Page 74 - Exercise 1

Page 74 - Exercise 1

Oh Romeo, Romeo. Wherefore art thou Romeo?

The story of Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous love stories in the world. The play was written by William Shakespeare in 1595.

The story takes place in the city of Verona in northern Italy. Two rich families who live there - the Montagues and the Capulets - hate each other, and the play starts with a fight between their men. The Prince of Verona arrives and tells the two families to stop fighting.

That night, the Capulets hold a ball. The Montagues, of course, haven’t been invited, but Romeo, Lord Montague’s son, decides to go to the ball in disguise with his cousin Benvolio and friend Mercutio. Romeo is in love with Rosaline, Lord Capulet’s niece, and he wants to see her. However, while he’s at the ball he sees Juliet, Lord Capulet’s daughter, and he falls in love with her instead.

Later that night, Romeo goes to the Capulets’ garden, although it’s very dangerous. He sees Juliet on her balcony and he hears her saying that she loves him.

Romeo climbs up to the balcony and they say that they love each other. Together they go to see a priest, Friar Lawrence, who marries them secretly.

There is a problem waiting for the young couple, however. Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt, knows Romeo was at the ball. Although Romeo was in disguise, Tybalt recognized his voice. He’s angry with Romeo because he entered the Capulets’ house without an invitation.

He wants to fight Romeo, but Romeo doesn’t want to fight him, because they are now related. However, Romeo can’t say that, because his marriage to Juliet is still a secret. Mercutio fights Tybalt instead. Romeo tries to stop the fight, but then Mercutio is wounded by Tybalt and dies. Romeo is so angry that he chases Tybalt and kills him.

The Prince tells Romeo to leave Verona. Juliet is very unhappy about this. Then her father tells her that in three days’ time she’s going to marry another man.

His name is Paris and he’s in love with Juliet. Juliet is now desperate and she goes to see Friar Lawrence.

He gives her a drug and tells her that if she takes it, she’ll go into a deep sleep for a few days and people will think that she is dead. However, when she wakes up, she’ll be able to go to Romeo.

Juliet takes the drug. Her parents believe she’s dead and put her in the family’s tomb. Friar Lawrence writes a letter to tell Romeo what has happened and tells a messenger to take it to Romeo. However, the messenger doesn’t reach him. Instead, Romeo hears news from his servant that Juliet is dead. As a result, he buys some poison so that he can kill himself if the news is true. Then he returns to Verona and goes to the tomb, where he meets Paris. The two men fight and Romeo kills Paris.

After that, Romeo enters the tomb and finds Juliet. He thinks that she is dead, so he drinks the poison and dies. Later, Juliet wakes up. When she sees that Romeo is dead, she is so upset that she takes his knife and stabs herself.

Friar Lawrence comes to the tomb, but he is too late.

The young lovers are already dead. Finally, members of the two families arrive. They are all very sad and they agree to stop fighting. The Prince ends the play with the words: ‘For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.’