Don’t Read Shakespeare Alone: The Romeo and Juliet Edition

The story ends in tragedy at the Capulet's monument. Romeo and Juliet's families reconcile, finally ending the feud.    Content Warning: suicide

Friar Lawrence learns the alarming news that Romeo never got his letter because Friar John was quarantined in a plague house.  

Romeo hears from his servant that Juliet has died. Believing that to be true, he goes to an apothecary to buy poison. Content Warning: planning suicide 

The Nurse and Juliet's parents think she's dead and are extremely grieved. Friar Lawrence urges them to stop crying, because he's trying to get Juliet's (still living) body to the crypt as soon as possible. Peter has an amusing squabble with the musicians.  

Juliet's parents are in a great mood as they stay up all night getting ready for the wedding. Paris and the musicians arrive. 

Juliet takes the potion that Friar Lawrence gave her, but before she drinks it she imagines all of the horrible things that could go wrong.    Content Warning: contemplation of suicide and disturbing images. 

Juliet pretends to be willing to marry Paris, and her father excitedly changes the date of the wedding to the next day.

Juliet goes to Friar Lawrence for help, and runs into Paris at Friar Lawrence's cell. She and Friar Lawrence talk secretly about what can be done, and he gives her a potion that will cause her to appear dead for forty-two hours.    Content Warning: contemplation of suicide. 

Romeo and Juliet say goodbye to each other. Juliet's mother comes to tell her that she is expected to marry Paris, and Juliet refuses. Her father is enraged by her response, and after the Nurse tells her she should marry Paris, Juliet decides her only source of help is Friar Lawrence.  Content Warnings: verbal abuse, potential physical abuse, and contemplation of suicide.

Lord Capulet offers Paris Juliet's hand in marriage without getting her consent first. He tells Lady Capulet to go and tell Juliet the news right away. 

Friar Lawrence tries to calm Romeo down while he hides out in his cell. The Nurse arrives and gives Romeo a ring from Juliet.  Content Warning: discussions of suicide. 

Juliet learns about Tybalt's death and Romeo's banishment and spirals. Content Warning: suicidal thoughts. 

In this scene, Tybalt tries to fight Romeo but Romeo declines. Mercutio fights Tybalt instead, and he is killed. In his grief, Romeo duels Tybalt and kills him. The Prince declares that Romeo is banished.  Content Warning: violence and death. 

Romeo and Juliet are beyond excited to get married, and Friar Lawrence says he hopes that nothing bad will come of their marriage. They go offstage to get married. 

In this scene, we see Juliet anxiously waiting to hear what Romeo told the Nurse about their marriage. The Nurse stalls for a while, and then finally tells her to go to Friar Lawrence's cell. 

In this scene, we see Romeo and his friends bantering, and the Nurse meets with Romeo to arrange his secret marriage to Juliet. 

In this scene we see Romeo visit his mentor Friar Lawrence, hoping that the friar will be willing to marry him and Juliet. 

In today's episode, we explore the famous "balcony scene", in which Romeo and Juliet profess their love to each other and decide to get married. 

In this scene, we see Romeo go over a wall into the Capulet's orchard, and listen to Mercutio and Benvolio talking about him for a while. 

In today's episode, we break down the Act II prologue.