Reading Help THE TRAGEDY OF ROMEO AND JULIET

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` 1595 `
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` THE TRAGEDY OF ROMEO AND JULIET `
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` by William Shakespeare `
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` Dramatis Personae `
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` Chorus. `
` `
` Escalus, Prince of Verona. `
` Paris, a young Count, kinsman to the Prince. `
` Montague, heads of two houses at variance with each other. `
` Capulet, heads of two houses at variance with each other. `
` An old Man, of the Capulet family. `
` Romeo, son to Montague. `
` Tybalt, nephew to Lady Capulet. `
` Mercutio, kinsman to the Prince and friend to Romeo. `
` Benvolio, nephew to Montague, and friend to Romeo `
` Tybalt, nephew to Lady Capulet. `
` Friar Laurence, Franciscan. `
` Friar John, Franciscan. `
` Balthasar, servant to Romeo. `
` Abram, servant to Montague. `
` Sampson, servant to Capulet. `
` Gregory, servant to Capulet. `
` Peter, servant to Juliet's nurse. `
` An Apothecary. `
` Three Musicians. `
` An Officer. `
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` Lady Montague, wife to Montague. `
` Lady Capulet, wife to Capulet. `
` Juliet, daughter to Capulet. `
` Nurse to Juliet. `
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` Citizens of Verona; Gentlemen and Gentlewomen of both houses; `
` Maskers, Torchbearers, Pages, Guards, Watchmen, Servants, and `
` Attendants. `
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` SCENE.--Verona; Mantua. `
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` THE PROLOGUE `
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` Enter Chorus. `
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` 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 misadventur'd piteous overthrows `
` Doth 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, naught 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. `
` [Exit.] `
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` ACT I. Scene I. `
` Verona. A public place. `
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` Enter Sampson and Gregory (with swords and bucklers) of the house `
` of Capulet. `
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` Samp. Gregory, on my word, we'll not carry coals. `
` Greg. No, for then we should be colliers. `
` Samp. I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw. `
` Greg. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of collar. `
` Samp. I strike quickly, being moved. `
` Greg. But thou art not quickly moved to strike. `
` Samp. A dog of the house of Montague moves me. `
` Greg. To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand. `
` Therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn'st away. `
` Samp. A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I will take `
` the `
` wall of any man or maid of Montague's. `
` Greg. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the `
` wall. `
` Samp. '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. `
` Greg. The quarrel is between our masters and us their men. `
` Samp. 'Tis all one. I will show myself a tyrant. When I have `
` fought `
` with the men, I will be cruel with the maids- I will cut off `
` their heads. `
` Greg. The heads of the maids? `
` Samp. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads. `
` Take it in what sense thou wilt. `
` Greg. They must take it in sense that feel it. `
` Samp. Me they shall feel while I am able to stand; and 'tis `
` known I `
` am a pretty piece of flesh. `
` Greg. 'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst `
` been `
` poor-John. Draw thy tool! Here comes two of the house of `
` Montagues. `
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` Enter two other Servingmen [Abram and Balthasar]. `
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` Samp. My naked weapon is out. Quarrel! I will back thee. `
` Greg. How? turn thy back and run? `
` Samp. Fear me not. `
` Greg. No, marry. I fear thee! `
` Samp. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin. `
` Greg. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they `
` list. `
` Samp. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is `
` disgrace to them, if they bear it. `
` Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? `
` Samp. I do bite my thumb, sir. `
` Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? `
` Samp. [aside to Gregory] Is the law of our side if I say ay? `
` Greg. [aside to Sampson] No. `
` Samp. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite `
` my `
` thumb, sir. `
` Greg. Do you quarrel, sir? `
` Abr. Quarrel, sir? No, sir. `
` Samp. But if you do, sir, am for you. I serve as good a man as `
` you. `
` Abr. No better. `
` Samp. Well, sir. `
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` Enter Benvolio. `
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` Greg. [aside to Sampson] Say 'better.' Here comes one of my `
` master's kinsmen. `
` Samp. Yes, better, sir. `
` Abr. You lie. `
` Samp. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. `
` They fight. `
` Ben. Part, fools! [Beats down their swords.] `
` Put up your swords. You know not what you do. `
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` Enter Tybalt. `
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` Tyb. What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? `
` Turn thee Benvolio! look upon thy death. `
` Ben. I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, `
` Or manage it to part these men with me. `
` Tyb. What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word `
` As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. `
` Have at thee, coward! They fight. `
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` Enter an officer, and three or four Citizens with clubs or `
` partisans. `
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` Officer. Clubs, bills, and partisans! Strike! beat them down! `
` Citizens. Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montagues! `
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` Enter Old Capulet in his gown, and his Wife. `
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` Cap. What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho! `
` Wife. A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword? `
` Cap. My sword, I say! Old Montague is come `
` And flourishes his blade in spite of me. `
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` Enter Old Montague and his Wife. `
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` Mon. Thou villain Capulet!- Hold me not, let me go. `
` M. Wife. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe. `
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` Enter Prince Escalus, with his Train. `
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` Prince. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, `
` Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel- `
` Will they not hear? What, ho! you men, you beasts, `
` That quench the fire of your pernicious rage `
` With purple fountains issuing from your veins! `
` On pain of torture, from those bloody hands `
` Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground `
` And hear the sentence of your moved prince. `
` Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word `
` By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, `
` Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets `
` And made Verona's ancient citizens `
` Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments `
` To wield old partisans, in hands as old, `
` Cank'red with peace, to part your cank'red hate. `
` If ever you disturb our streets again, `
` Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. `
` For this time all the rest depart away. `
` You, Capulet, shall go along with me; `
` And, Montague, come you this afternoon, `
` To know our farther pleasure in this case, `
` To old Freetown, our common judgment place. `
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