Romeo and Juliet is a tragic love story set in Verona, Italy, between two young lovers from feuding families—the Montagues and the Capulets. The play begins with a street brawl between the servants of the two families, which escalates the long-standing animosity between them.
Romeo Montague, a young man heartbroken over his unrequited love for Rosaline, sneaks into a Capulet party with his friends. There, he meets Juliet Capulet, and they instantly fall in love. Unbeknownst to their families, they vow to marry the next day. With the help of Juliet’s nurse and Friar Lawrence, the couple secretly marries.
Soon after their marriage, Tybalt, Juliet’s fiery cousin, confronts Romeo. In an attempt to avoid a fight, Romeo refuses to duel Tybalt, but his friend Mercutio steps in. Tybalt kills Mercutio, and in a fit of rage, Romeo kills Tybalt in return. As a result, Romeo is banished from Verona.
Juliet is devastated by the turn of events. Her parents, unaware of her secret marriage, arrange for her to marry Paris, a nobleman. To escape this forced marriage, Juliet turns to Friar Lawrence, who gives her a potion that will make her appear dead for 42 hours. The plan is for Romeo to retrieve her from the family tomb when she awakens, and they can escape together.
However, Romeo does not receive the message about the plan in time. Believing Juliet to be truly dead, he buys poison and goes to her tomb. There, he encounters Paris, whom he kills in a duel. Romeo then takes the poison and dies next to Juliet. When Juliet awakens and finds Romeo dead, she stabs herself with his dagger.
The deaths of Romeo and Juliet lead to a reconciliation between the feuding families. Both families are deeply grieved by the loss of their children and vow to end their conflict.