English - Romeo and Juliet Summary

Question 1

What happens in act 1, scene 1?

Answer 1

• Sampson and Gregory fight in the street with
Abram and Balthasar
• The fight was eventually broken by the prince

Question 2

What happens in act 1, scene 2?

Answer 2

• Paris asks capulet for permission to marry Juliet
• Capulet is hesitant; no deal is arranged
• Capulet announces a party
• Benvolio believes that the party is an excellent
opportunity for Romeo to discover that rosaline isn’t
the most beautiful women.
• Romeo agrees

Question 3

What happens in act 1, scene 3?

Answer 3

• Lady Capulet attempts to convince Juliet that marriage
and child-rearing are a women’s responsibilities
• Juliet is not impressed, despite the insistence that
Paris would make an excellent husband

Question 4

What happens in act 1, scene 4?

Answer 4

• Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio are on their way to the
party
• Romeo is having second thoughts about attending
because he is feeling depressed about Rosaline

Question 5

What happens in act 1, scene 5?

Answer 5

• Romeo sees Juliet and marvels at her beauty
• Tybalt recognizes Romeo’s voice and knows that he is
a Montague
• Tybalt points him out to Capulet and threatens to kill
Romeo
• Capulet orders him not to disturb the feast
• Romeo and Juliet meet, and proclaim their love for
each other

Question 6

What happens in act 2, scene 1?

Answer 6

• Benevolent and Mercuric try to find Romeo
• Mercuric makes fun of Romeo and the whole idea of
romantic love
• Romeo wants to be alone and hides

Question 7

What happens in act 2, scene 2?

Answer 7

• Romeo visits the Capulet mansion at night and hides in
the garden
• He spots Juliet on a balcony and overhears her
declare that she loves him
• Romeo makes his presence known and they discuss
their love
• Juliet agrees to marry Romeo if his intentions are
honorable
• They part and Romeo goes off to make the necessary
wedding preparations

Question 8

What happens in act 2, scene 3?

Answer 8

• Romeo goes to meet Friar Laurence, his friend and
religious confessor
• Friar Laurence advice Romeo to be cautious, but is
willing to perform the marriage
• He hopes that the marriage will end the Montague-
capulet feud

Question 9

What happens in act 2, scene 4?

Answer 9

• We learn that Mercutio hates Tybalt
• He has the courage and the physical strength to
confront him
• Romeo gives the Nurse instructions that he and Juliet
shall be married at Friar Laurence’s cell that very
afternoon
• The Nurse agrees to deliver the information to Juliet

Question 10

What happens in act 2, scene 5?

Answer 10

• Juliet has been waiting three hours for the promised
word from Romeo
• The Nurse arrives back and refuses to answer Juliet’s
questions
• Nurse then delivers the message that Juliet is to
meet Romeo at Friar Laurence’s cell, where the
marriage will take place

Question 11

What happens in act 2. scene 6?

Answer 11

• Romeo is cautioned by Friar Laurence to show
moderation
• Juliet enters and the two confess their love
• Friar prepares the wedding ceremony

Question 12

What happens in act 3, scene 1?

Answer 12

• Tybalt enters looking for Romeo, Mercutio confronts
Tybalt
• Tybalt challenges Romeo, Mercutio intervenes
• Tybalt is then slain
• Romeo then draws on Tybalt and he is slain
• The prince arrives and Romeo is banished and
will be killed on sight if he is found within the
city

Question 13

What happens in act 3, scene 2?

Answer 13

• The nurse enters and tells Juliet of the death of Tybalt
and of Romeo’s banishment
• The Nurse promise to find Romeo so that the two
can have a final meeting before Romeo goes into
exile

Question 14

What happens in act 3, scene 3?

Answer 14

• Romeo shows great grief at the sudden turn of events
in his life with the Friar Lawrence
• The Nurse enters and conveys the news of Juliet’s
grief and turmoil to Romeo, who threatens to kill
himself.
• Friar then devises a way for Romeo to escape to
Mantua, where he will be safe until all the
difficulties can be resolved

Question 15

What happens in act 3. scene 4?

Answer 15

• Capulet declares that paris will marry Juliet on

Thursday

Question 16

What happens in act 3, scene 5?

Answer 16

• Romeo and Juliet part after spending a night together
• Lady Capulet declares revenge for Romeo and says
she will have him killed and announces that Juliet is
to marry paris on Thursday
• Juliet rejects the marriage, and she is threatened
with banishment from her family
• Juliet goes to Friar Laurence for help

Question 17

What happens in act 4, scene 1?

Answer 17

• Paris and Juliet meet at Friar’s cell
• Paris is there to arrange his marriage to Juliet; Juliet
is there for Friar’s aid
• Friar Laurence gives Juliet a potion that will give
her the appearance of death
• Friar also has a plan that will allow Romeo
to rescue Juliet from the tomb and take her to
Mantua

Question 18

What happens in act 4, Scene 2?

Answer 18

• Capulet makes wedding preparations, and Juliet
returns
• She pretends to agree to her father’s wishes
• Juliet and the Nurse retire to Juliet’s room to
prepare the clothing and jewelry she will wear

Question 19

What happens in act 4, scene 3?

Answer 19

• Juliet drinks the potion, but considers and fears what

the potion might do to her

Question 20

What happens in act 4, scene 4?

Answer 20

• Preparations are being made for the wedding feast

* Capulet calls for the nurse to awaken Juliet

Question 21

What happens in act 4, scene 5?

Answer 21

• The nurse attempts to awaken Juliet but cannot
• Juliet is declared to be dead, and capulet decides
that the proposed wedding shall give way to a
funeral

Question 22

What happens in act 5, scene 1?

Answer 22

• Balthasar brings Romeo the news of Juliet’s death
• Romeo decides to go to Juliet’s tomb, but not before
seeking an apothecary who will sell him poison
• He finds the individual and makes the purchase

Question 23

What happens in act 5, Scene 2?

Answer 23

• Friar John is unable to go to Mantua with the message for Romeo
• He came in contact with a carrier of the plague and
he is prevented from leaving the city of Verona
• Friar Laurence decides to go to the tomb of Juliet
himself in order to awaken her

Question 24

What happens in act 5, Scene 3?

Answer 24

• Romeo and Balthasar come to place flowers on
Juliet’s grave
• Paris has arrived at the same time to perform the
same ritual
• Romeo bids Balthasar to stay at a distance
• Romeo opens the tomb just as paris approaches;
paris recognizes Romeo as a montague and
challenges him
• Romeo slays paris and paris is placed inside the
tomb
• Romeo asks forgiveness, declares his love, and drinks
the poison, and dies
• Juliet awakens, and kills herself with Romeo’s dagger

Question 25

What happens at the end of act 5, scene 3?

Answer 25

• The prince and capulets arrive first to discover the
horror after the watch alerts the town to the tragedy
in the tomb
• Montague’s wife dies in the exile of Romeo
• The Prince hears Friar Laurence’s explanation of the
events, and receives the letter written by Romeo to
his father