Plot summary – WJECJuliet refuses to marry Paris and fakes her death
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet tells the tale of a young man and woman, who fall in love but are destined for tragedy due to their warring families - the Montagues and the Capulets.
Capulet decides Juliet should marry Paris, as this will make her feel better following her cousin's death. He relays this news to his daughter and she is furious. Juliet defies her father and tells him she won't marry Paris and she will not be at the church as arranged. He is horrified with her response and tells her she must be married to Paris or else he will disown her forever. Juliet flees to Friar Laurence where she tells him this news. Friar Laurence and Juliet come up with a plan where she will fake her own death.
Juliet fakes her death
Juliet drinks a sleeping potion the night before her marriage to Paris. In the morning, she does not wake and she is pronounced dead. They take her to the Capulet tomb where she will wait for Romeo. Friar Laurence writes a letter to Romeo informing him of their plan, however, the letter doesn't get delivered to Romeo and he is told that Juliet is dead.
Romeo takes poison
Distraught, Romeo buys some deadly poison and heads to the Capulet vault. On seeing Juliet, he drinks the poison so he can be with her in heaven. Juliet finally awakens to see Romeo there with her - however, she quickly realises he has drunk poison. She kisses his lips to try and taste the poison herself, but it doesn't work. So, instead, she kills herself with Romeo's dagger.
Capulet and Montague repent
Realising that their two children have died because of their conflict, Capulet and Montague are mortified and declare they will honour their children's names for ever more. They vow never to argue again.