Romeo and Juliet

Many years ago in Verona, Italy, there were two families.

‘We are the Capulets.’

‘We are the Montagues.’

These families are always fighting. The Montagues have a son, Romeo. The Capulets have a daughter, Juliet. One night the Capulets have a party and Romeo goes. He meets Juliet and they fall in love. Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt, sees Romeo and is very angry.

‘He’s a Montague! Get him!’

‘Oh Romeo, why are you a Montague?’

Romeo and Juliet talk and decide to get married.

    They know that their families will be very angry so they go to Friar Lawrence and are

married in secret. The next day, Tybalt sees Romeo. He is still angry with Romeo and wants to fight him. Romeo doesn’t want to fight but his best friend, Mercutio, does.

‘If you won’t fight him, I will!’

Mercutio fights Tybalt. Tybalt kills Mercutio! Romeo is so upset he fights Tybalt and

kills him too! The Prince of Verona is very angry and sends Romeo away. Juliet goes to Friar Lawrence for help.

    ‘Here is a special drink. You will sleep for two days. Your family will think you are dead but you will wake up. Then you and Romeo can be free together.’ Friar Lawrence sends Romeo a letter to tell him the plan. But Romeo doesn’t get the message. He hears that Juliet is dead! Romeo is so upset he buys some poison and goes to see Juliet. ‘Now I will stay with you forever.’

Too late, Juliet wakes up! She sees what happened.

‘Oh no! You didn’t leave any poison for me but here is your knife.’

Romeo and Juliet are both dead. Friar Lawrence tells the Capulets and Montagues

what happened. They are so sad they agree not to fight any more.