The Conflict

The story of Romeo and Juliet is the age-old story of two teenagers experiencing the intense joy and pain that only those new to love and romance can feel.

Romeo and Juliet belong to different sides of feuding families. No reason is ever given for the endless fighting, but it forms the violent background for this powerful tale of forbidden love.

Romeo Montague, along with his gang, crashes a party (disguised) to get a good look at Rosaline, the girl who's made the love-lorn Romeo mope around for the last few days. At the party, it doesn't take long for Romeo's attention to be completely diverted when he catches sight of Juliet. They meet, they kiss, they fall in love. So far, so perfect. But then Romeo finds out his new girlfriend is a Capulet, and not too long after, Juliet finds out her man's a Montague.

No problem, though, for young love. After the party, Juliet strolls out onto her balcony and declares her love for Romeo. Unknown to her, he's lurking in the shadows beneath her balcony. After hearing what she's got to say, he comes into the light, and tells her he loves her too. All their passion declared, the two make their plans, and, with the help of Friar Lawrence and Juliet's nurse, the two are married in secret the next day.

 This same day sees a confrontation between the Montagues and Capulets. Two of Romeo's friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, are the target of Tybalt, a Capulet. Tybalt wants to pick a fight; he spotted Romeo at the party, but was stopped by his uncle Capulet from making any kind of scene among the partygoers. He's a hot-blooded type even on a good day, and now his blood is really boiling. The day's a scorcher, and just as Mercutio has managed to rub Tybalt up the wrong way, Romeo turns up. Tybalt is quick to go for his man. To the Montague gang's surprise, Romeo will not fight. Of course Romeo will not fight. He's now related to Tybalt through his marriage to Juliet. Mercutio cannot understand Romeo's strange behaviour, and steps in to fight on his friend's behalf. In the following scuffle, Mercutio is killed. The passionate Romeo cannot contain himself, and kills Tybalt in furious vengeance.

Then the law turns up. Totally fed up of all the violent feuding, The Prince of Verona issues an edict: Romeo is banished for his crime. He has to leave by dawn the next morning. His last night in Verona also happens to be his wedding night, so he spends it in the arms of his new wife, leaving for his exile at daybreak.

 Juliet is pretty upset to begin with. Then to make matters worse, her father tells her that he has arranged for her to be married to Paris. Juliet refuses the engagement, but Capulet makes it clear that she will be married whether she likes it or not.

In despair, Juliet goes to visit Friar Lawrence under the pretext of going to confession. She threatens to kill herself. Convinced that she means this, Friar Lawrence comes up with a scheme: he will supply Juliet with a drug that will cause her to fall into a deep sleep that will be mistaken for death. She will be mourned and then put in the family tomb. Romeo will be told of the plot, so that when Juliet wakes from her sleep, he can whisk her away.

All goes according to plan. Juliet is found 'dead' on her bed, and is mourned and put in the family tomb. But the second part of the plan does not go so well.

Before the friar's letter reaches Romeo in exile, Romeo hears the false report of Juliet's death. He has had enough of life. He buys strong poison, and hurries to Juliet's tomb. There he has to fight off Paris, who is also mourning Juliet's death. In the fight, Paris is killed. Once in the tomb, Romeo lays down by Juliet's side, takes the poison, and dies.

Just seconds afterwards, Juliet wakes from her drug-induced coma. She finds Romeo dead through then poison, and distraught, kills herself.

The ending can hardly be described as happy, but at least the Montagues and the Capulets come to their senses. The heads of these families realise that these deaths would never have happened were it not for the feud. They shake hands and agree to bury the hatchet.