SmartPass Audio Education Study Guide to Romeo and Juliet (Unabridged, Dramatised) recap

In Verona, the Montague and Capulet families maintain a violent feud. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet at a masked feast, fall in love, and marry secretly with Friar Lawrence's help. Their attempt to create peace instead becomes trapped by public violence: Tybalt kills Romeo's friend Mercutio, Romeo kills Tybalt, and Prince Escalus banishes Romeo. The couple spend one night together before Romeo leaves for Mantua. When Juliet's parents demand that she marry Paris, the friar gives her a potion that will make her appear dead while a message summons Romeo to retrieve her from the tomb. The message fails to arrive. Told only that Juliet has died, Romeo buys poison, returns to Verona, kills Paris at the tomb, and dies beside Juliet. She wakes, finds him dead, and kills herself. Friar Lawrence explains the plan, and the bereaved Montagues and Capulets end their feud.

Servants of the Montague and Capulet households turn an insult into a street fight, drawing in Benvolio and Tybalt before Prince Escalus stops the brawl. He decrees death for anyone who disturbs Verona's peace again. Romeo Montague has avoided the fighting because he is brooding over Rosaline, who does not return his love. Benvolio urges him to look elsewhere. Count Paris asks Lord Capulet for permission to marry Juliet; Capulet says she is still young but invites Paris to court her at a feast. A servant who cannot read accidentally shows the guest list to Romeo and Benvolio, allowing them to learn that Rosaline will attend. Lady Capulet and the Nurse tell Juliet about Paris, and Juliet agrees to observe him without promising more.

Romeo enters the Capulet feast masked with Benvolio and Mercutio. There he sees Juliet, and each becomes immediately absorbed in the other. Tybalt recognizes Romeo's voice and wants to attack him, but Lord Capulet forbids violence under his roof. Only after Romeo and Juliet kiss do they discover that they belong to the enemy families. Romeo later slips into the Capulet orchard, where he overhears Juliet privately considering their love and the obstacle created by their names. He reveals himself, and they exchange promises. Juliet insists that their intentions must be honorable; she will send a messenger the next day, and Romeo is to arrange a marriage. Their relationship has moved from first meeting to a secret commitment before either family knows it exists.

Romeo asks Friar Lawrence to marry him and Juliet. The friar criticizes Romeo's sudden change from Rosaline but agrees, hoping a union might end the feud. Tybalt has sent a challenge to Romeo, while Mercutio and Benvolio remain unaware of the new relationship. Juliet's Nurse meets Romeo, confirms his intentions, and carries instructions back to Juliet. After an anxious wait, Juliet learns that she should go to Friar Lawrence's cell. The young couple meet there and are married in secret. The arrangement depends on the discretion of the friar and Nurse, and its promise of reconciliation has not yet altered the hostility in Verona's streets.

Tybalt confronts Romeo, who refuses to fight because the secret marriage has made Tybalt his relative. Mercutio interprets the refusal as submission and fights Tybalt himself. Romeo intervenes, and Tybalt wounds Mercutio under Romeo's arm; Mercutio dies condemning both houses. Enraged, Romeo kills Tybalt. Prince Escalus spares Romeo's life but banishes him from Verona. Juliet initially believes Romeo has been killed, then learns that he killed her cousin and must leave. She grieves for both men but remains loyal to her husband. Friar Lawrence prevents Romeo from harming himself and arranges for him to spend the night with Juliet before escaping to Mantua. Meanwhile, Capulet promises Juliet to Paris, believing a swift marriage will relieve her grief over Tybalt.

After their single night together, Romeo leaves for Mantua. Juliet refuses to marry Paris, but her father responds with threats and her mother offers no protection. When even the Nurse advises her to accept Paris, Juliet turns entirely to Friar Lawrence. He gives her a potion that will make her appear dead for about two days. The plan is to place her in the family tomb while the friar sends word to Romeo; Romeo can then be present when she wakes, and they can leave together. Juliet agrees despite fears about the tomb and drinks the potion alone. The next morning the Nurse finds her apparently lifeless. The Capulet household's wedding preparations turn into funeral arrangements, and Juliet is carried to the tomb while the secret message is supposed to travel to Mantua.

Romeo's servant Balthasar reaches Mantua with news that Juliet is dead, unaware of the friar's plan. Romeo buys poison and returns to Verona. Friar Lawrence then learns that his letter was never delivered because the messenger was held back by a public-health restriction. At the tomb, Romeo meets Paris, who believes he has come to dishonor the Capulets, and kills him in the ensuing fight. Romeo enters, drinks the poison beside Juliet, and dies. Juliet wakes moments later. The friar urges her to flee but leaves when the watch approaches; Juliet instead kills herself with Romeo's dagger. Friar Lawrence explains the secret marriage and failed escape plan to the prince and both families, supported by Romeo's letter. Prince Escalus holds the feuding houses responsible. The Montagues and Capulets reconcile and promise to honor the dead lovers, ending their conflict only after it has destroyed their children.

Romeo reaches the Capulet tomb before Friar Lawrence's explanation can reach him. Paris confronts him there and is killed in the fight. Believing Juliet truly dead, Romeo drinks poison beside her and dies. Juliet wakes soon afterward. Friar Lawrence tries to lead her away, but flees when the watch approaches; finding Romeo dead and no poison left, Juliet kills herself with his dagger. The watch gathers the friar, the families, and the prince. Friar Lawrence recounts the secret marriage, the intended escape, and the failed message, while Romeo's letter confirms his account. Lady Montague has also died from grief over Romeo's banishment. Prince Escalus condemns both houses for the feud that destroyed their children and acknowledges his own failure to stop it. The Montagues and Capulets finally reconcile, promising memorials to Romeo and Juliet. Their peace comes only after the deaths of the young couple, Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris, and Lady Montague.