Shakespeare’s  Romeo  and  Juliet  for  ESL  Students  Adapted  by  Zachary  W.  Brown    Prologue  CHORUS:  Two  families  that  are  similar  in  wealth  and  power,  Living  in  Verona,  where  our  story  takes  place,  Have  been  angry  for  ages  and  are  now  frustrated  again.  Two  children  from  these  families  were  destined  to  fall  in  love,  And  with  the  youths’  death  show  their  parents  the  error  of  their  ways.    SCENE  1:  On  a  Street  SAMPSON  and  GREGORY,  Capulets,  enter  talking  GREGORY Here come two of the house of Montague. ENTER two other servants/lower court people, ABRAHAM and BALTHAZAR, of the Montagues SAMPSON I hate those guys! I’m going to flip them off! [He makes a rude gesture] ABRAHAM Whoa! Did you just flip us off?! SAMPSON Yes I did, sir. ABRAHAM Did you just flip us off?! SAMPSON [to GREGORY] Is the law of our side if I say yes? GREGORY No. SAMPSON No sir, I do not flip you off, but I do make a rude gesture ABRAHAM You lie. SAMPSON Fight us if you’re men. They FIGHT. ENTER BENVOLIO BENVOLIO Ok, ok, ok break it up! Stop fighting, you fools! ENTER TYBALT TYBALT [to BENVOLIO] What are you doing here fighting with these hooligans? I’ll fight you! BENVOLIO I was breaking up the fight TYBALT I hate the Montagues and you! Come on! THEY FIGHT. CITIZENS Enter and break up the fight. CAPULET AND LADY CAPULET Enter CAPULET What are you doing? Where’s my sword? Oh look! Montague’s here! MONTAGUE AND LADY MONTAGUE ENTER FROM THE OTHER SIDE MONTAGUE You’re a villain, Capulet! [LADY MONTAGUE holds him] Let me at him! LADY MONTAGUE You won’t go one step closer! CAPULETS and MONTAGUES remain on sides of stage, yelling at each other while others fight in center. ENTER PRINCE PRINCE What are you beasts doing? Stop this! [EVERYONE stops] Capulet and Montague, you two have caused much trouble today. Don’t let this happen again or you’ll pay. EVERYONE except BENVOLIO LEAVES. ROMEO ENTERS. BENVOLIO What’s up, cousin? ROMEO It is only morning, but I’m so sad already. BENVOLIO What’s wrong with you? ROMEO The girl I love won’t have me. [Looking around at the destruction from the fight] What all happened here? Eh, I can guess. BENVOLIO So who is this lady you love? ROMEO She is so beautiful BENVOLIO The best way to feel better about a woman who won’t have you is to just forget her. Look at other people!

ROMEO Forget? No. You cannot teach me to forget. [BENVOLIO AND ROMEO EXIT] SCENE 2: Outside Capulet House. CAPULET AND PARIS are talking CAPULET …can we not just stay friendly with each other? PARIS It is sad that you and Montague continue to hurt your reputations by causing trouble. Have you considered what I asked earlier? CAPULET About marrying Juliet? She is so young! Only 14! PARIS But young girls often become wonderful mothers. CAPULET Ok. I trust you, Paris, and you may marry her. Come to my party tonight to meet my extended family. [PARIS AND CAPULET EXIT. ROMEO AND BENVOLIO ENTER] BENVOLIO Hey, Romeo! I heard Capulet is having a party tonight and no Montagues are welcome. Let’s go crash it! ROMEO Why not. I’m already sad enough… [THEY EXIT] SCENE 3 Capulet’s House. ENTER LADY CAPULET AND NURSE NURSE Juliet! [ENTER JULIET] JULIET What is it? NURSE Your mother wants you JULIET Yes, mother? LADY CAPULET Juliet, would you like to be married? JULIET Not really. LADY CAPULET Well, you’re going to be. Paris wants you for his wife. You’ll meet him tonight at the party. NURSE Lady, the guests are here. Juliet, go have a good time. SCENE 4 on the Street. ROMEO, BENVOLIO, MERCUTIO, AND PARTY GUESTS ENTER MERCUTIO Romeo, you have to dance here. ROMEO No. I can’t dance when I feel so horribly. BENVOLIO Here we are! ROMEO This is a bad idea. I had a dream that something bad is going to happen after tonight… BENVOLIO Come on! The food is almost gone! THEY EXIT SCENE 5 Capulet’s House, there is much dancing and drinking. ROMEO AND JULIET dance together, but PARIS takes her away. ROMEO is in awe of her, standing away from her. He asks a SERVANT ROMEO Who’s that beautiful lady? SERANT I don’t know. ROMEO She teaches torches to burn! I’ve never loved until now! [HE FOLLOWS JULIET] [TYBALT APPROACHES CAPULET] TYBALT That Montague pig Romeo is here! CAPULET Settle down, cousin. Leave him alone. [TYBALT EXITS ANGRILY] ROMEO [taking JULIET’s hand] Your hand is lovely and holy. I hope I don’t offend you. JULIET Nay, your hands are quite holy themselves. Holding hands is like a different kind of kiss. ROMEO Holy men use their lips to pray, right? JULIET Yes, lips for prayer ROMEO Then let us pray [THEY KISS] JULIET You’re quite the kisser. NURSE Juliet, your mother wants you! [EXIT JULIET] ROMEO Who is her mother? NURSE Lady Capulet is her mother. [EXIT NURSE]

ROMEO Is she a Capulet? BENVOLIO [Grabbing ROMEO] Let’s get out of here before they catch us. ROMEO Good plan. CAPULET [Talking to the whole room as BENVOLIO and ROMEO leave] Thank you all for coming! The party’s over! [All EXIT LEFT. NURSE AND JULIET ENTER RIGHT] JULIET Hey, who was that dashing fellow? NURSE He is Romeo. He is the only son of the Montagues! JULIET Great love from great hate! [They EXIT] SCENE 6 Outside the walls of Capulet’s house. ROMEO hides, MERCUTIO AND BENVOLIO ENTER, laughing. BENVOLIO Romeo jumped over the wall to go find his love! MERCUTIO He is blind with love. Blind men hit no marks. There’s no way he’ll get her BENVOLIO  Let’s  leave.  [ROMEO  IN  THE  ORCHARD]  ROMEO  They  joke,  but  have  never  felt  this  feeling.  What’s  that  light  from  that  window?  It  is  the  east  and  Juliet  is  the  sun!  It’s  her,  my  love!  If  only  she  knew…  [JULIET  appears  at  the  balcony]  JULIET  Oh  goodness  ROMEO  She  speaks!  Say  something  else,  my  angel!  JULIET  Oh  Romeo,  Romeo,  where  are  you,  Romeo?  I  wish  you  were  not  a  Montague!  But  just  swear  your  love  to  me  and  I’ll  stop  being  a  Capulet.  ROMEO  Should  I  listen  more  or  speak??  JULIET  What’s  in  a  name?  What  we  call  a  rose  would  smell  as  sweet  if  it  had  another  name.  Romeo!  Get  rid  of  your  name  and  take  me!  ROMEO  [coming  from  his  hiding  place]  I  trust  you.  Call  me  your  love,  and  I  won’t  be  Romeo!  JULIET  [shocked]  What  are  you  doing  in  my  bushes?  What  if  someone  saw  you?  ROMEO  No  one  saw  me.  No  Montague,  no  Capulet.  It’s  too  dark.  But  I  don't  care.  I  love  you!  I  swear  by  the  moon!  JULIET  Do  you  really  love  me?  You  need  not  swear.  But  if  you  do—  NURSE  [calling]  Juliet!!!  JULIET  My  Nurse!  Goodnight,  my  Romeo!  If  you  do  love  me  and  want  to  marry  me,  send  me  word  tomorrow  and  I’ll  be  yours.  NURSE  Juliet!!!!!  JULIET  I’m  coming!  Tomorrow  I’ll  send  the  messenger!  Goodnight!  [EXIT  JULIET]  ROMEO  I  cannot  wait.  Leaving  you  is  so  hard!  [EXIT]    SCENE  7  FRIAR  LAWRENCE  is  in  his  Cell  when  ROMEO  ENTERS.  ROMEO  Good  morning,  Father!  FRIAR  Romeo!  You’ve  not  slept.  Were  you  with  that  Rosaline  girl?  ROMEO  Rosaline?  No.  I’m  done  with  her.  My  true  love  is  now  Juliet,  daughter  of  Capulet!  I  have  come  to  ask  you  to  marry  us  today!  FRIAR  You’ve  got  to  be  kidding!  ROMEO  Don’t  scold  me,  Father.  FRIAR  Well,  maybe  this  will  end  the  ongoing  anger  between  your  families.  I’ll  do  it!  [THEY  EXIT]    SCENE  8  A  street.  MERCUTIO  and  BENVOLIO  are  talking.  MERCUTIO  I  wonder  where  Romeo  spent  the  night?  BENVOLIO  He  wasn’t  at  his  father’s  house.  [ENTER  ROMEO]  ROMEO  Good  morning,  friends!  I  am  so  happy!  

MERCUTIO  You  certainly  are  in  a  better  mood  than  yesterday.  Where  were  you  last  night?  Oh,  hey,  here  comes  a  gentlewoman.  ENTER  NURSE.  NURSE  Do  any  of  you  know  a  “Romeo”?  ROMEO  That’s  me!  NURSE  Come  with  me,  good  fellow.  ROMEO  [to  Mercutio  and  Benvolio]  I’ll  see  you  later.  [MERCUTIO  AND  BENVOLIO  EXIT  RIGHT]  NURSE  Ok,  so  if  you  are  trying  to  play  games  with  her,  you  are  some  kind  of  sick…  ROMEO  ok  ok  ok.  Listen.  I’m  serious  about  marrying  Juliet.  Tell  her  to  come  to  Friar  Lawrence’s  cell  this  afternoon  and  we’ll  be  married.  NURSE  She’ll  be  there.  [THEY  EXIT]    SCENE  9  Juliet’s  room  in  Capulet’s  house.  The  NURSE  rushes  in  while  JULIET  sits.  JULIET  My  Nurse!  What  news  do  you  have?!  NURSE  Give  me  a  second.  I’m  out  of  breath.  JULIET  You’re  breathing!  You’re  not  out  of  breath!  What  news  is  there?  NURSE  He  seems  like  a  nice  boy.  Go  to  Friar  Lawrence’s  Cell  to  be  married  this  afternoon!  [THEY  EXIT]    SCENE  10  FRIAR  LAWRENCE’s  Cell.  ROMEO  waits  with  FRIAR  LAWRENCE.  JULIET  ENTERS  with  NURSE,  both  holding  flowers.  They  approach  ROMEO.  ROMEO  and  JULIET  hold  hands.  FRIAR  May  God  bless  this  union  such  that  sorrow  does  not  follow  us  after.  [ROMEO  and  JULIET  kiss.  ALL  EXIT    SCENE  11  BENVOLIO  and  MERCUTIO  on  a  street  BENVOLIO  Let’s  go  inside.  It’s  hot  and  there’s  nothing  to  do.  And  if  we  see  the  Capulet’s  you  know  we’ll  fight.  MERCUTIO  I  don’t  care.  [ENTER  TYBALT  and  other  CAPULET  THUGS]  TYBALT  Good  evening,  gentlemen.  May  I  have  a  word  with  one  of  you?  MERCUTIO  More  like  a  word  and  a  fight!  TYBALT  Well,  I’ll  certainly  oblige  there.  Mercutio,  you  are  friends  with  Romeo?  [ENTER  ROMEO]  Here  he  is!  I  have  no  love  for  you.  You  are  a  villain!  ROMEO  I  am  no  villain.  I  have  never  injured  you.  Please,  good  Capulet,  a  name  that  I  hold  as  well  as  my  own,  let’s  just  stop  this  fight.  MERCUTIO  What  are  you  saying,  man?  [He  takes  out  his  sword]  Come  at  me,  Tybalt.  ROMEO  Easy,  friend.  TYBALT  I’ll  fight  you!  [The  two  fight,  Mercutio  is  a  better  fighter]  ROMEO  [grabs  TYBALT  and  separates  them]  The  Prince  won’t  allow  this  foolishness!  Stop!  [TYBALT  Stabs  MERCUTIO  under  ROMEO’s  arm]  BENVOLIO  Whoa!  Are  you  hurt?  MERCUTIO  Only  a  scratch,  friend.  A  bad  one.  ROMEO  Have  courage  friend!  MERCUTIO  That  does  it!  I’m  dead!  Because  of  your  anger,  I  place  a  curse  on  both  of  your  houses!  A  curse!  [MERCUTIO  DIES]  BENVOLIO  Tybalt,  you  beast!  Get  him,  Romeo!  ROMEO  You  alive  in  victory  and  Mercutio  dead!  You  must  join  him  in  the  grave,  you  fiend!  TYBALT  No,  Romeo,  it  will  be  you  who  dies!  [They  fight.  ROMEO  KILLS  TYBALT.]  BENVOLIO  Oh  no!  Romeo!  You  need  to  leave  town  quick!  The  Prince  is  coming!  ROMEO  Oh  fortune  is  so  awful!  [ROMEO  EXITS.  ENTER  PRINCE/PARIS,  MONTAGUES  AND  CAPULETS]  

PRINCE  Who  started  this  mess?  BENVOLIO  It  was  him!  [Points  at  Tybalt]  Romeo  killed  him  after  he  had  already  killed  my  friend,  Mercutio!  LADY  CAPULET  Oh  my  poor  cousin  Tybalt!  Prince,  make  this  right  and  hurt  the  Montagues.  BENVOLIO  Romeo  said  good  things  of  him.  But  Tybalt  was  set  to  kill  Mercutio  and  stabbed  him  while  Romeo  held  him.  LADY  CAPULET  Romeo  must  not  live.  PRINCE  Romeo  is  now  exiled  from  Verona!  [ALL  EXIT]      SCENE  12  Juliet’s  bedroom.  NURSE  Enters  in  a  hurry  JULIET  Do  you  have  news  of  my  Romeo?  NURSE  Sadness!  He’s  exiled!  He’s  dead!  JULIET  What  do  you  say?    NURSE  Romeo  killed  Tybalt,  your  cousin!  Your  husband  is  exiled!  JULIET  Oh  no!  But  I  cannot  speak  poorly  of  my  Romeo.  Nurse,  take  this  ring  to  him  and  ask  him  to  come  bid  me  farewell.  [BOTH  EXIT]    SCENE  13  Friar  Lawrence’s  Cell  with  FRIAR  and  ROMEO  FRIAR  Sorrow  loves  you!  ROMEO  Exiled!  How  horrid!  It  is  worse  than  death!  FRIAR  All  is  not  lost,  Romeo.  [A  knock  at  the  door]  Hide  yourself!  [NURSE  ENTERS]  NURSE  I  come  from  Juliet.  ROMEO  How  is  she???  NURSE  She  is  weeping  and  in  deep  sadness.  Here  is  a  ring  she  gave  me  to  give  you.  Come  to  see  her.  Quickly!  [NURSE  EXITS]  FRIAR  Go  to  Mantua  and  I’ll  let  you  know  when  it’s  safe  to  come  back.  Good  luck!  [BOTH  EXIT]    SCENE  14  Capulet’s  house.  PARIS  AND  Capulet  talk.  PARIS  These  sad  events  cause  us  much  pain,  but  I  still  have  much  love  for  your  daughter.  CAPULET  Truth.  But  she  will  still  marry  you.  Thursday!  We  will  have  the  wedding!  [BOTH  EXIT]    SCENE  15  Juliet’s  bedroom.  ROMEO  AND  JULIET  are  together.  JULIET  Don’t  go.  It  is  still  night.  ROMEO  No.  It  is  morning.  I  must  go  or  die.  JULIET  How  I  want  you  to  stay,  but  be  gone!  NURSE  Juliet,  your  mother  is  coming.  JULIET  Out  the  window  with  you!  ROMEO  Goodbye  and  farewell!  [HE  EXITS]  JULIET  [to  herself]  My  poor  love  will  not  live  long.  He  will  soon  live  in  a  tomb.  [She  begins  to  cry]  [ENTER  LADY  CAPULET]  LADY  CAPULET  What  are  you  so  sad,  my  child?  Crying  over  your  cousin’s  death?  No  more  tears.  Your  father  has  arranged  a  day  of  joy  for  you.  JULIET  How  so?  LADY  CAPULET  Marriage!  The  virtuous  Paris  will  marry  you  next  Thursday  and  bring  you  joy!  JULIET  He  will  bring  me  no  joy!  I  won’t  marry  him.  And  when  I  do  marry,  it  will  be  to  Romeo!  LADY  CAPULET  Tell  him  yourself.  [CAPULET  ENTERS]  My  husband,  she  won’t  marry  Paris.  She  is  wedded  to  her  grave!  CAPULET  How?  Will  she  not  accept  this  joy  and  opportunity?  She  is  unworthy  of  our  name!  No,  Go  now  to  the  church  to  marry  Paris  or  I  will  drag  you  there!  

JULIET  Have  patience  with  me!  Please!  CAPULET  No.  Do  not  speak  to  me.  [He  EXITS]  JULIET  Mother,  please  do  not  give  up  on  me!  Please  delay  the  marriage,  at  least!  [LADY  CAPULET  EXITS  without  looking  at  JULIET]  What  am  I  to  do?  Nurse,  help!  NURSE  Your  Romeo  is  exiled  and  the  world  is  going  to  pieces.  I  think  you  may  be  best  to  accept  this  second  match,  as  Romeo  is  dead,  or  good  as  dead.  JULIET  [Pauses]  Go  tell  my  mother  I  have  gone  to  confess  my  sins  at  Lawrence’s  cell.  [NURSE  EXITS]  I’ll  go  to  the  Friar  to  get  his  advice  and  see  about  my  own  death.  [SHE  EXITS]    SCENE  16  Friar  Lawrence’s  Cell,  FRIAR  and  PARIS  are  talking  as  JULIET  comes  in.  PARIS  Ah,  here  is  my  wife  to  be!  So  next  Thursday  we  shall  have  the  ceremony.  FRIAR  So  it  shall  be.  PARIS  I  bid  you  Farewell,  my  lady.  [JULIET  curtseys  and  PARIS  EXITS]  JULIET  Shut  the  door.  I’m  joined  to  Romeo,  never  to  Paris.  I  want  to  die.  Please  help  me.  FRIAR  Rather  than  killing  yourself,  you  could  make  it  seem  like  you  died,  making  it  so  that  you  and  Paris  are  never  married.  JULIET  Yes!  Please!  FRIAR  Ok.  Drink  this  when  you  go  to  sleep  and  it  will  make  you  look  like  you  are  dead,  with  no  pulse  or  warmth.    I  will  let  Romeo  know  through  letters  of  the  plan  and  tell  him  to  return.  JULIET  Thank  you,  Father!  Love  give  me  strength!  [EXIT  BOTH]    SCENE  17.  Juliet’s  bedroom.  LADY  CAPULET  and  NURSE  are  helping  JULIET  prepare  for  her  wedding  day.  JULIET  Nurse,  please  do  not  stay  in  my  room  tonight.  I  need  time  to  think.  LADY  CAPULET  Goodnight,  my  daughter.  You  need  rest.  [LADY  CAPULET  and  NURSE  EXIT]  JULIET  Farewell!  I  do  not  know  when  I  shall  see  you  again!  [Holding  the  vial]  What  if  this  doesn’t  work?  Will  I  marry  Paris  tomorrow?  [Picking  up  and  setting  down  a  knife]  No,  this  will  prevent  it.  [Drinking]  Romeo!  I  wait  for  you!  [She  falls  asleep]  [Time  passes.  NURSE  ENTERS.  NURSE  tries  to  wake  JULIET,  but  she  won’t.  She  thinks  JULIET  is  dead.  She  runs  from  the  room  screaming.  EXIT  NURSE.]    SCENE  18  FRIAR  LAWRENCE’s  Cell.  FRIAR  LAWRENCE  is  already  in  the  cell.  A  SERVANT  ENTERS.  SERVANT  I  couldn’t  send  this  letter  or  find  another  messenger  to  get  it  to  Mantua.  FRIAR  LAWRENCE  [To  himself]  Oh  horror.  Fortune  is  unkind  to  poor  Romeo  again.  Without  this  letter,  he  won’t  know  about  the  trick  Juliet  has  played.  I  must  go  to  the  monument.  [EXIT  BOTH]    SCENE  19  In  Mantua  ROMEO  awaits  news.  BALTHAZAR  ENTERS.  ROMEO  Ha  ha!  News  from  Verona!  How  is  my  Juliet?  BALTHAZAR  Juliet  has  died!  ROMEO  [A  stunned  pause]  Really?  Surely  it  cannot  be  true.  I  will  return  tonight.  Did  you  bring  a  letter  from  the  friar?  BALTHAZAR  What  letter?  I  brought  no  letter.  ROMEO  Curses.  Well,  leave  me  now.  I  will  join  you  on  the  way  soon.  [BALTHAZAR  EXITS.]  Juliet  dead…my  one  love.  I  will  lie  with  her  in  the  grave  tonight.  [Going  to  a  door  and  knocking]  Hey!  You  Pharmacist!  [PHARMACIST  ENTERS]  I  see  you  need  some  money.  Here  is  a  large  sum  of  money.  Give  me  some  strong  poison.  PHARMACIST  I  have  deadly  poisons,  but  it  is  against  the  law  to  sell  them  here.  But  I’ll  agree  because  I  need  your  money.  [They  exchange  money  for  a  vial  of  poison]  I  don’t  want  to  do  this,  though.  ROMEO  [angrily]  I’m  paying  you  for  poverty,  not  your  feelings.  

[ROMEO  EXITS  quickly.  PHARMACIST  EXITS]    SCENE  20  In  the  Capulet’s  tomb.  JULIET  lays  on  a  stone  monument  looking  like  she  is  dead.  ROMEO  ENTERS  and  goes  to  her.  ROMEO  Oh  my  love,  my  wife.  Juliet!  Death  has  taken  your  breath,  but  has  not  stolen  your  beauty.  Your  lips  are  still  red.  It  doesn’t  seem  as  though  you  are  dead.  Here  I  will  end  my  life,  unable  to  spend  more  time  with  you,  my  dear.  I’ll  take  one  last  look  at  you,  give  you  one  last  embrace,  and  seal  our  love  with  a  final  kiss.  [He  kisses  her]  I  drink  to  you,  Juliet!  [He  drinks  the  poison.  He  chokes  and  gags.]  Ack!  This  poison  works  quickly!  With  that  kiss,  I  die!  [ROMEO  dies  and  falls  by  the  monument.  After  a  pause,  JULIET  awakes  and  sees  him.]  JULIET  [Shocked]  Romeo!  What’s  this  you  are  holding,  my  love?  Poison!  Oh  no,  he’s  drunk  it  all  and  left  none  for  me  to  follow  along  after  him.  [She  kisses  him]  Nor  is  there  any  left  on  his  lips.  [Movement  is  heard  outside.]  What  is  that  noise?  No  matter.  I  shall  join  you,  my  love.  Oh  happy  dagger,  join  me  with  my  Romeo!  [She  takes  the  dagger  and  stabs  herself  a  few  times  for  good  measure.  JULIET  dies  and  slumps.]  [ENTER  FRIAR  LAWRENCE]  FRIAR  Juliet!  No!  [FRIAR  EXITS.  Time  passes.]  [FRIAR  ENTERS  WITH  PRINCE.]  PRINCE  Why  did  you  call  me  here  so  early?  [He  sees  the  bodies  and  falls  silent.]  [ENTER  CAPULET  AND  LADY  CAULET]  LADY  CAPULET  I  hear  so  much  being  said  on  the  street  about  Romeo  and  Juliet.  What  is  the  matter?  [They  look  at  the  bodies.  They  begin  to  cry.]  [ENTER  MONTAGUE]  MONTAGUE  My  wife  died  this  evening  from  her  sadness  about  Romeo  being  exiled.  [He  sees  the  bodies.]  Oh  my.  PRINCE  See  what  your  hate  had  brought!  Death!  All  are  punished  for  your  foolishness!  CAPULET  Take  my  hand,  Montague.  We  shall  end  our  differences.  MONTAGUE.  Yes.  Nothing  shall  ever  pay  back  the  losses  we’ve  both  suffered.  PRINCE  Alas,  there  has  never  been  a  story  of  more  sorrow  than  that  of  Juliet  and  her  Romeo.  THE  END