capulet clan, that meet the Montague clan, and soon, a fight starts. The prince arrives. He says that this is their third fight, and the next time there will be a fight, the guilty will be executed (by thee, old Capulet, and Montague,
Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets, if ever you disturb our streets again,
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace).
This part tells you a bit about the background, and it shows you that the hate of these two families, has grown into a lethal hatred.
After the fight, Romeo comes, shedding tear. It turns out that Romeo is very lovesick. He loves a beautiful girl named Rosaline, but she doesn't love him (Out of her favour, where I am in love).
Scene II:
Lord Capulet comes in. He is notified about the punishment if they fight again. He says, "It will be easy to keep". County Paris reminds Lord Capulet, that he wants to marry Juliet, who is still 12 years old (She hath not seen the change of fourteen years, let two more summers wither in their pride, ere we may think her ripe to be a bride). As they exit, Capulet invites Paris to a party that night.
Romeo still talking to Benvolio about his love sickness enters. A servingman reads the list of who is invited to the party. It said, "Anybody who is not a Montague is invited". Benvolio convinced Romeo to go anyway. Benvolio told Romeo that after he sees the beauties at the party, he will forget about Rosaline. Romeo still doesn't believe that there is anyone more beautiful than Rosaline, and says, "There is no one more beautiful than Rosaline ("One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun
Ne'er saw her march since first the world begun").
Scene III:
The scene starts with Lady Capulet, Juliet, and Juliet's nurse. The nurse says that she hopes she will live long enough to watch Juliet get married (the nurse is a humorous character, that adds comic relief to the tragedy). Lady Capulet talks to Juliet about marrying the beautiful Paris. Juliet's answer is "it is an honour that I dream not of". In other words, she is saying it's an honour, but I don't want to get married.
And soon after, they leave for the party.
Scene IV:
Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio are at the Capulet party. Though at first, nobody notices them. Romeo and Mercutio talk about some dreams.
Suddenly, Romeo has a bad feeling, but he keeps talking anyways.
Scene V:
When Romeo is at the party, he looks at the stars. He sees Juliet on the balcony, and suddenly, forgets all about Rosaline ("O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!").
When Tybalt sees a Montague at the Capulet party, he gets very mad. Capulet gets hold of Tybalt, and tells him to stay put, and not to ruin the party. Of course Tybalt has to listen to Capulet, or else Capulet will be mad, and Tybalt doesn't want to see him mad.
Romeo runs around the Capulet mansion, trying to find Juliet. When he finally finds her, he holds her hand, and says, "I am not even worthy to be near you, however, it would be a great honour if I could have just one kiss" ("If I profane with my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss").
Juliet is very impressed by Romeo's passion. She still hesitates to kiss Romeo, so Romeo brings god as an example. He says, "even god himself has sinned, you can too". Then, they kiss.
Juliet's nurse calls her away, and soon, Romeo learns that Juliet is a Capulet, and the nurse explains that Romeo is a Montague. Both Romeo and Juliet are very confused. Their only love comes from their only hate. Juliet thinks that she has done something wrong by kissing a Montague, but she still loves her enemy's son ("My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth it is to me that I must love a loathed enemy.")
Act II:
Scene I:
Romeo just can't take it. He has to see Juliet again (it's only been a few hours since the party ended). He goes over to the Capulet estate. Both Benvolio and Mercutio see Romeo going back to the Capulets, but they think that it's pointless to stop him, because he is going to find Rosaline.
Scene II:
Romeo comes, and he sees Juliet on the balcony.
Juliet is talking to herself, and says, "O Romeo Romeo, where are you? Who cares that you're a Montague. If you would call a rose something else, it would still smell just as sweet" ("O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.")
Juliet keeps on talking, and she says, "My love for you is very great, and yet, I should kill you because you're a Montague. Saying good night to you is a sad feeling, by the time I'm finished saying good night, it will be morning" ("My love as deep, the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite. Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing. Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say "Good Night" till it be morrow.").
Scene III:
Next, morning, Romeo goes to Friar Laurence, and he asks him to marry Juliet and himself. Friar Laurence hesitates, because very recently, Romeo was in love with Rosaline. But Friar Laurence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet anyway, because he was hoping that marrying them would end the feud between the two families.
After Friar Laurence agreed to marry the two, Romeo runs to Juliet's house, to tell her about the marriage.
Scene IV:
Mercutio and Benvolio, are talking to each other, and are wondering about Romeo. They still think that he is madly in love with Rosaline. Tybalt sent some message to Montague, which says that he wants to challenge Romeo to a duel.
The nurse comes in, with a message for Romeo. But first, Romeo has to tell the nurse, to tell Juliet to meet Romeo at Friar Laurence's cell, to get married.
Scene V:
Juliet waits for the nurse impatiently. When the nurse comes, she talks to Juliet about some nonsense, and after that she tells Juliet Romeo's message, Juliet is overjoyed, knowing that all she needs to do to get married, is come to Friar Laurence, and meet Romeo with Friar Laurence.
Scene VI:
Romeo and Juliet meet at Friar Laurence's cell. Friar Laurence takes the two lovebirds, to church to get married.
Friar Laurence wants to marry them quickly, so that not too many people will know about the marriage ("Come, come with me, and we will make short work, for, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone till Holy Church incorporate two in one.").
Act III:
Scene I:
Benvolio and Mercutio meet Tybalt. The two enemies (Montagues, and Capulet) taunt each other. Tybalt challenges Romeo to a duel. But Romeo refuses, because now, they are family, but Tybalt doesn't know that. Now, Romeo doesn't hate the name Capulet, now, he tenders it, as dearly as his own ("And so, good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as mine own, be satisfied.").
Romeo's love for Tybalt makes Mercutio very furious. Mercutio takes out his sword, and challenges Tybalt to a duel. Tybalt takes Mercutio's life, by stabbing him in the stomach.
Romeo let's his anger take control, and with all the sadness and anger driving Romeo right now, he slays Tybalt.
Soon after, the prince appears, and he punishes Romeo. The punishment is banishment from Verona. Romeo is considered lucky, because he wasn't executed.
Scene II:
The nurse comes to Juliet in a hurry, and she brings news about Romeo's banishment. Juliet is very devastated, and she thinks about committing suicide ("I'll to my wedding bed
And death, not Romeo, take my maidenhead.").
The nurse tells Juliet, that she will try to find a way to bring Romeo back to Juliet.
Scene III:
Friar Laurence tries to think of and escape out of the situation. Friar and the nurse work together to come up with a plan. Finally, they find a plan: they want that Romeo and Juliet will leave Verona together.
Scene IV:
County Paris comes to Capulet, and pushes him to marry Juliet within two day. Capulet thinks that that's too early (you'd think that Capulet will give his daughter at least a month), so the marriage is set. In three days Juliet and Paris are getting married.
Scene V:
Next morning, Romeo and Juliet are preparing to separate. Juliet says, "as the window opens, a new day comes in, and my life comes out." ("Then, window, let day in, and let life out.”) Romeo says, "Goodbye! Give me one last kiss, and I'll leave." ("Farewell, farewell, one kiss and I'll descend.")
As Romeo leaves, Lady Capulet enters the scene. Lady Capulet tells Juliet, "Your wedding to County Paris is in three days." Juliet says, "I would rather marry Romeo, who despises me, than County Paris" (Lady Capulet doesn't know that Romeo and Juliet love each other).
Capulet comes in, and Juliet is angry with her father for selling her, without asking for her opinion. He refuses to listen to Juliet, because of all the hard work he went through to get someone to propose. Juliet decides to talk to her mother, but her mother, that showed no support at all, said, "talk to your father" (in other words: forget it!)
Juliet wants to go to Friar Laurence, that he will help her come up with a plan to avoid the wedding to Paris. Juliet says, "If there's nothing we can do, I will commit suicide"
("If all else fail, myself have power to die.")
Act IV:
Scene I:
County Paris goes to Friar Laurence, to talk to him about his marriage with Juliet. Juliet enters, and tells Paris about her love with Romeo in a very indirect way. Paris didn't understand a thing that Juliet said, and so he leaves. Juliet took out a knife, and shows it to the Friar. She said that if something cannot be done about her marriage with Paris, she would use the knife to kill herself. The Friar gives Juliet a sleeping potion, which will make her look dead. The Friar also tells Juliet that he will send a note to Romeo telling about the plans, that way, he will not worry.
That night, the nurse is with Juliet, as always, but tonight, Juliet asks the nurse to leave the room. When the nurse leaves the room, Juliet takes the potion, and falls into deep sleep. But before falling asleep, Juliet said to herself, "if this sleeping potion fails, I will kill myself for real."
Scene II:
Juliet comes home from Friar's cell, and tells her father, that she will grant him the wish of marrying Paris. Capulet is very happy to see his daughter has changed her mind, and he tells her that the wedding is tomorrow (yes, he tells her again).
Scene III:
Before taking the potion, Juliet talks to her mother about the preparation for the wedding.
When Lady Capulet goes out of the room, Juliet takes out the potion, talks to herself a bit, and finally, drinks the potion.
Scene IV:
Lord Capulet and the nurse prepare for the next day. Paris approaches the Capulet mansion. Capulet sends the nurse to wake Juliet.
Scene V:
When the nurse arrives at Juliet's room, she sees Juliet asleep. Nurse tries to wake up Juliet, but then when she sees that Juliet doesn't wake up, she's cold, and she's pale as dead, she begins panicking and calling the others.
Act V:
Scene I:
Romeo's man, Balthasar, brings him news of Juliet's death. Romeo asks if Balthasar has a letter from Friar Laurence, and when the answer is "no", Romeo tells Balthasar to get him a horse, on which he plans to ride to Verona. Romeo has never felt such great sadness in his entire life.
Romeo plans to commit suicide when he arrives in Verona, and go to heaven, where Juliet is ("Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight.")
Scene II:
Friar Laurence finds out that the letter that he sent has not been delivered. He soon decides that he must go to the cemetery, and stall the people.
On his way to Verona, Romeo goes to a store, and buys poison.
Scene III:
Paris comes to see Juliet in the cemetery. Romeo also arrives, very desperate to meet Juliet in her death. Paris blames Romeo for Juliet's death, because Tybalt died, she committed suicide. Romeo tells Paris that he is at Juliet's tomb, to join her. Because Paris wouldn't let Romeo join Juliet, and Romeo was desperate to see Juliet, so Romeo slays Paris. With Paris's dying words, he asks Romeo that he put Paris next to Juliet. Romeo realizes that this was Paris that he slayed. That adds to Romeo's sadness.
Romeo takes one last look at Juliet, and takes the poison. Friar Laurence arrives, and sees Paris, and Romeo both dead. Juliet wakes up, and asks for Romeo. Friar Laurence leaves, and as the mob arrives, Juliet takes a dagger, and kills herself.
When the mob arrives, they send for the Prince, Balthasar, Friar Laurence, and the clans of Capulet, and Montague.
The prince demands for an explanation of what has happened, and Friar Laurence tells him the whole story of what has led to the two lovers' deaths.
Capulet, and Montague, work out their hatred. Now they saw that they lost so many of their loved ones because of this ancient feud. They now decided to forget about all this hatred that got them nowhere.
There was never a story of more woe, than this of Juliet, and her Romeo.
To my opinion, this is a very good play, among the many other plays written by Shakespeare (fact: Shakespeare's plays are the second most read, next to the Bible). It is also very popular. For all you literature teachers, who haven't taught Romeo and Juliet, this play is definitely for you.
Our teacher assigned the class to read this book, and I thought, aww... another assignment... What's the point of this, it's not like I'm going to base my life on the book, but after all, this turned out to be a great play, what started out as an unwanted class assignment, became one of my favorite plays, which I have read at least 6 times.
I hope that after reading this review, you will be another person to add to the list of "another Shakespearean book read".
Please leave a message, telling what you liked about the review, and what you didn't like, etc.
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