Romeo and Juliet: Every Scene Summarised

6 min readJan 22, 2024

A breakdown of every scene

Note: This is a succinct condensed summary of the play. Not a line-by-line analysis, while I would love to do one, though that would be far from condensed. Thus, if you are to be examined on the play, relying on this will not be enough. Reading the play in full, gathering key quotes and analysing it would be wise. Nonetheless, I hope this is of great assistance and please ask any questions!

Prologue: Sets the scene. A sonnet. Dramatic irony- we know what will happen in the play, right from the start.

Act 1, Scene 1: Starts straight away with violence. The hatred has seeped so deep, that even the servants of both families are fighting with each other. Heads of both families come to fight. Prince’s speech, warns of the consequences if anyone engages in another quarrel. Romeo is lovesick when Benvolio finds him. We learn of his unrequited love.

Act 1, Scene 2: Paris asks Lord Capulet for Juliet’s hand in marriage. Capulet allows him to court her instead. Romeo learns of the Capulet’s party, which Rosalind has been invited to, so he will go, in the hopes he will see her.

Act 1, Scene 3: The Nurse is very fond of Juliet- their relationship is strong. Lady Capulet enthusiastically describes Paris to Juliet, who does not have much interest.

Act 1, Scene 4: Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio are going to the Capulet’s party, masked. Mercutio speaks of Queen Mab when Romeo mentions his bad dream.

Act 1, Scene 5: Party scene. Romeo falls for Juliet. (And falls hard.) Tybalt is enraged to know that Montagues are at the party. Romeo and Juliet talk; their first words to each other are in the form of a sonnet. Then, Romeo finds out who Juliet is and the implications that follow, for he has fallen in love with the enemy. Juliet learns the same and would rather die than not marry him. She keeps her affections from the Nurse.

Prologue/Chorus of Act 2: Romeo’s old ‘love’ for Rosaline has withered away, replaced with intense infatuation for Juliet. Is a sonnet.

Act 2, Scene 1: Mercutio and Benvolio jesting about Romeo, while they find him.

Act 2, Scene 2: Described as the balcony scene. Romeo overheard Juliet talking fondly of him. He reciprocates. They hastily plan their marriage.

Act 2, Scene 3: Friar Lawrence learns and warns of Romeo’s rushed plan. He advises him to go about ‘Wisely and slowly.’

Act 2, Scene 4: Mercutio and Benvolio jest and share sexual jokes, teasing Romeo and then making fun of the Nurse. The Nurse finds Romeo and they plan Juliet’s escape to get married.

Act 2, Scene 5: Juliet impatiently awaits the Nurse’s return and news. Once the Nurse arrives, she takes her time telling Juliet, highlighting their playful relationship. Juliet is told to go to Friar Lawrence’s cell to marry Romeo.

Act 2, Scene 6: Romeo and Juliet get married.

Act 3, Scene 1: Another fight breaks out. Tybalt kills Mercutio. Mercutio curses both houses. To avenge Mercutio’s death, Romeo kills Tybalt, after not wanting to fight. The prince arrives and banishes Romeo from Verona.

Act 3, Scene 2: Juliet’s monologue is full of longing for Romeo, then she finds out about Tybalt’s murder and becomes distressed. Her speech becomes filled with love and hate for her ‘beautiful tyrant’. The Nurse leaves to find Romeo, so he can see Juliet before he leaves Verona.

Act 3, Scene 3: Romeo laments to Friar Lawrence. The Nurse finds him and tells him he is like Juliet in his pain. Romeo draws his dagger in an attempt to kill himself (he is reckless and impulsive like that). Then he leaves to go see Juliet.

Act 3, Scene 4: Capulet decides Juliet should Paris now and marks the day with Paris. The scene is very short, mirroring the rushed atmosphere.

Act 3, Scene 5: Juliet bids farewell to Romeo. Lots of death imagery and foreshadowing. Juliet finds out about her planned marriage to Paris, she refuses but is forced and her father belittles and insults her. The Nurse also betrays Juliet when she takes Lord Capulet’s side. Juliet says that taking her own life is the only thing she has the power to do now.

Act 4, Scene 1: Paris tells Friar Lawrence of his wedding plans. Juliet enters and they exchange words, with Juliet’s responses clipped and terse. The Friar and Juliet concoct a plan, where Juliet will drink the contents of the vial to put her in a sleep so deep it will appear as if she is dead. Romeo will take her away to Mantua after. Friar Lawrence will send a letter to Romeo, so he knows of the plan.

Act 4, Scene 2: Wedding preparations ensue. Juliet gives her family a false sense of obedience.

Act 4, Scene 3: The Nurse and Lady Capulet leave Juliet, after helping her prepare for the wedding. Juliet recites a graphic monologue before she takes the potion.

Act 4, Scene 4: The ‘wedding’ day. The Nurse goes to wake Juliet.

Act 4, Scene 5: Juliet is found ‘dead’. The Capulets, Nurse, and Paris are greatly distressed. Friar Lawrence arranges her ‘funeral’. The servants and musicians exchange wordplay.

Act 5, Scene 1: Balthasar tells Romeo Juliet is dead, Romeo believes this, for he does not receive Friar Lawrence’s letter. Romeo is heartbroken and seeks out an apothecary to get some poison to instantly end his life.

Act 5, Scene 2: Friar Lawrence learns Friar John could not send the letter, so he goes to the tomb so he can be there when Juliet awakes to tell her Romeo did not get the letter and that he will send another.

Act 5, Scene 3: Paris is mourning Juliet at the tomb. Romeo comes with Balthasar. Romeo tells Balthasar to leave him. He gives him a letter intended for Friar Lawrence. While Paris is at the tomb, he sees Romeo. Paris engages in a fight with Romeo. Romeo kills him. Romeo then opens the tomb to find Juliet there, thinking she is truly dead. After a monologue, Romeo drinks the poison and dies next to Juliet. As Friar Lawrence goes to the tomb, he finds Balthasar, who tells him Romeo has gone to the tomb. Friar Lawrence goes to the tomb and finds Romeo and Paris dead, just as Juliet wakes up. Friar Lawrence tells Juliet Romeo is dead and tells her to leave with him before they are caught. Juliet sends him away, refusing to leave. Juliet kisses Romeo in the hopes that the poison he drank may remain on his lips to kill her too. When Juliet hears people coming, she uses the dagger to kill herself. When the people come to the tomb and see the dead youth, Friar Lawrence tells them the true recount of what happened. Capulet asks for Montague’s hand in a sort of peace-making gesture. Montague will make a gold statue for Juliet and Capulet for Romeo. The Price remarks how woeful a story is the one of Romeo and Juliet.