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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 misadventured piteous overthrows
Do 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.
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Abraham. Do you bite your thumb?
Sampson. I do bite my thumb, sir.
Abraham. But do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
Gregory. Do you quarrel, sir? Do you quarrel, sir?
Abraham. Quarrel, sir! Quarrel, sir! no, sir.
Sampson. Draw, if you be men.-- Draw, if you be men.— Gregory, remember thy swashing blow.
[They fight.][Enter Benvolio.]
Benvolio. Part, fools! Part, fools! Put up your swords ; you know not what you do.
[Beats down their swords.][Enter Tybalt.]
Tybalt Turn thee Benvolio, look upon thy death.
Turn thee Benvolio, look upon thy death.
Benvolio. I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword,
Or manage it to part these men with me.
Tybalt. Drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word
As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee:
[They fight.][Enter several of both Houses, who join the fray; then enter Citizens with clubs.]
Citizens. Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down!
Citizens + Down with the Capulets!
Montagues
Citizens + Down with the Montagues!
Capulets
Citizens. Down with the Capulets!
Montagues
Citizens. Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down!
Citizens + Down with the Capulets!
Montagues
Citizens + Down with the Montagues!
Capulets
All Down! Down! Down! With all of them!
[Enter Capulet in his gown, and Lady Capulet.]
Capulet. What noise is this?-- What noise is this?-- What noise is this?--Give me my long sword, ho!
Lady Capulet. A crutch, a crutch, a crutch!--Why call you for a sword?
Capulet. My sword, I say!-- My sword, I say!-- My sword, I say!--Old Montague is come,
[Enter Montague and his Lady Montague.]Break in Singing for one phrase.
Montague. Thou villain Capulet!-- Thou villain Capulet!-- Thou villain Capulet!—
Lady Montague.Thou shalt not stir, Thou shalt not stir, Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe.
Montague. Hold me not, Hold me not, l Hold me not, let me go.
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BENVOLIO:
Romeo, at this same ancient feast of Capulet's
Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lov'st;
With all the admired beauties of Verona.
Go thither; and, with unattainted eye,
Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.
Romeo, you saw her fair, none else being by,
Herself pois'd with herself in either eye:
But in that crystal scales let there be weigh'd
Your lady's love against some other maid
That I will show you shining at this feast,
And she shall scant show well that now shows best.
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Tybalt Capulet angrily informs the head of the Capulet household that he has seen their enemies, Romeo and Benvolio, at the banquet they are hosting.
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Now old desire doth in his deathbed lie,
And young affection gapes to be his heir.
That fair for which love groaned for and would die
With tender Juliet matched, is now not fair.
Now Romeo is beloved and loves again,
Alike bewitched by the charm of looks,
But to his foe supposed he must complain,
And she steal love’s sweet bait from fearful hooks.
Being held a foe, he may not have access
To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear.
And she as much in love, her means much less
To meet her new beloved anywhere.
But passion lends them power, time means, to meet,
Tempering extremities with extreme sweet.
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Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.
Thou art not conquered.
Beauty’s ensign yet
Is crimson in thy lips
and in thy cheeks,
And death’s pale flag is not advancèd there.—
Dear Juliet, Juliet, why art thou yet so fair?
Eyes, look your last. Arms,
take your last embrace.
And, lips, O you The doors of breath,
seal with a righteous kiss
A dateless bargain to engrossing death.
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What’s here? A cup, closed in my true love’s hand
Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end
O churl, drunk all, and left no friendly drop
To help me after? I will kiss thy lips.
Haply some poison yet doth hang on them
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PRINCE:
This letter doth make good the friar’s words,
Their course of love, the tidings of her death.
And here he writes that he did buy a poison
Then came here to die with Juliet.
See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love!
And I, for winking at your discords, too
Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished
PRINCE:
A glooming (glooming, glooming)
peace this morning with it brings.
The sun, (the sun, the sun)
for sorrow, will not show his head.
For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.
CAPULET:
O brother Montague, give me thy hand.
This is her jointure, no more can I demand.
(They shake hands).
MONTAGUE:
For I will raise her statue in pure gold,
that while Verona by that name is known,
there shall no figure at such rate be set
as that of true and faithful Juliet.
CAPULET:
As rich shall Romeo's by his lady's lie,
poor sacrifices of our enmity.
All:
A glooming peace this morning with it brings.
The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head.
For never was a story of more woe
than this of Juliet and her Romeo.
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This version of the musical uses Shakespeare's own words. Each song tells the story of important events in the Romeo and Juliet story. This version is free to download but should be used in conjunction with the Romeo Rocks You! Backing Tracks which you can download for a small charge. The songs are written in ideal keys for young singers but if your singers need backing tracks in different keys, you can contact me to arrange further downloads.
Also feel free to copy and paste the lyrics for your cast. A comparison of the Modern English and 'Shakespearean' versions could be a useful classroom activity too. Feel free to use them for any non-profit, educational purpose.
I also have abridged a script of the original play and 'translated' it into modern English. I can send this free of charge to anyone who buys the backing tracks.
