The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare, William
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
[Dramatis Personae
Chorus
Escalus, Prince of Verona
Paris, a young nobleman, kinsman to the Prince
Montague
Capulet
heads of two houses at variance with each other
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
Petruchio, a (mute) follower of Tybalt
Friar Lawrence
Friar John
Franciscans
Balthasar, servant to Romeo
Abram, servant to Montague
Sampson
Gregory
Clown
servants to Capulet
Peter, servant to Juliet's nurse
Page to Paris
Apothecary
Three Musicians
Lady Montague, wife to Montague
Lady Capulet, wife to Capulet
Juliet, daughter to Capulet
Nurse to Juliet
Citizens of Verona; several Gentlemen and Gentlewomen of both houses; Maskers, Torch-Bearers, Pages, Guards, Watchmen, Servants, and Attendants
Scene: Verona; Mantua]
The Prologue
[Enter] Chorus.
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, 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.
[Exit.]
Act I,
[Scene I]
Enter Sampson and Gregory, with swords and bucklers, of the house of Capulet.
SAM. Gregory, on my word, we'll not carry coals.
GRE. No, for then we should be colliers.
SAM. I mean, and we be in choler, we'll draw.
GRE. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of collar.
SAM. I strike quickly, being mov'd.
GRE. But thou art not quickly mov'd 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 mov'd, thou run'st away.
SAM. A dog of that house shall move me to stand! I will take the wall 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. Draw thy tool, here comes [two] of the house of Montagues.
Enter two other servingmen [Abram 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 disgrace to them if they bear it.
ABR. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
SAM.
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