I am reading Romeo and Juliet.?

Question

but i cant understand anything that is being said in there.
can you tell me a short summary about the whole story?
or any useful tips to better understand it.

Answer 1

Sparknotes!!!
You can read "No Fear Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet" for free with the 'Shakespearian language' translated into modern words line by line! It's very, very easy to understand! http://nfs.sparknotes.com/romeojuliet/

Or if you just want a plot overview: http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/summary.html

Answer 2

Shakespeare wrote scripts and they are meant to be read aloud. Best, of course, is to see the play - but try reading aloud.

In his day, English was a very sophisticated language, and sometimes, with long descriptive sentences, you really do have to stop and be sure you know what is the subject and what the verb, Once you have those clearly in mind, it often helps illuminate the rest of the sentence.

The story is based on a true romance, and quite a lot is known about the original people.

The more you read it, the more you will understand it.

Answer 3

Romeo and Juliet are two young people who are from feuding families that end up falling in love. They have to hide their relationship because of the feud, and end up slipping away momentarily to get married. Romeo ends up killing the cousin (Tybalt) of Juliet, after Tybalt kills Romeo's best friend (Mercutio). Because of an earlier rival, a "law" was passed that the next person to kill somebody due to the feud would die. Rather than putting Romeo to death after Tybalt's murder, Romeo was banished from Verona. The priest who married Romeo and Juliet, promised to keep Romeo informed about Juliet. Juliet and the priest develope a scheme where Juliet would fake her death by taking a drug to make her appear dead, to get out of marrying a man her family had promised her to (Paris), and runaway to be with Romeo. Juliet takes the drug the day before the wedding, is found dead the next morning. Romeo fails to recieve the letter explaining Juliet's plan, and a friend of his hears of Juliet's death, and tells Romeo. Romeo goes to the place where Juliet's body is kept, and drinks a poison. Just as Romeo dies, Juliet wakes up from her sleep, only to find that her love has died, so she kills herself. The end.

Answer 4

its either the ultimate story of true romance and love, or the story of two horny young kids... lol
two families (montegues (romeo) , and capulets(juliet) ) , a family fued that goes so far back no one really even knows why they hate eachother, they just know that theyre supposed to. mercutio (romeos best friend) convinces romeo to go with him and their friends to a party, where he meets juliet but doesnt know at first she is a capulet.
when he finds out hes upset (juliet is the same way about romeo), but being the young horny easily "in love" kid that he is, doesnt care and jumps the wall and climbs juliets balcony to convince her that he loves her. They fall in love and are married, but due to their circumstances tell only the priest who marries them and juliet's nanny or nurse (who in my opinion is the best character in that whole play).
romeo sees mecutio and tybalt fighting and tries to stop it, in the mess of trying to stop it tybalt kills mercutio. in a fit of rage romeo kills tybalt. the news gets back to juliet and she at first thinks its romeo thats been killed. Romeo goes to juliet and they spend one night together before romeo has to leave because he has been sentenced to banishment or death if he is found. juliet freaks out tells the priest that shes going to kill herself because she cant be with romeo so the priest gives her a potion that will put her in a "death like trance" his idea is that everyone will think shes dead, romeo will recieve his letters of whats going on and romeo will come down and he and juliet can be together, and somehow this will all solve the fued between the two families. romeo doesnt recieve the letter however and comes to see her "dead". as she wakes he has already drank the poision (that he has bought from the apothocary). she wakes to see him dead, and kills herself on his dagger after hoping there would be poision left on his lips, she kisses him one last time then kills herself.

thats the play in a short (no so short) summary... lol
try watching the dicaprio version of the movie, it had the shakspearean language but has been set in a modern time, and is very acurate to this play. ive talked to people who have never understood shakespear who understood that movie because the actions were set in todays time, and went along with the language etc....

hope that was helpful :)

Answer 5

The opening monolouge tells the story in a nutshell.

Two young people from familes who hate each other fallin love in Verona the city.

They take their life due to fate and thier parents hate dies too.

In the begining of the play some Montagues "Bite thier thumbs at a passing group of capulates. A brawl breaks out and some are killed.

The prince comes and warns that if anyone does this raivlry in the streets again thier lives will be the price.

Anyway Benvolio a friend of Romeos finds him and is concerned because R. seems depressed. R. says it is because he loves a girl Rosaline and she does not love him (she will not be hit with cupids arrow)

Romeos friend Mercuico shows up with a servant who cannot read. Romeo takes the list and reads. It has all the names of the guests to capulates party that will be held that night. Mercucios name is on the list because he is related to the prince. Roslines is too. So B and M go with Romeo to the feast. Romeo is only going to see Rosilaine.

Meanwhile Juliet is in conversation of a propsal of future marrige (With her mother) to county Paris. Juliet is merely thirteen and is unsure but she assures her mother that she can learn to love paris if it be her will.

Romeo and his firends are arriving at the party and R is still in a funk over Rosaline. So Mercucio starts goofing off calling R a dreamer and he speaks of a fairy named Oueen Mab who visits night dreamers. He gives an elaborate description of her and her charroit. R is unmoved and tells M to calm down because he is talking about nothing.

Next Romeo and Juliet make eye contact. He mentally speaks of how outstandingly beautiful she is.

But Juliets hot headed cousin Tybalt takes notice of his persence and raises a ruckous to Lord Capulaet. Lord C tells him that R is being a gentlemen and to leave him alone. Lady C calls T a rude boy for rasing a fuss.

J. and R. are horrofied when they discover that they are in love with their great enimes children!

J. is on the balcony later telling herself that Romeo could be hers if he would only take away his name. Because only his name was an enemy to her. Romeo appears suddenly and renonces his name and proposes to her.

He goes straight to Frair Lawrence who is relcuntant at first to marry thm until he sees that this may turn the households hatered for each other to love. So he marrys them.

R. is walking and T tries to provoke him into a fight. R avoids it and M. starts a fight with T Romeo tries to break it up because of this M is killed. Mad with rage R kills T and flees to F.L

The prices decides to let R live in exlie found in Verona he should die. R is distraught when he hears this and asks why the prince does not kill him instead of him being away from J

F.L is livid and tells Romeo to be a man, count his blessings, and go confort J. He does.

R goes to mantua and Lord C decides that J should Marry C. P right away because of her grief of T death. J refuses and L.C tells her she is on the street if she will not obey.

J goes to F.L ready to die if he has no idea to help her. F.L gives her a potion that will make her sleep 42 hours like she is dead and R will take her from the grave to Mantua.

She goes home gives cosent to marry C.P and drinks the potion. Thinking she is dead and not knowing of the letter F.L is sending to tell J of the plan R friend tells him J is dead.

R buys posion and driks it minutes before J awakes. She sees him and thrusts his dagger through her heart.

he C and M familes are friends from then on.

I hope this helps you!

Answer 6

There are two families and they hate eachother. The Romeo is falls inlove with the dauter of the other family. Juliet adn Romeo fall inlove, they try and keep it a serctret. The families find out. Juliet drinks this stuff that makes her look like she is dead. Romeo come to find that Juliet is dead. He kills himself. Juliet wakes up. Juliet kills herself...The end

Answer 7

Here's another good one, Shakespeare-online. Has the entire text of the play, plot synopsis, etc.

http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/romeoscenes.html