Act 1
The play opens on the streets of Verona, where a brawl erupts between the servants of the feuding Montague and Capulet families. The Prince intervenes, declaring that further public fighting will be punished by death [1.1]. Meanwhile, Romeo, a Montague, is lovesick over an unrequited love, Rosaline. His cousin Benvolio encourages him to forget her.

Paris, a nobleman, asks Lord Capulet for Juliet’s hand in marriage, but Capulet insists she is too young and should wait two more years. However, he invites Paris to a Capulet ball, hoping Juliet will warm to the idea [1.2]. Romeo, persuaded by Benvolio and his friend Mercutio, sneaks into the ball to catch a glimpse of Rosaline.

At the Capulet ball, Romeo and Juliet meet and fall in love instantly, unaware of each other’s identities. Their connection is described in religious imagery: "My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand / To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss" [1.5]. However, Juliet’s nurse informs them that they are from rival families. Tybalt, Juliet’s fiery cousin, recognises Romeo and vows revenge for the insult of his presence at the Capulet gathering.

Act 2
Romeo sneaks into the Capulet orchard after the ball, where he overhears Juliet confessing her love for him on her balcony: "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?" [2.2]. They exchange vows of love, deciding to marry in secret.

The next day, Romeo enlists the help of Friar Laurence, who agrees to marry them, hoping to end the feud between their families [2.3]. Juliet’s Nurse helps facilitate the marriage, and the two are secretly wed that afternoon [2.6].

Act 3
Tybalt, still enraged over Romeo’s presence at the Capulet ball, challenges him to a duel, but Romeo refuses, now considering Tybalt family through his marriage to Juliet. Mercutio, disgusted by Romeo’s passivity, fights Tybalt instead and is fatally wounded. As he dies, he curses both houses: "A plague o’ both your houses!" [3.1].

Grief-stricken, Romeo avenges Mercutio by killing Tybalt. The Prince banishes Romeo from Verona instead of sentencing him to death, but Romeo despairs, as this means separation from Juliet [3.1].

Juliet is devastated upon hearing of Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s banishment. However, she chooses to remain loyal to Romeo. The Nurse arranges for them to spend the night together before Romeo flees to Mantua [3.2]. Meanwhile, Lord Capulet, unaware of Juliet’s secret marriage, hastily arranges her wedding to Paris [3.4].

Act 4
Juliet refuses to marry Paris, and when her father threatens to disown her, she turns to Friar Laurence for help [4.1]. He devises a plan: Juliet will drink a potion that will make her appear dead for 42 hours. Once she is entombed in the Capulet crypt, Romeo will be informed and will retrieve her.

Juliet takes the potion and is found seemingly lifeless the next morning. The family mourns, believing she has died on the eve of her wedding to Paris [4.5].

Romeo, in Mantua, learns of Juliet’s "death" from his servant Balthasar. Not knowing about the Friar’s plan, he buys poison and rushes back to Verona [5.1].

At the Capulet tomb, Paris is mourning Juliet when Romeo arrives. They fight, and Romeo kills Paris. He then drinks the poison and dies beside Juliet [5.3]. Moments later, Juliet awakens to find Romeo dead. She takes his dagger and kills herself: "O happy dagger! / This is thy sheath: there rust, and let me die" [5.3].

Friar Laurence arrives too late, and the tragic scene is discovered by the families. The deaths of their children finally end the feud, as Montague and Capulet reconcile, vowing to honor Romeo and Juliet’s memory with golden statues. The play closes with the Prince’s somber words: "For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo" [5.3].