ENGLISH
LITERATURE NOTES
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
ROMEO AND JULIET
Notes by Linathi Agbude
PROLOGUE
Cue Card 1:
● Summary: The chorus introduces the play, speaking of two noble families in Verona with
an “ancient grudge.”
Cue Card 2:
● Summary: The feud has escalated, involving even the other residents of Verona in their
fighting.
Cue Card 3:
● Summary: The chorus mentions “a pair of star-crossed lovers” from each family, whose
deaths will resolve their parents’ conflict.
Cue Card 4:
● Summary: The narrative of the young lovers’ “death-marked love” is about to be
presented on stage.
ACT 1,SCENE 1
Cue Card 1:
● Characters: Sampson, Gregory (Capulet’s servants), Abraham (Montague’s servant)
● Summary: Sampson and Gregory express their hatred for the Montagues. They
encounter Abraham and provoke a fight.
Cue Card 2:
● Characters: Benvolio (Montague), Tybalt (Capulet)
● Summary: Benvolio tries to stop the fight, but Tybalt enters and accuses Benvolio of
starting it. They fight.
Cue Card 3:
● Characters: Capulet, Lady Capulet, Montague, Lady Montague, Prince Escalus
, ● Summary: The heads of both houses and the Prince arrive. The Prince warns them that
if the feud continues, they will be punished by death.
Cue Card 4:
● Characters: Romeo, Benvolio
● Summary: Benvolio talks with Romeo and finds out that Romeo is in love with a woman
who doesn’t return his feelings.
ACT 1,SCENE 2
Cue Card 1:
● Characters: Capulet, Paris, Peter (Capulet’s servant)
● Summary: Paris expresses his wish to marry Juliet. Capulet thinks Juliet is too young
but agrees to consider it if Juliet also agrees. Capulet invites Paris to a feast.
Cue Card 2:
● Characters: Peter, Romeo, Benvolio
● Summary: Peter, who is illiterate, asks Romeo and Benvolio to read an invitation list for
him. Upon learning about the feast at Capulet’s house, they decide to attend.
Cue Card 3:
● Characters: Romeo, Benvolio
● Summary: Benvolio tries to convince Romeo to forget about Rosaline and find a new
love interest at the feast. Romeo reluctantly agrees to go.
ACT 1 ,SCENE 3
Cue Card 1:
● Characters: Lady Capulet, Nurse, Juliet
● Summary: Lady Capulet and the Nurse discuss Juliet’s age. The Nurse shares a
memory from Juliet’s childhood.
Cue Card 2:
● Characters: Lady Capulet, Juliet
● Summary: Lady Capulet brings up the topic of marriage with Juliet. Juliet admits she
hasn’t thought about it.
Cue Card 3:
● Characters: Lady Capulet, Nurse, Juliet
, ● Summary: Lady Capulet reveals Paris’s intention to marry Juliet. The Nurse praises
Paris. Juliet agrees to observe Paris at the feast.
Cue Card 4:
● Characters: Lady Capulet, Peter, Juliet
● Summary: Peter announces the guests’ arrival. Lady Capulet instructs Juliet to
accompany her to the feast.
ACT 1,SCENE 4
Cue Card 1:
● Characters: Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio
● Summary: The group plans to infiltrate the Capulets’ feast. Romeo is reluctant and
expresses his concerns.
Cue Card 2:
● Characters: Romeo, Mercutio
● Summary: Mercutio encourages Romeo to be joyful and dance. Romeo feels weighed
down by love’s burden.
Cue Card 3:
● Characters: Romeo, Mercutio
● Summary: Romeo admits his reluctance is due to fear from a foreboding dream.
Mercutio reveals his dream about Queen Mab.
Cue Card 4:
● Characters: Romeo, Benvolio
● Summary: Despite his fears, Romeo decides to ignore them and attend the feast.
ACT 1,SCENE 5
Cue Card 1:
● Characters: Capulet, Romeo, Tybalt
● Summary: The feast at the Capulet’s house begins. Romeo sees Juliet and is struck by
her beauty. Tybalt recognizes Romeo and wants to kill him, but Capulet stops him.
Cue Card 2:
● Characters: Romeo, Juliet
● Summary: Romeo approaches Juliet, they exchange romantic words and share a kiss.
LITERATURE NOTES
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
ROMEO AND JULIET
Notes by Linathi Agbude
PROLOGUE
Cue Card 1:
● Summary: The chorus introduces the play, speaking of two noble families in Verona with
an “ancient grudge.”
Cue Card 2:
● Summary: The feud has escalated, involving even the other residents of Verona in their
fighting.
Cue Card 3:
● Summary: The chorus mentions “a pair of star-crossed lovers” from each family, whose
deaths will resolve their parents’ conflict.
Cue Card 4:
● Summary: The narrative of the young lovers’ “death-marked love” is about to be
presented on stage.
ACT 1,SCENE 1
Cue Card 1:
● Characters: Sampson, Gregory (Capulet’s servants), Abraham (Montague’s servant)
● Summary: Sampson and Gregory express their hatred for the Montagues. They
encounter Abraham and provoke a fight.
Cue Card 2:
● Characters: Benvolio (Montague), Tybalt (Capulet)
● Summary: Benvolio tries to stop the fight, but Tybalt enters and accuses Benvolio of
starting it. They fight.
Cue Card 3:
● Characters: Capulet, Lady Capulet, Montague, Lady Montague, Prince Escalus
, ● Summary: The heads of both houses and the Prince arrive. The Prince warns them that
if the feud continues, they will be punished by death.
Cue Card 4:
● Characters: Romeo, Benvolio
● Summary: Benvolio talks with Romeo and finds out that Romeo is in love with a woman
who doesn’t return his feelings.
ACT 1,SCENE 2
Cue Card 1:
● Characters: Capulet, Paris, Peter (Capulet’s servant)
● Summary: Paris expresses his wish to marry Juliet. Capulet thinks Juliet is too young
but agrees to consider it if Juliet also agrees. Capulet invites Paris to a feast.
Cue Card 2:
● Characters: Peter, Romeo, Benvolio
● Summary: Peter, who is illiterate, asks Romeo and Benvolio to read an invitation list for
him. Upon learning about the feast at Capulet’s house, they decide to attend.
Cue Card 3:
● Characters: Romeo, Benvolio
● Summary: Benvolio tries to convince Romeo to forget about Rosaline and find a new
love interest at the feast. Romeo reluctantly agrees to go.
ACT 1 ,SCENE 3
Cue Card 1:
● Characters: Lady Capulet, Nurse, Juliet
● Summary: Lady Capulet and the Nurse discuss Juliet’s age. The Nurse shares a
memory from Juliet’s childhood.
Cue Card 2:
● Characters: Lady Capulet, Juliet
● Summary: Lady Capulet brings up the topic of marriage with Juliet. Juliet admits she
hasn’t thought about it.
Cue Card 3:
● Characters: Lady Capulet, Nurse, Juliet
, ● Summary: Lady Capulet reveals Paris’s intention to marry Juliet. The Nurse praises
Paris. Juliet agrees to observe Paris at the feast.
Cue Card 4:
● Characters: Lady Capulet, Peter, Juliet
● Summary: Peter announces the guests’ arrival. Lady Capulet instructs Juliet to
accompany her to the feast.
ACT 1,SCENE 4
Cue Card 1:
● Characters: Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio
● Summary: The group plans to infiltrate the Capulets’ feast. Romeo is reluctant and
expresses his concerns.
Cue Card 2:
● Characters: Romeo, Mercutio
● Summary: Mercutio encourages Romeo to be joyful and dance. Romeo feels weighed
down by love’s burden.
Cue Card 3:
● Characters: Romeo, Mercutio
● Summary: Romeo admits his reluctance is due to fear from a foreboding dream.
Mercutio reveals his dream about Queen Mab.
Cue Card 4:
● Characters: Romeo, Benvolio
● Summary: Despite his fears, Romeo decides to ignore them and attend the feast.
ACT 1,SCENE 5
Cue Card 1:
● Characters: Capulet, Romeo, Tybalt
● Summary: The feast at the Capulet’s house begins. Romeo sees Juliet and is struck by
her beauty. Tybalt recognizes Romeo and wants to kill him, but Capulet stops him.
Cue Card 2:
● Characters: Romeo, Juliet
● Summary: Romeo approaches Juliet, they exchange romantic words and share a kiss.
