Romeo and Juliet - Act One

          The Romeo and Juliet play is about love and discord in Verona: Mantua, Italy. All cities have love and discord in them, you say, so what makes this plot so special? Well the discord is stirred up between two of the most riches families in the city, so everyone becomes involved. The love is between the children of these two families. Act One, Scene One opens showing us of this discord. Sampson and Gregory, both, whom are servants from the Capulet household, are talking about how much they despise the Montagues and what they would do if they happen to spot one. When who should show up, but a servant from the Montague household, Abram. Abram becomes offended when Sampson bits his thumb at him. Sampson denies that the thumb was not bitten at him as not to get in trouble with the law, although Abram does not believe him. The Sampson and Abram draw their swords and the two begin to fight. Now I know what you are thinking. They are fighting over the fact that one bit his thumb. That’s right. That’s how far the two households have gone. They fight over everything. Even though it is only Sunday morning.  

            Benvolio, a cousin in the Capulet household, has arrived on stage shortly before the outbreak. Seeing the two fighting servants he run over to break up the fight with his sword drawn, then Tybalt enters and seeing all the sword drawn runs over and begins to fight with Benvolio. Even though Benvolio explains that the only reason he had his sword drawn, was to break-up the fight that was between the two servants. Other members of the two households join the fight. Some peace officers arrive to try to break-up the fight, as well as citizens who wish for both sides to just kill each other off. (They are very tried of having their mornings interrupted by fighting.)   Then Capulet and Lady Capulet enter. Capulet is ready to join the fight, but Lady Capulet is holding him back reminding him that he is an old man and not fit to fight. Montague and Lady Montague arrive in a similar manner. At this point the only one who can who can break up this fight is the Prince himself, so he does. He speaks words of shame to both households and asked Capulet to talk with him that morning and Montague that afternoon.

            Now all have left the stage but Montague, Lady Montague, and Benvolio. Montague asked Benvolio what he knows of how the fight started, so Benvolio tell him what he saw. After receiving the information, Capulet goes on to wonder what has been troubling his son Romeo. The Capulet parents are worried about Romeo so much because he has been very withdrawn lately. None of the three have any idea, but when Romeo enter the scene, Benvolio encourages his aunt and uncle to leave so he can see if he can learn what is wrong with Romeo.

            So Benvolio talks with Romeo and learns that Romeo is so depressed because Rosaline, his current girlfriend, is not responding to Romeo’s affections. Now Benvolio is a down to earth kind of dude and thinks Romeo is crazy to woe so much over this girl. He thinks he should just dump her and find another girl that can please him better.

            Scene Two opens with Capulet and Count Paris (a young nobleman) talking about whether or not Juliet has reached the age where she should marry Paris. Paris is ready to marry Juliet but Capulet is hesitant to marry off his only child. He brings up the fact that Juliet will be fourteen years old in a couple weeks, while Paris points out that girls younger the she already have children. In the end Capulet decides to throw a party and if Paris can not find a more beautiful girl at that party than he can marry Juilet. So he sends a servant out with a list of names to all those who should be invited to this party.

            This servant is unable to read. (This was quite normal for those days) So to fillful his master order he must find someone who can read. He sees Romeo and Benvolio, who are yet again discussing Romeo’s love life, and ask them if they can read. After much joking around Romeo reads the list to the servant. Now the servant does not know that Benvolio and Romeo are Montugues so he tells them when and where the party will be. ( If the servant did know who they were he probably would have never talked to them in the first place.) Benvolio suggest that they join the party and see if they can find a girl there that is pettier than Rosalina.

            Scene Three begins with Lady Capulet asking the Nurse to call Juliet to her. Lady Capulet is nervous about talking to her daughter because the two do not talk much. So she asked the Nurse to stay with them since she was the one who raised Juliet. That ends up being a mistake since the Nurse can not seem to shut up and goes on to tell all these embarrassing stories from Juliet’s childhood. After the Capulet ladies gets the Nurse to shut up Lady Capulet asked Juliet how she feels about marriage. Juliet admits that she has not given marriage much thought. Lady Capulet tries to get Juliet warmed up to the idea by telling her that Paris would like her to marry him as well as all the good things that come with marriage. The ladies talk until a servingman interrupts them and tells them that the guests for the party are already downstairs and the ladies are to join the party.

            Scene Four is more about Romeo and his friends. Romeo is not fond of the idea of going to this party and dancing. He claims that his soul is made of lead and he is not ready to wear dancing shoes. The though of dancing when love is being unkind, does not appeal to him. He puts out the idea that he would be willing to stand to the side and bear the touch as to shed light for the dancers. This night has Romeo worried because the night before he has a dream that this night would be the start of several misfortunate events leading to his death although all he tells his friends was that he had a dream. Mercutio, a friend to Romeo, tells him that he should not pay attention to such dreams. He even tells Romeo a story of a fairy, Queen Mab, who messes with mortals dreams as entertainment. Eventually Romeo interrupts Mercutio’s story. Romeo tell him that his dream about. His friends ignore him and Benvolio urges them to hurry.    

            So we move on to Scene Five and the party. This scene opens with the servants rushing to prepare for the party and Capulet acting as a good host by greeting his guests. AND then, Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment you have all been waiting for is here, Romeo sees Juliet.  And it’s love at first sight. Romeo start’s talking to himself about how beautiful she is. Tybalt overhears Romeo’s monologue and recognizes Romeo Montague’s voice. And not Tybalt is ready to fight. Capulet sees him getting ready and intervenes. Capulet tells Tybalt that tonight is not the time and they will welcome Romeo and his friends with open arms.

            Then the scene goes from the focus of Capulet and Tybalt, to Romeo and Juliet.   Romeo is speaking in a lovers rhyme trying to show Juliet how much he loves her. She is impressed and speaks the same language back to him because she likes him as well. They share two kisses before Nurse comes along and interrupts them. Nurse tells Juliet that her mother wishes to see her. After Juliet leaves to talk with her mother, Romeo asked Nurse who Juliet was. (Remember Romeo does not know Juliet’s name.) So the Nurse tells him that she is Juliet Capulet. Romeo is surprised to hear that this wonderful girl he just met is part of the family he is to hate. Benvolio comes along to tell Romeo to leave before they anger someone. Capulet overhears and tells them that they are welcomed. Then all begin to exit except for Nurse and Juliet. As they leave Juliet asked Nurse to name the guest as to learn the name of the one whom she was dancing with. When she finds out that he is Romeo Montague she freaks. For she knows that she is hopeless in love with the one that should be her enemy. And that is how Act One ends.