Romeo and Juliet

The Nurse finds Juliet, apparently dead. Hearing the commotion the Nurse makes, Capulet and Lady Capulet enter, horrified to find their daughter in such a state. Then Friar Lawrence and Paris arrive to fetch the bride for the wedding, and everyone grieves her loss. The wedding arrangements give way to funeral arrangements, as Friar Lawrence takes charge of the situation.

Count Paris, a kinsman of the Prince, tells Capulet that he wants to marry his daughter, Juliet. Capulet’s a little reluctant to agree because his daughter is so young, but he tells Paris that if he can woo Juliet successfully, then he’ll grant him permission to marry her. To help his cause, he invites Paris to a party they’re having at the Capulet house that night. Capulet then gives his servant a guest list for the party, and asks him to track down and invite the people on it. The servant, who is illiterate, then asks the passing Romeo and Benvolio for help reading it.

A mourning Paris visits Juliet’s tomb. Romeo arrives, and the two begin a duel outside the vault, which ends in Paris’s death. When Romeo enters the tomb, he sees Juliet in a corpse-like state and launches into a long, sad speech, kisses her, and drinks his poison. Friar Lawrence enters, just a moment too late, and sees Romeo’s corpse lying beside not-dead Juliet. She wakes up, and Friar Lawrence attempts to convince her to flee the scene. But she won’t leave Romeo. She grabs the vial of poison, but there’s none left. Instead, she reaches for her dagger and then stabs herself.