Romeo and Juliet Thrift Study Edition

William Shakespeare

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9780486475738
• eBook ISBN:
  9780486112640
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Shakespeare Drama
• Index: Literature

Even those who have never read or seen Romeo and Juliet recognize the star-crossed lovers' names as symbols of forbidden romance. Shakespeare's enduring drama takes place during a sultry Italian summer, in a city already boiling with the enmity between two families. Tensions rise further when an irresistible passion develops between members of opposite sides and the play's mood alternates between hope and despair.

Romeo and Juliet was among the author's most popular plays during his lifetime, and it remains one of his most frequently produced dramas. Furthermore, its youthful characters and romantic plot make it an appealing introduction to Shakespeare for younger readers. A definitive survey, this Dover Thrift Study Edition offers the drama's complete and unabridged text, plus a comprehensive study guide. Created to help readers gain a thorough understanding of Romeo and Juliet's content and context, the guide includes:

• Scene-by-scene summaries
• Explanations and discussions of the plot
• Question-and-answer sections
• Shakespeare biography
• List of characters and more
Dover Thrift Study Editions feature everything that students need to undertake a confident reading of a classic text, as well as to prepare themselves for class discussions, essays, and exams.

Romeo and Juliet

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Contents

Dramatis Personae

Prologue

Act I

Scene I
Scene II
Scene III
Scene IV
Scene V

Act II

Scene I
Scene II
Scene III
Scene IV
Scene V
Scene VI

Act III

Scene I
Scene II
Scene III
Scene IV
Scene V

Act IV

Scene I
Scene II
Scene III
Scene IV
Scene V

Act V

Scene I
Scene II
Scene III

Dramatis Personae

ESCALUS, Prince of Verona.

PARIS, a young nobleman, kinsman to the Prince.

MONTAGUF.,	heads of two houses at variance with each other.
CAPULET,

An old man, of the Capulet family.

ROMEO, son to Montague.

MERCUTIO, kinsman to the Prince, and friend to Romeo.

BENVOLIO, nephew to Montague, and friend to Romeo.

TYBALT, nephew to Lady Capulet.

FRIAR LAURENCE, a Franciscan.

FRIAR JOHN, of the same order.

BALTHASAR, servant to Romeo.

SAMPSON,	servants to Capulet
GREGORY,

PETER, servant to Juliet’s nurse.

ABRAHAM, servant to Montague.

An Apothecary.

Three Musicians.

Page to Paris; another Page; an Officer.

LADY MONTAGUE, wife to Montague.

LADY CAPULET, wife to Capulet.

JULIET, daughter to Capulet.

Nurse to Juliet.

Citizens of Verona; kinsfolk of both houses; Maskers, Guards, Watchmen, and Attendants.

Chorus.

SCENE:Verona; Mantua.

PROLOGUE.

Enter Chorus.

CHOR.

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents’ strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark’d love,
And the continuance of their parents’ rage,
Which, but their children’s end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Verona. A public place.

Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY, of the house of Capulet, with swords and bucklers.

SAM.

Gregory, on my word, we’ll not carry coals.¹

GRE.

No, for then we should be colliers.

SAM.

I mean, an we be in choler, we’ll draw.

GRE.

Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o’ the collar.²

SAM.

I strike quickly, being moved.

GRE.

But thou art not quickly moved to strike.

SAM.

A dog of the house of Montague moves me.

GRE.

To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand: therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn’st away.

SAM.

A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall³ of any man or maid of Montague’s.

GRE.

That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall.

SAM.

‘Tis true; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague’s men from the wall and thrust his maids to the wall.

GRE.

The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.

SAM.

’Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be civil with the maids; I will cut off their heads.

GRE.

The heads of the maids?

SAM.

Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take it in what sense thou wilt.

GRE.

They must take it in sense that feel it.

SAM.

Me they shall feel while I am able to stand: and ’tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.

GRE.

’Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor John.⁴ Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of Montagues.

Enter ABRAHAM and BALTHASAR.

SAM.

My naked weapon is out: quarrel; I will back thee.

GRE.

How! turn thy back and run?

SAM.

Fear me not.

GRE.

No, marry: I fear thee!

SAM.

Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.

GRE.

I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list.

SAM.

Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.

ABR.

Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

SAM.

I do bite my thumb, sir.

ABR.

Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

SAM.

[Aside to CRE.] Is the law of our side, if I say ay?

GRE.

No.

SAM.

No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir.

GRE.

Do you quarrel, sir?

ABR.

Quarrel, sir! no, sir.

SAM.

But if you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you.

ABR.

No better.

SAM.

Well, sir.

Enter BENVOLIO.

GRE.

[Aside to SAM.] Say ‘better’: here comes one of my master’s kinsmen.

SAM.

Yes, better, sir.

ABR.

You lie.

SAM.

Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing⁵ blow

[They fight.

BEN.

P...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Publisher’s Note
• Table of Contents
• Romeo and Juliet
• Study Guide
• DOVER · THRIFT · EDITIONS