Romeo and Juliet Play Fact Sheet
Romeo & Juliet, Tragedy, Written between 1591 and 1595
Characters:
Synopsis:
Ruling house of Verona: Prince Escalus is the ruling Prince of Verona,
Count Paris is a kinsman of Escalus who wishes to marry Juliet,
Mercutio is another kinsman of Escalus and a friend of Romeo.
House of Capulet: Capulet is the patriarch of the house of Capulet,
Lady Capulet is the matriarch of the house of Capulet,
Juliet is the 13 year old daughter of Capulet, and the play’s
female protagonist, Tybalt is a cousin of Juliet and the nephew of
Lady Capulet, The Nurse is Juliet’s personal attendant and confidante,
Rosaline is Lord Capulet’s niece and Romeo’s love in the beginning
of the story, Peter, Sampson and Gregory are servants of the
Capulet household.
House of Montague: Montague is the patriarch of the house of
Montague, Lady Montague is the matriarch of the house of
Montague, Romeo is the son of Montague and the play’s male
protagonist, Benvolio is Romeo’s cousin and best friend, Abram
and Balthasar are servants of the Montague household.
Others: Friar Laurence is a Franciscan Friar and is Romeo’s
confidant, Friar John is sent to deliver Friar Laurence’s letter to
Romeo, An Apothecary who reluctantly sells Romeo poison,
A Chorus reads a prologue to each of the first two acts.
“Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.”
Prologue, Romeo and Juliet, Act I prologue.
Quotes:
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.” Juliet
“But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.” Romeo
“For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo” Prince, closing lines to the
play.
In Film
Romeo + Juliet 1996, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire
Danes, directed by Baz Luhrmann.
Romeo and Juliet 1968, directed by Franco Zeffirelli.
West Side Story 1961, starring Natalie Wood.