In the town of Verona, there lived two wealthy and powerful families, the Montagues and the Capulets. They were known to be bitter enemies. They never met each other’s relatives, friends or even servants without getting into a quarrel! Often, they fought fierce battles on the streets with people getting injured or dying. Finally, it was ordered that anyone who disturbed the peace would be hanged!
Montague’s son, Romeo, was quite charmed by a beautiful girl, Rosaline. He told his friends, Mercutio and Benvolio, about it. They learnt that Capulet was going to hold a masked ball to which Rosaline was also invited. The three young men went to the ball wearing masks, hoping to see Rosaline, there.
At the ball Romeo saw Juliet, the beautiful daughter of Lord Capulet, and fell in love with her, forgetting all about Rosaline! Tybalt, a nephew of Lord Capulet, recognised Romeo’s voice. He told his uncle about it, but the old man asked him to keep quiet so that the ball might be peaceful.
When the ball was over, Juliet asked her old Nurse about the handsome young man, who would not dance. She too had fallen in love with him! And the Nurse told her that it was Romeo, the son of their bitterest enemies, the Montagues. Juliet stood near her window overlooking the garden and spoke aloud about her love for Romeo.
If only he had not been a son of the Montague family, she wished! And unknown to her, Romeo stood below in the garden, and his heart overflowed with love as he heard her. He spoke to her and they decided to keep their love secret. Only the Nurse knew the truth!
The next day, Romeo went to old Friar Laurence, a priest. He begged the priest to marry him and Juliet secretly for fear of their parents. Friar Laurence knew of the old enmity and agreed to help the young people. Juliet sent the Nurse to ask Romeo what to do and the Nurse returned to say that they were to marry!
And the next morning, Romeo and Juliet met Friar Laurence and were married in secret. They parted with tears and returned to their own homes. Romeo promised Juliet that he would come to her garden at night to meet her. The nurse got a ladder ready for them.
But that night, when Romeo was with his friends, Mercutio and Benvolio, Tybalt saw them. He challenged Romeo for having come to the ball. Mercutio defended Romeo who did not wish to fight with Juliet’s cousin. But Tybalt killed Mercutio. Romeo was so angry that, forgetting everything, he drew his sword and in a duel he killed Tybalt!
He went to Juliet’s garden and climbed in through her window. It was sad leaving his young wife but he had to flee from Verona or he would be punished for killing Tybalt. He bade her farewell and left for Mantua.
Juliet was scared that her father would make her marry his friend’s son, Paris. So, she went to Friar Laurence to ask what she should do. “Pretend that you will marry Paris,” said Friar Laurence, giving her a medicine to drink on her wedding day, “It would make you unconscious for two days. They will think you are dead and then, I will put you in the family tomb and send a message to Romeo to take you away!”
Romeo’s servant got delayed in carrying Friar Laurence’s message. Meanwhile, Lord Capulet went ahead with the preparations for Juliet’s marriage with Paris. On the morning of the wedding, the Nurse found Juliet lying dead! Not being aware of the secret that Juliet had swallowed a potion, she raised an alarm.
Romeo’s servant had dallied in Verona and failed to carry the letter to him on time. So, he heard of Juliet’s death and ran to Mantua to tell Romeo about it, and that she lay in the tomb. Friar Laurence had placed Juliet in the family tomb, waiting for her to return to consciousness. Romeo was heartbroken.
Romeo bought poison, for he had decided that he would die beside his wife. He went back to Verona and forced open the door of the tomb. Suddenly, he saw that Paris had also come there. He too was miserable, for he had hoped to marry Juliet.
Romeo asked him to go away, but he wanted to arrest Romeo for the death of Tybalt. Soon, a quarrel broke out between the two. Angry at being stopped, Romeo killed Paris! The dying Paris requested Romeo to place him also in the tomb. And Romeo carried him to the tomb.
Juliet would soon be conscious, but Romeo didn’t know that. Thinking her dead, he was so overcome with grief that he drank the poison and fell dead beside her. When Juliet awoke, she was horrified to see Romeo dead. She heard the sound of footsteps. Juliet then took Romeo’s dagger and plunged it into her heart, kissing farewell to Romeo!
The Capulets and the Montagues entered the tomb, led by Friar Laurence. They were shattered to see both Romeo and Juliet lying dead! And Paris too was dead. What the harm their enmity had caused, they realised. Sadly, though it was too late, they became friends.
