The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

Cast of Characters

Setting

• Verona, Italy

Feuding Families

Montague vs. Capulet

Prince Escalusand his page

• The ruler of Verona. His main concern is stopping the violence between the families. He decides to punish anyone who fights with either exile or death.

• His page is his assistant, who reports any fights on the streets.

Some Citizens of Verona

• Old Man• 3 Musicians• Apothecary

• An Officer• Chief Watchman• Chorus

Friar lawrenceand Friar John

• Friar Lawrence is a peaceful friar who aids Romeo and Juliet. He is one who secretly weds the couple, hoping their matrimony will help the feuding families.

• Friar John is the assistant to Friar Lawrence. His role is to notify Romeo of the plan.

Lord Montague• Romeo’s father. He is very

concerned about Romeo’s depression over Rosaline.

Lady Montague• Romeo’s mother. Wife of

Lord Montague.

Mercutio• While a member of

neither the Capulets or the Montagues, Mercutio is a close friend to Romeo. He is a colorful, funny, vibrant character who sometimes displays a quick temper.

Benvolio• Romeo’s cousin and

friend. He tries to ease Romeo’s mind of Rosaline. A public peacemaker of sorts, he attempts to stop fights before they start.

• Balthasar is Romeo’s servant. He brings news to Romeo in Mantua.

• Abram is a Montague servant who quarrels with Gregory and Sampson.

Balthasar and Abram

LORD Capulet• The head of the Capulet

household, he is very protective of his daughter, though he is not very involved in her life.

Lady Capulet• The mother of Juliet and

wife to Lord Capulet, Lady Capulet is an absent mother who, like her husband, cares a great deal for her daughter but does not relate much to her.

NURSE• A mother-figure to Juliet,

she stands in support of Juliet for much of the play.

TYBALT• Juliet’s cousin. A keen,

arrogant Capulet and over all Montague-hater, Tybalt will not hesitate to fight.

Sampson, Gregory and Peter• Sampson and Gregory are Capulet Servants who provoke a

fight with the Montagues as the play opens. • Peter is a messenger who invites guests to the Capulet

feast where Romeo first meets Juliet.

PARIS and rosaline• Paris is family to the

Prince and potential suitor to Juliet, he is a favorite among the Capulet parents. Juliet does not like him.

• Rosaline is the object of Romeo’s first failed attempt at affection. She does not like Romeo.

Romeo• A young and restless

Montague, Romeo has nothing but love on his mind. In the play’s beginning he is in love with a girl named Rosaline. However, as soon as Romeo lays eyes on Juliet, he is enraptured, and willing to go to the world’s end to keep her.

juliet• The daughter of Capulets,

Juliet is young and inexperienced, but she easily entrusts her entire world to her new love Romeo, despite the grave consequences that may follow.

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend…

Prologue