By Sergio Cornaga & William Shakespeare
Once upon a time, in the city of Verona, there were two households called Montague and Capulet.
The two households had been enemies for many years, and all people belonging
to one household hated those in the other household. Even the friends and
servants of people in the households were part of the feud!
One day, Lord Capulet -the leader of the Capulet
household- decided he would like to throw a party, and almost everyone in
Verona was invited. Lord Capulet thought that nobody in the
Montague household would dare to come- but he was wrong.
Romeo Montague and his friend Mercutio
decided that they would come, but they wore masks so nobody at the party would
know they were members of the Montague household. Romeo was infatuated with
Lord Capulet's niece Rosaline.
Then Romeo saw Juliet -Lord Capulet's daughter-
and instantly fell in love with her. All feelings he had once had for Rosaline
vanished!
Meanwhile, across the room, Lord Capulet and
his nephew Tybalt were watching Romeo. Tybalt
had realized that Romeo was a Montague, and rushed to tell his uncle. However,
Lord Capulet did not wish for there to be violence at his party, so he did
nothing.
Romeo and Juliet's love became mutual despite
the feud.
That night, Juliet stood at her balcony and
declared her love for Romeo to the sky. Just then, Romeo climbed up the orchard
wall to see Juliet and they agreed to marry each other. They knew they must
wed in secret, so that the households of Montague and Capulet would not know
about the marriage.
Friar Laurence agreed to marry Romeo and Juliet,
hoping that the marriage would help to unite Montagues and Capulets, and end
the feud between the two households. After the wedding, the couple parted
knowing that they could not meet again until the friar had told both their
families... but as Friar Laurence watched the two leave he muttered under his
breath, "These violent delights have violent ends".
As Romeo walked home, he met his friends,
Benvolio and Mercutio.
Tybalt approached them and began harassing them.
Romeo tried desperately to prevent a fight, but failed.
Tybalt and Mercutio drew their swords
and began to battle. Mercutio fell to the ground,
dead. Enraged, Romeo drew his sword and slew Tybalt.
Disgusted by the slaughter, the prince of
Verona banished Romeo, hoping it would end the feud between
Montague and Capulet.
Meanwhile, Lord Capulet (unaware of Romeo
and Juliet's marriage) had arranged for Juliet to marry Paris, a faithful
suitor, in hope that it would comfort Juliet after the death of her cousin,
Tybalt. Juliet refused to marry Paris, outraging her father.
Juliet went to Friar Laurence for help, and
together they devised a plan. She was to take a drug before the wedding that
would make her seem dead for forty-two hours. Juliet told Lord Capulet that
she would marry Paris, and then took the drug as she went to sleep. As the
drug's effects began to kick in, Juliet felt the world ripple and melt around
her.
Juliet's nurse tried to wake her, but she
seemed dead. A funeral was held, and Juliet's body
was carried to the Capulet family burial vault. However, the letter sent to
Romeo by Friar Laurence informing Romeo that Juliet was alive had not reached
Romeo. A messenger informed Romeo of Juliet's death, and Romeo had no way
of knowing Juliet was alive.
Romeo, emotionally shattered, bought a flask
of poison and went into Juliet's tomb. He gave Juliet's lifeless body a final
kiss, and brought the poison to his lips.
Suddenly, Friar Laurence arrived, now aware
that his message had not reached Romeo. The friar cried out in horror upon
seeing Romeo's dead body. Just then, Juliet awoke from her drug-induced slumber
to find Romeo's corpse beside her. The friar fled as Juliet lifted Romeo's
dagger and stabbed herself through the chest, falling
upon Romeo's lifeless body.
For never was a tale of more woe, than this
of Juliet and her Romeo.