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Book Summary

Characters

96' Movie

The Story
Romeo Montague's son, who is loved and respected in Verona. He
    is initially presented as a comic lover, with his inflated declarations
    of love for Rosaline. After meeting Juliet, he abandons his tendency
    to be a traditional, fashionable lover, and his language becomes
    intense, reflecting his genuine passion for Juliet. By avenging Mer-
    cutio's death, he sets in motion a chain of tragic events that culmi-
    nate in suicide when he mistakenly believes Juliet to be dead.

Juliet Capulet's daughter. She is presented as a young and innocent
    adolescent, not yet 14 years old. Her youthfulness is stressed
    throughout the play to illustrate her progression from adolescence
    to maturity and to emphasize her position as a tragic heroine.
    Juliet's love for Romeo gives her the strength and courage to defy
    her parents and face death twice.

Mercutio Kinsman to the prince and friend of Romeo. His name
   comes from the word mercury, the element which indicates his
   quick temper. Mercutio is bawdy, talkative, and tries to tease
   Romeo out of his melancholy frame of mind. He accepts Tybalt's
   challenge to defend Romeo's honor and is killed, thus precipitat-
   ing Romeo's enraged reaction during which Romeo kills Tybalt.

Tybalt Lady Capulet's nephew and Juliet's cousin. Tybalt is violent
   and hot-tempered, with a strong sense of honor. He challenges
   Romeo to a duel in response to Romeo's attending a Capulet party.
   His challenge to Romeo is taken up by Mercutio, whom Tybalt
   kills. Romeo then kills Tybalt.

The Nurse Juliet's nursemaid, who acts as confidante and messen-
   ger for Romeo and Juliet. Like Mercutio, the Nurse loves to talk
   and reminisce, and her attitude toward love is bawdy. The Nurse
   is loving and affectionate toward Juliet, but compromises her posi-
   tion of trust when she advises Juliet to forget Romeo and comply
   with her parents' wishes and marry Paris.

Friar Laurence A brother of the Franciscan order and Romeo's
   confessor, who advises both Romeo and Juliet. The Friar agrees to
   marry the couple in secret in the hope that marriage will restore
   peace between their families. His plans to reunite Juliet with Romeo
   are thwarted by the influence of fate. The Friar concocts the potion
   plot through which Juliet appears dead for 42 hours in order to
   avoid marrying Paris. At the end of the play, the Prince recognizes
    the Friar's good intentions.

Caplllet Juliets father is quick-tempered and impetuous but is ini-
    tially reluctant to consent to Juliet's marriage with Paris because
   Juliet is so young. Later, he changes his mind and angrily demands
    that Juliet obey his wishes. The deaths of Romeo and Juliet recon-
    cile Capulet and Montague.

Paris A noble young kinsman to the Prince. Paris is well-mannered
    and attractive and hopes to marry Juliet. Romeo fights and kills
    Paris at the Capulet tomb when Paris thinks that Romeo has come
    to desecrate the bodes of Tybalt and Juliet.

Benvolio Montague's nephew and friend of Romeo and Mercutio.
   Benvolio is the peacemaker who attempts to keep peace between
   Tybalt and Mercutio. After the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt, Ben-
   volio acts as a Chorus, explaining how events took place.

Lady Capulet
Lady Capulet is vengeful and she demands Romeo's
   death for killing Tybalt. In her relationship with Juliet, she is cold
    and distant, expecting Juliet to obey her father and marry Pans.

Montague Romeo's father, who is concerned by his son's melan-
    choly behavior.

BalthaSar Romeo's servant. He brings Romeo the news in Mantua
    that Juliet is dead.

An Apothecary A poverty-stricken chemist, who illegally sells
    poison to Romeo.

Escalus, Prince Of Verona
The symbol of law and order in
    Verona, but he fails to prevent further outbreaks of the violence
    between the Montagues and Capulets. Only the deaths of Romeo
    and Juliet, rather than the authority of the prince, restore peace.

Friar John
A brother of the Franciscan order, sent by Friar Lau-
    rence to tell Romeo of his sleeping potion plan for Juliet. The Friar
    is prevented from getting to Mantua and the message does not
     reach Romeo.

Lady Montague
In contrast with Lady Capulet, Lady Montague
     is peace-loving and dislikes the violence of the feud. Like her hus-
     band, she is concerned by her son's withdrawn and secretive behav-
     ior. The news of Romeo's banishment breaks her heart, and she dies
     of grief.

Peter
A Capulet servant attending the Nurse.

Abram
A servant to Montague.

SampSOn Servant of the Capulet household.

Gregory
Servant of the Capulet household.