In Verona there are two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, who hate each other. When they fought on the street, Prince Escalus threatened both the Capulets and Montagues with death if they should ever cause such a disturbance again.

In the Capulet house there are plans for Juliet to marry Count Paris. A party is arranged so Paris can meet Juliet. A series of events lead to Romeo's getting invited to the party, where he and Juliet meet and fall in love. Through the course of the evening both Romeo and Juliet find out that the other is a hated enemy.

After the party Romeo goes to the Capulet orchard and sees Juliet on her balcony. After they talk a while they pledge their love for one another, and Romeo goes to make arrangements for the wedding.

After the wedding, Benvolio, Mercutio, and Romeo happen to meet Tybalt in the town square. Tybalt, who hates Romeo, challenges him. When Romeo refuses to fight, Mercutio draws on Tybalt. Romeo tries to stop the fight, but Tybalt stabs Mercutio and runs. As a result Mercutio dies. When Tybalt returns and enraged Romeo kills him and leaves. When the Prince hears what has happened he announces that Romeo is exiled from Verona.

When Juliet learns of the happenings she becomes very distraught and she and Romeo have one night together and then he leaves for Mantua. Lord Capulet thinking that Juliet needed some happiness after the death of Tybalt promises that Juliet and Count Paris will marry in three days. Juliet when she hears the news determines to ask Friar Laurence what to do, and if he doesn't have a solution to kill herself.

Friar Laurence and Juliet come up with a plan. Juliet is to take a potion that will make her for 42 hours appear dead. During that time the Friar will send word to Romeo and when Juliet awakens in the family tomb, the Friar and Romeo will be there.

The first part of the plan goes off without a hitch, Juliet appears dead and the funeral is arranged. But, Friar Laurence fails to get word of the plan to Romeo. So, Romeo believing Juliet is dead, goes to the tomb to kill himself. Paris, thinking that Romeo was there to defile Tybalt's body, tried to stop Romeo. Romeo drew and killed Paris. Then he killed himself. Juliet then waking up and finding Romeo and Paris dead, she takes Romeo's dagger and kills herself.

When the Prince, Lord Montague, Lord Capulet, and Lady Capulet arrive the Friar explains what has happened. Prince Escalus shames both Capulet and Montague, who end the feud and shake hands.

William Shakespeare's birth date is assumed from his baptism on April 26, 1564. His father John was the son of a farmer who became a successful tradesman; his mother Mary Arden was from a good family and had inherited considerable farm property. He studied Latin works at Stratford Grammar School, leaving about age 15. About this time his father suffered an unknown financial setback, though the family home remained in his possession. Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, 8 years his senior in late in 1582. Susanna was born in May of 1583, twins Hamnet and Judith in January of 1585.

By 1592 he was an established actor and playwright in London. When plague closed the London theaters for two years he apparently toured; he also wrote two long poems, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. He may have spent this time at the estate of the Earl of Southampton.

By December 1594 Shakespeare was back in London as a member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the company he stayed with the rest of his life. In 1596 he seems to have purchased a coat of arms for his father; the same year Hamnet died at age 11. The following year he purchased the grand Stratford mansion New Place. A 1598 edition of Love's Labors was the first to bear his name though he was already recognized as England's greatest playwright. He is believed to have written his sonnets during the 1590s.

In 1599 Shakespeare became a partner in new Globe Theater, the company of which joined the royal household on the accession of James in 1603. That is the last year in which he appeared in a cast list. He seems to have retired to Stratford in 1612; there he continued active in real estate investment. The cause of his death, on April 23, 1616, is unknown. In all the great William Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets in just 25 years.

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