Romeo And Juliet: Scene I (Summary)

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO & JULIET: SCENCE I
The first scene begins at a public place in the Italian city of Verona while Sampson and Gregory, two men of the house of Capulet,are walking with swords and bucklers in their hands. It is important to remember that the Capulet family has always been the Montague family’s archenemy. These two men are talkingabout how they would jump into action if they eventually met a Montague, and about how they would steal Montague women’s virginity.
Sampson and Gregory see Abraham and Balthasar, twomen from the house of Montague, and Sampson decides to bite his thumb at them. Thumb-biting is considered as insulting as any of the vulgar hand gestures that are known nowadays, so amassive fight begins. Benvolio, Montague’s nephew, meddles with a sword in his hand to shop the madness that is going on, and tells everyone to put the swords down.
Tybalt, LadyCapulet’s nephew, appears. It is clear that he is not willing to accept peace, so the fight goes on. Montague and Lady Montague, and Capulet and Lady Capulet step on the scene afterhearing the riot. Montague and Capulet start fighting with their swords, and that is when Prince Escalus appears and tells everyone to stop fighting. Escalus proclaims a death sentenceupon anyone who disturbs the peace of the citizens again. He also says that he will eventually talk to Montague and Capulet personally.
Benvolio tells his uncle, Montague, about thefight and how it started. Lady Capulet asks for her son, Romeo, and Montague says that he wants be alone due to his depression. Benvolio finds Romeo, and he tells him why he’ssad—Rosaline, the woman he loves, has decided to live a life of chastity because of her desire to become a nun. Benvolio tells him that he’ll do anything to make him forget about her.