Romeo and Juliet: Study Guide

Shakespeare’s play about the doomed romance of two teenagers from feuding families is the most famous love story ever written. First performed around 1596, Romeo and Juliet has been adapted as a ballet, an opera, the musical West Side Story, and a dozen films. Read a character analysis of Juliet, plot summary, and important quotes.

Summary

Read a Plot Overview of the entire play or a scene by scene Summary and Analysis.

Plot Overview
Video Plot Summary
Key Questions and Answers
What Does the Ending Mean?

Summary & Analysis
Prologue
Act 1, scene 1
Act 1, scene 2
Act 1, scene 3
Act 1, scene 4
Act 1, scene 5
Act 2, prologue–scene 1
Act 2, scenes 2–3
Act 2, scenes 4–5
Act 3, scene 1
Act 3, scenes 2–4
Act 3, scene 5
Act 4, scenes 1–2
Act 4, scenes 3–5
Act 5, scenes 1–2
Act 5, scene 3

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in Romeo and Juliet and in-depth analyses of Romeo, Juliet, Friar Lawrence, Mercutio, and Nurse.

Character List
Romeo
Juliet
Friar Lawrence
Mercutio
Nurse

Main Ideas

Here's where you'll find analysis about the play as a whole, from the major themes and ideas to analysis of style, tone, point of view, and more.

Themes
Plot Analysis
Protagonist
Antagonist
Setting
Motifs
Symbols
Genre
Allusions
Style
Point of View
Tone
Foreshadowing
Key Facts
Are Romeo and Juliet really in love?

Quotes

Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the play by reading these key quotes.

Important Quotations Explained

Quotes by Theme
Love
Sex
Violence
Youth
Fate

Quotes by Section
Prologue
Act 1, scene 1
Act 1, scene 2
Act 1, scene 3
Act 1, scene 4
Act 1, scene 5
Act 2, prologue–scene 1
Act 2, scenes 2–3
Act 2, scenes 4–6
Act 3, scene 1
Act 3, scenes 2–4
Act 3, scene 5
Act 4, scenes 1–2
Act 4, scenes 3–5
Act 5, scenes 1–2
Act 5, scene 3

Quotes by Character
Romeo
Juliet
Mercutio
Friar Laurence
Nurse

Quotes by Symbol
Poison
Thumb-biting
Queen Mab

Further Study

Test your knowledge of Romeo and Juliet with our quizzes and study questions, or go further with essays on the context and background and links to the best resources around the web.