Romeo and Juliet - Act Four

Act Four, Scene One opens with Friar Lawrence and Paris. Paris is telling Friar Lawrence that he and Juliet are to be married on Thursday. Friar Lawrence wonders if this is wise and he asked Paris what he thinks. Paris tells Friar Lawrence that Capulet is the one who wants them to be married so soon. He tells his worries to Friar Lawrence that he does not know Juliet well; he implies that he has tried to talk to her but all Juliet has done since Tybalt’s death was cry. At this point Juliet enters for she has come to talk to Friar Lawrence for advice to get out of the wedding. Paris greets her cheerfully but Juliet brushes him off. The two go back in forth in that manner for quite some time, Paris being kind to Juliet and Juliet brushing him off. (You have to feel bad for the guy. Here he is being all nice but for reasons he doesn’t know she is replying harshly.) 

            Friar Lawrence breaks the two up and sends Paris away so he can talk with Juliet. Juliet asked Friar Lawrence what he thinks she should do. She tells Friar Lawrence that she would rather kill herself than be married again. Friar Lawrence tries to get Juliet to calm down. He tells her if she has the strength to kill herself then she will be able to drink a mixture. He goes on to explain his plan. Friar Lawrence tells Juliet that she will drink a mixture that will make it seem as if she is dead. Juliet will then be placed in the tomb since everyone thinks that she is dead. Friar Lawrence will tell Romeo to return and when Romeo returns he will take Juliet away to Mantua. With this plan ready, Scene One ends.

            Scene Two has a bit of comedy relief in the beginning. Capulet and servants are joking around about the wedding preparations. A servingman and Capulet are taking about how only the best cooks will eat off their fingers while cooking. (Gross, but at least they are not afraid to eat their own food.) Then Capulet talks with Nurse about how Juliet went to Friar Lawrence’s cell. He hopes that Friar Lawrence will talk some sense into Juliet.  Juliet then enters the scene acting all happy and tells her family that she is ready to follow her father’s wishes and marry Paris. Capulet is overjoyed when he hears this and decides to move the wedding to the next day. As Juliet and Nurse leave to find a dress for Juliet, Lady Capulet worries if they will be ready to put on a wedding the next day. Capulet tells his wife not to worry and that she should go help Juliet and Nurse. He says that he shall do a housewife’s duties that night so the wedding shall go on tomorrow and Scene Two comes to an end.

            In Scene Three Lady Capulet enters as Juliet is telling Nurse to leave. Lady Capulet asked Juliet asks if she will be fine on her own. Juliet says that she will and Nurse and Lady Capulet should go help with the preparations, for there is much to do. Nurse and Lady Capulet agree and leave. Juliet braces herself to drink the vial that will make is seem as she is dead when she really is not. She worries aloud whether or not the mixture will work at. She gets ready to kill herself with a dagger, in worry that it will not work but decides against killing herself. Then she fears that it is really a poison and Friar Lawrence wants to kill her so that he will not commit a sin by marring her twice. She tells herself that by killing her Friar Lawrence would commit a sin. Besides that she tells herself that Friar Lawrence is a kind and holy man. Juliet begins to obsess if she will die in the sepulcher because she will not be able to get enough air. Then she begins to stress about the fact that she will wake to early and go crazy when she sees her dead family members around her. She decides that she will take the vial because that is the only way that she will be able to see Romeo again. So she takes the vial. Scene Three ends when Juliet falls back unconscious.

            Scene Four has the whole Capulet household (except Juliet) preparing for the wedding. The whole household is in a state of chaos. Everyone is running around looking for supplies, more hands, etc. Nurse and Lady Capulet are telling Capulet that he should go lay down so he does not become sick. Capulet is assuring the ladies that he can handle being up late and it is not a problem. Capulet tells Nurse that it is morning and she is to go wake up Juliet. Scene Four ends. 

            Scene Five begins with Nurse calling for Juliet to wake up. As Juliet does not respond Nurse becomes more and more persistent. She reaches over to shake Juliet and finds Juliet unresponsive. She begins to realize that something is wrong. She draws the conclusion that Juliet is dead. (Remember that Juliet just seems dead, she is not really dead.) She starts calling out that Juliet is dead and for everyone to come. Lady Capulet hears Nurse’s cries and asks her why is her yelling. Nurse shows her Juliet and Lady Capulet starts screaming. Capulet comes in asking what is taking Juliet so long. The ladies start wailing that Juliet is dead. When Capulet sees that the ladies are right he becomes upset. Paris, Friar Lawrence, and some musicians, who are here to play during the wedding, enter the scene asking for Juliet. They find out that Juliet is dead and Paris breaks down, while Friar Lawrence keeps a cool head. (That would be because Friar Lawrence knows that Juliet is not truly dead.) Friar Lawrence attempts to speak word of comfort to those who are grieving for Juliet. He tells them that they should dress Juliet in her finest to prepare her for her funeral. After that speech Friar Lawrence, Lady Capulet, Capulet, and Paris all leave.  One of the musicians suggests that it time for them to leave. (There are three all together.) Nurse agrees and says that now is not the time for joyful music. As the musicians get ready to leave Peter, servant, enters and begins to tease the musicians. After they completely destroy the other’s self-esteem with teasing the musicians decide to stay for diner and Act Four comes to a close.