Romeo

Also known as: Montague / ROMEO / Signior Romeo / my Romeo / young Romeo · Family: Montagues · Role: son of Montague · First appears: Romeo and Juliet · Act I, Scene I

At the beginning, Romeo is Montague’s son and Benvolio’s cousin. He tells Benvolio that he loves a woman who has vowed to remain chaste, while Montague describes him withdrawing into his chamber and Lady Montague asks after him. Romeo agrees to attend Capulet’s feast because Rosaline will be there, intending to admire her beauty, and goes with Mercutio and Benvolio. At the feast, Tybalt recognizes him as a Montague and wants to attack, but Capulet forbids it; Romeo instead meets Juliet, kisses her, and discovers that she is a Capulet. “Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt.”

In the orchard, Romeo hides from discovery and vows to abandon his name for Juliet, while she declares her love and proposes marriage. He tells Friar Lawrence that he has forgotten Rosaline and loves Capulet’s daughter, asking that the union be performed that day; Friar Lawrence agrees, hoping the marriage will turn the households’ hatred toward love. Romeo arranges the secret wedding with Juliet, Friar Lawrence, and the Nurse, and the church joins him and Juliet in marriage. When Tybalt challenges him, Romeo initially refuses to fight because Juliet has softened him, but after Mercutio dies, Romeo kills Tybalt. The Prince exiles him, separating him from Juliet, though Friar Lawrence tells him that Juliet is alive, gives him her ring, and directs him to Mantua.

Romeo leaves Juliet at dawn and remains hidden at Friar Lawrence’s cell before departing for Mantua. When he hears that Juliet is dead, he decides to return that night, buys poison from the Apothecary, and goes to the monument. He kills County Paris in the churchyard, then drinks the poison beside Juliet and dies. Friar Lawrence later reveals that Romeo and Juliet were secretly married, while his letter to Romeo had been returned after Friar John was detained.