Act 5, Scene 2

Friar John goes to Friar Lawrence’s cell to tell him that Romeo didn’t receive the letter about the plan as there was a plague in Mantua, so Friar John wasn’t allowed in and couldn’t deliver the letter. With this information Friar Lawrence must go to the vault to await Juliet’s awakening and fix the situation. “Now must I to the monument alone, within this three hours will fair Juliet wake”.

Act 5, Scene 1

Balthasar visits Romeo to inform him that Juliet is dead. In shock Romeo goes to the Apothecary to get poison so he can kill himself after he sees Juliet’s body. “To Juliet’s grave, for there must I use thee.”

Act 4, scene 4&5

The servants at the Capulets are running round the house on Wednesday morning preparing for the wedding. As Juliet isn’t up yet Capulet sends the Nurse to wake her up. The Nurse tries to wake Juliet and realises she is dead “alas alas! help,help! my lady’s dead!” and alerts the rest of the family. Friar Lawrence appears and takes her to the church for the funeral.

Act 4, Scene 2&3

Juliet arrives home from the church and is told the wedding has been moved forward to Wednesday, after pretending to apologise to Capulet. The Nurse and Juliet head to her room to prepare for the marriage the next day. Lady Capulet attempts to join them but Juliet insist that they both leave her alone for the rest of the night to proceed with the scheme. After worrying about the plan Juliet drinks the potion and falls into a deep sleep “here,s drink-I drink to thee”.

 

Act 4 Scene 1

Friar Lawrence’s plan:

Juliet is to go to sleep alone on Wednesday night and drink the potion Friar Lawrence gave her. The potion will slow down her heart rate and make her appear dead with cold, pale skin, the effect will last 42 hours. On Thursday morning the Capulets will see Juliet and think she is dead, her seemingly dead body will be taken to the Capulet’s family tomb and left there. Friar Lawrence will inform Romeo of the plan and when she wakes the two will be awaiting her in the vault. Romeo and Juliet will then have the chance to escape. She must be brave if the plan is going to succeed.

The Capulets  and the nurse are up in Juliet’s room, after Romeo has just left, telling her she will marry Paris that week on Thursday but Juliet refuses this request. Capulet is disgraced at this remark and tells Juliet he wants nothing to do with her if she doesn’t marry Paris on Thursday. ” I tell the what: get thee to church a’Thursday Or never after look me in the face”  but Juliet still denies his offer. As Capulet and Lady Capulet leave Juliet asks for the nurse’s advice on the situation and pretends to agree with considering marrying Paris, but inside she knows it will never happen and considers her options either marrying Paris or taking her own life. As the nurse and her parents were no help to her she decides to see Friar Lawrence for advice of choosing between the two painful options.

Act 3, Scene 4

Later that night Capulet, Paris, and Lady Capulet are negotiating the date of the wedding they have planned for Juliet and Paris. Capulet want to have is sooner than later as he wants more protection for Juliet. They agree on Thursday that week “a’Thursday be it then”. Lady Capulet goes to search for Juliet to inform her on the arrangement.

Romeo approaches Friar Lawrence in his cell to ask what his punishment is, gladly Friar Lawrence announces that Romeo is only banished but Romeo would rather die as leaving would be more painful than death. The nurse arrives and requests for Romeo to meet Juliet that night for the last time before his banishment. Romeo agrees with the nurse as she gives him the ring, “here, sir, a ring she bid me give you sir”. They set off to meet Juliet.

Act 3 Scene 2

Juliet is in the Capulets orchard eagerly awaiting Romeo’s appearence when the nurse arrives and informs Juliet of Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s banishment, she is upset at first but realises Romeo must have had a reason and wouldn’t do it willingly. She eventually takes Romeo’s side. Juliet requests for the nurse to fetch Romeo for her because she doesn’t want to die a virgin and so she can see him for the last time. “O find him! Give this ring to my true knight, and bid him come to take his last farewell”.

Act 3 Scene 1

Benvolio and Mercutio are in the streets of Verona debating whether who would be the better fighter between the two. Tybalt and other Capulets arrive searching for Romeo who just got married. Romeo enters and is welcomed with threats from Tybalt calling him a villain and challenging him to a fight, but Romeo refuses as they are now family although Tybalt doesn’t know about the marriage. Mercutio develops anger as his friend isn’t standing up for himself and challenges tybalt to a fight. Romeo knows it will end badly, as they were warned by the prince, and steps between the two trying to stop the fight. Tybalt takes advantage of this and stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arm. Mercutio becomes mad at both of them as Romeo caused the stabbing and curses their houses in rage, “A plague o’both your houses” and repeats it as his last words before he dies.  Romeo decides Mercutio mustn’t die alone, it must be him Tybalt or both of them, and they begin another fight, Romeo wins and Tybalt dies. Benvolio then tells Romeo that he must flee the scene as he and his family has been threatened by the prince. The authorities arrive and Benvolio tells them about the fight. The prince decides Romeo must leave Verona for good or be executed.