Romeo and Juliet - Act V

S C E N E   1

Enter Romeo

Romeo. Providing I can trust my dreams, some great news are coming soon! Love is what rules my heart and all day long I've had cheerful thoughts. I dreamt that my lady came and found me dead. I mean, it's such a strange dream, it would make a dead man think. In my dream, she brought me back to life when she kissed my lips. I rose from the dead and became an emperor. Oh my! how awesome it would be to actually have the woman I love - if just thinking about her makes me so happy.

Enter Romeo's servant, Balthasar

Do you have news from Verona? What's it, Balthasar? Have you brought me letters from the friar? How is my lady? Is my father doing well? How's my Juliet? I asked that question twice because nothing else can be wrong if she's well.

Balthasar. Then she's well and nothing is wrong. Her body is now lying in Capulet's tomb, and her soul lives with the angels in heaven. I saw her being buried in her family's tomb, then came here to tell you the news. Please forgive me for bringing you such bad news, but you hired me to do this job, sir.

Romeo. Is this really true? Then I rebel against you, stars! You know where I live. Bring me some ink and paper and hire some horses. I'm going back there tonight.

Balthasar. Please sir, don't be rash. You look pale and wild. You'll hurt yourself if you just run off like this.

Romeo. Oh, you're wrong! Just go and do what I asked you to do. Don't you have a letter for me from the Friar?

Balthasar. No, my good lord.

Romeo. Never mind. Go on now and hire those horses. I'll be with you just now.

                                                                                                         Exit Balthasar

Well, Juliet. I'll lie with you tonight. The only thing is for me to work out how to do it. Destructive thoughts come quickly to people who're desperate. I remember a chemist - and he lives nearby. I noticed he carries around old bunches of weeds, wears tattered clothes and has bushy eyebrows. He looks insignificant. Misery seems to have worn him down to the bones. He has a tortoise shell hanging from his old shop. There's also a stuffed alligator and other animals around the place. He's got strange fish and lots of empty, straggly boxes on his shelves. There are green earthen pots, bladders and musty seeds, odd strings, and old pressed rose petals on display.

When I noticed his poverty I said to myself, if anyone ever needed poison - which they would put you to death if you sold in Mantua - this miserable beggar would sell it to them. This idea came to me before I needed the poison. Now I need this poor man to sell it to me. As I remember, this should be his house. Hang on! Today's a holiday. The beggar's shop is closed. Hey! Chemist! (Apothecary)

Chemist. Who's making that racket?

Romeo. Come here, man. I see you're poor. Here are forty ducats. Give me a gram of poison. I want something that will shoot through the veins as quickly as gunpowder through a cannon.

Chemist. I have lethal poisons like that, but it's not legal in Mantua to sell them, you know. The penalty is death.

Romeo. You're so poor and wretched, yet you're afraid to die? Your cheeks are gaunt because of hunger. Your eyes show how much you're starving and oppressed. It's clear to everyone you're a beggar. The world and its laws are not your friend. If the world ever made a law to make you rich, then you should be afraid to break it. As it stands, you're poor, so break the law and take this. (Holds out money).

Chemist. It's my poverty, not my will that makes me take this.

Romeo. Then I appeal to your poverty, not your will.

Chemist. (Gives Romeo poison) Put this in any liquid you want and drink it. Even if you were as strong as twenty men, it will get rid of you instantly.

Romeo. (Gives chemist money) Here's your gold. This is worse poison to men's souls, and it commits more murders in this wicked world than these poor poisons you're not allowed to sell. I've sold you poison. It's not the other way around. Goodbye. Buy food and put on a little weight. I'll take this medicine - not poison - with me to Juliet's grave. I have to use it there.

                                                                                                            They exit

S C E N E  1 1

Enter, Friar John

Frair John. Holy Franciscan Friar! Hi Brother!

Enter Friar Lawrence

Frair Lawrence. That sounds like Friar John. Welcome back from Mantua. What did Romeo say? Where's the letter he wrote? Give it to me?

Frair John. I went to find one of our brothers to accompany me to Mantua. He was here in this city visiting the sick. Once I'd found him, the town officials suspected that we were both in a house that had been hit by the plague. They quarantined the house, sealed up the doors and wouldn't let us out. That's where I've been. I couldn't go to Mantua.

Friair Lawrence. So, who took my letter to Romeo then?

Friar John. I couldn't send it. Here it is (he gives F. Lawrence a letter). I couldn't get a messenger to bring it back to you either because they were scared of spreading the infection.

Friar L. What bad luck! The letter was not just a greeting with a pleasant message. It contained very important information, and neglecting it was a very dangerous thing. Friar John, go right away. Get me an iron crow bar and bring it immediately to my cell.

Friar J. I'll go and get it right away for you, brother.

                                                                                                       Exit Friar John

Friar L. I must go to the tomb alone now. Juliet will wake up within 3 hours. She'll be very angry with me that Romeo hasn't been told about any of what has happened. I'll have to write to Mantua again and let her stay at my cell until Romeo can get here. Poor living corpse. She's shut inside a dead man's tomb.

                                                                                                               Exit

S C E N E  1 1 1

Enter Paris and his page

Paris. Give me your torch, boy. Go and stand over there. Put the torch out so no one can see me. Hide under those yew trees over there. Listen with your ears to the ground and make sure no one is coming into the graveyard. The ground is quite loose because it's been dug up so many times, so you should hear any footsteps. If anyone gets near, whistle to me. Give me those flowers and do what I told you to. Go!

Page puts out his torch and gives Paris the flowers

Page. (Aside) I'm kind of afraid to stand alone here in the graveyard. I'll have to take the risk though.

Page moves aside

Paris. (Scatters flowers at Juliet's closed tomb). Sweet flower, I'm spreading flowers over your bridal bed. O woe! Your cover is dust and stones. I'll water these flowers every night with sweet water. Failing that, I'll water them with tears and moans. I'll have a ritual for you each night. I'll put flowers on your grave and weep for you.

Page whistles

The boy is warning me that someone's coming. Who could be wandering around here at this time of night.They're ruining my rituals for my true love. I wonder if they have a torch? I have to hide in the darkness for a while.

Paris moves away from the tomb. Enter Romeo and Balthasar.

Romeo. Give me that pickaxe and the crowbar (takes them from Balthasar). Here, take this letter. Deliver it to my lord and father early in the morning (gives the letter to Balthasar). Give me the light (takes torch from Balthasar). Swear on your life that whatever you see or hear, you'll stand away from me and not interrupt my plans. I'm going down into this bed of death, partly because I want to see my lady's face, but mainly because I have to take a precious ring off her dead finger. I have to use that ring for a very important purpose. So, stay away.
If you get a bit nosey and dare to come back to spy on what I'm going to do, I swear, I'll tear your body apart limb by limb and scatter the bits about the graveyard for the hungry animals to eat. I'm more savage and wild in this than a hungry tiger or the raging sea.

Balthasar. I'll go, sir. I won't bother you.

Romeo. That's the way to show your friendship to me. Take this (gives Balthasar money). Live and be prosperous. Goodbye good fellow.

Balthasar. (Aside) Despite what he said, I'll hide somewhere nearby to watch what he's up to. I don't trust that wild look on his face.

Balthasar moves aside and falls asleep

Romeo. (Speaking to the tomb) You disgusting mouth of death! You've stuffed yourself with the most precious person on earth. I'm going to force your rotten jaws open so I can force you to eat another body.  (Romeo begins to open the tomb with his tools).

Paris. (Aside) This is that banished, arrogant Montague. He's the one who murdered my love's cousin. She died because she was grieving for Tybalt. Now Romeo's come here to disrespect the dead. I'll catch him. (To Romeo). Stop this vile work you're doing, Montague. Can you still want revenge on the dead? I've caught you, criminal! Give up and come with me. You're going to be put to death.

Romeo. I will indeed. That's why I came. Good and gentle young man, don't get on the wrong side of a desperate man. Just walk away and leave me. Think about the people who've died. Let them put fear in you. I beg you, young man, don't me push me. I don't want to commit another crime. I swear, I love you more than I love myself. I came with weapons to use against myself. Don't hang around. I want you to live and be able to say a madman showed you mercy and allowed you to run away.

Paris. I'm going nowhere! I'm arresting you as a criminal.

Romeo. Are you going to test me? Okay, then. Let's fight boy!

Romeo and Paris fight

Page. Oh, Lord. They're fighting. I'll go and call the watchman.

                                                                                                                                 Exit Page

Paris. (Falls) Oh, I've been stabbed. If you're really merciful, open the tomb so I can lie with Juliet.

Paris dies

Romeo. Okay. I will. Let me look at this face. It's Mercutio's relative, noble Count Paris. What did my man say, I was so taken up with worry, I wasn't really listening. I think he said that Paris was going to marry Juliet. Is that what he said, or did I dream it? Maybe I'm just crazy. Maybe I just heard him talk about Juliet and assumed all kinds of things. Oh, give me your hand. We both have had such bad luck. I'll bury you in a good grave.
Romeo opens the tomb to reveal Juliet inside

A grave? Oh no! This is a lantern, dead young man. Here lies Juliet and her beauty makes this tomb a pleasant place, filled with light. Death, you're being buried by a dead man. (He lays Paris in the tomb).

How often are men happy just before they die. Oh, my love, my wife! Death has sucked the honey from your breath, yet it has no power over your beauty. You're not conquered! Your lips and cheeks are still red. Death hasn't turned them white.

Tybalt, are you lying there in your bloody sheet? What better favour can I do for you than to kill your enemy who killed you, using the same hand that caused you to die so young. Forgive me, cousin. Ah, dear Juliet, why are you still so beautiful? Should I believe that death - the monster - is in love with you, and that he keeps you here to be his mistress? To avoid that happening, I'll stay with you. I'll never leave this dark place again. I'll stay here with the worms that are your chamber maids. I'll set up my everlasting rest here and forget all about the bad luck that have followed my weary flesh.

Eyes, take your last look. Arms, take your last embrace. Lips, the doors of breath, take your last kiss to seal the deal of death. (Romeo kisses Juliet and takes out the poison). Come bitter poison, come unsavoury guide. You desperate pilot, let's crash this tired ship against the rocks. Here's to my love! (drinks the poison). Oh, chemist. You were right. Your drugs work quickly. So with a kiss, I die.

Romeo dies

Enter Friar Lawrence with lantern, crow and spade

Friar L. Saint Francis, give me speed. My feet have stumbled over gravestones so many times tonight. Who's there?

Balthasar. A friend. I know you well.

Friar L. God bless you. Can you tell me, good friend, what's that light over there? The one that lights up the tomb for worms and skulls without eyes. It looks like it's coming from Capulet's tomb.

Balthasar. It is, holy sir. My master is there. The one you care about.

Friar L. Who's it?

Balthasar. Romeo.

Friar L. How long has he been in there?

Balthasar. For a full half hour.

Friar L.  Please come to the tomb with me.

Balthasar. I dare not, sir. My master doesn't know I'm still here. He thinks I'm gone. He threatened me with death if I stayed to watch what he was doing.

Friar L. Stay then. I'll go alone. I'm scared. I'm really scared that something terrible has happened.

Balthasar. As I was sleeping under this yew tree, here. I dreamt that my master was fighting with someone and he killed him.

Friar L. (Approaches the tomb). Romeo! Oh no! Whose blood is this that stains the stony entrance of the tomb? What's the meaning of these abandoned, dirty swords? Why are they in this place of peace? (Looks inside the tomb). Romeo! You're so pale! Who else? What? Paris too? And covered in blood? When did these terrible things happen? The lady's waking up.

Juliet wakes up

Juliet. Oh, Friar, you're a sight for sore eyes. Where's Romeo? I remember exactly where I am. Where is my Romeo?

A noise sounds from outside the tomb

Friar L. I hear a noise, lady. Come out of the tomb. A greater power than us has ruined our careful plans. Come, come away. Your husband lies dead near to you. Paris too. Come, I'll put you with the sisterhood of holy nuns. The watchman is coming, so don't stay, or he'll question you. Come, let's go, good Juliet. I dare not stay any longer.

Juliet. There's no way I'm leaving. I'm staying right here.

                                                                                                  Exit Friar Lawrence

What's this? A cup, held in my true love's hand? He died of poison, I see. How rude of him to drink it all. He didn't leave any to help me afterwards. I'll kiss his lips. Hopefully some of the poison left there will help me die. Your lips are warm.

Enter watchmen and Paris's page

Chief watchman. (To Page) Lead, boy. Which way?

Juliet. Oh, no. Noise! I'll have to be quick here. Oh, great! A knife. My body will be your sheath. Rust inside my body and let me die (stabs herself with Romeo's dagger and dies).

Page. This is the place. There, where that torch is burning.

Chief watchman. The ground is bloody.  Some of you go and search the graveyard. Arrest whoever you find.

                                                                                                          Exit some watchmen

Pitiful sight! The Count is dead and Juliet is bleeding. Her body is still warm which means she's just died, even though she's been buried here for two days. Go tell the Prince. Run to the Capulets. Wake up the Montagues. Have some more people search around.

                                                                                                           Exit more watchmen

We see the result of all this pain. Yet we have to investigate the whole cause of this disaster.

Re-enter second watchman with Romeo's servant, Balthasar

Second watchman. Here's Romeo's servant. We found him in the churchyard.

Chief watchman. Hold him in custody until the Prince gets here.

Re-enter third watchman with Friar Lawrence

Third watchman. I found this Friar trembling, sighing and weeping. We took this pickaxe and spade from him as he was leaving this side of the churchyard.

Chief watchman. That's suspicious. Hold him too.

Enter the Prince with attendants

Prince. What's all this so early in the morning that I have to wake up from my sleep?

Enter Capulet and Lady Capulet

Capulet. What's all the noise about?

Lady Capulet. Oh, the people in the street are crying, 'Romeo!' Other's are saying, 'Juliet!' And some, 'Paris'. They're all running screaming and shouting towards our tomb.

Prince. What are they crying about?

Chief watchman. Prince, Count Paris is lying here dead. Romeo is also dead and Juliet is dead again. This time she's not been dead for long.

Prince. I want you to investigate how all this happened.

Chief watchman. Here are the Friar and dead Romeo's servant. They've both been found with tools which could be used to open the tombs.

Capulet. Oh, heavens! Oh, wife, look at how our daughter is bleeding. That dagger is mistaken. It should be in that Montague's back, instead it's in my daughter's chest.

Lady Capulet. Oh my! All this sight of death reminds me of my own age, and the possibility of dying soon.

Enter Montague

Prince. Come, Montague. You're up early to see your son and heir down early.

Montague. Oh, Prince, my wife died tonight. She was so sad because of Romeo's exile, she grieved to death. What more pain must I endure in my old age?

Prince. Look and you'll see.

Montague. (To Romeo) Oh you rude boy. Where are your manners? It's not right for a son to beat his father to the grave.

Prince. Be quiet for a while until we can find out what's wrong here. I want to find out what really happened and then I will lead you in your grief. In the meantime, be patient. Let's have a talk with the suspects.

Friar L. I'm the prime suspect, yet I was able to do the least. I'm under most suspicion because I was here at the time of the murder. And here I stand, you can question and punish me. I've already condemned myself.

Prince. Tell us what you know, this instant.

Friar L. I'll be quick because I only have a little while left to live. To make a long story short: Romeo was Juliet's husband. I married them. Their wedding day was the same day Tybalt died. It was his untimely death that caused Romeo to be banished from the city.  It was Romeo Juliet was pining for, not Tybalt.

You tried to get her out of her sadness by forcing her to marry the Count. She came to me desperate for me to devise a plan to get her out of the second marriage, and threatened to kill herself if I didn't. It was then I gave her a sleeping potion to make it look like she was dead. Meanwhile, I wrote to Romeo to tell him to come and help take her out from the grave when the potion wore off. However, the person who was supposed to take my letter, Friar John couldn't make it to him, and returned the letter to me last night.

When I realised it was time for Juliet to wake up, I came by myself to remove her from the grave. I was going to keep her secret in my cell until I could contact Romeo. But when I got here, just minutes before she was supposed to wake up, Paris and Romeo were already dead. When she woke up, I begged her to come out of the tomb with me and have some patience in this tragedy. A noise scared me from the tomb, and she was too desperate to come with me. As it seems, she killed herself. I know all this, and Juliet's nurse knows about the wedding. If any of this is my fault, let my old life be taken and let me suffer most of the punishment.

Prince. We've always known you as  a holy man. Where's Romeo's servant? What does he have to say for himself?

Balthasar. I told my master news about Juliet's death. He then rode in from Mantua to this tomb. (He shows a letter). He gave me this letter to give to his father. He went into the tomb and threatened to kill me if I didn't leave him alone.

Prince. Give me the letter. I'll have a look at it. (He takes the letter from Balthasar). Where's the Count's servant, the one who raised the alarm? Boy, why was your master here?

Page. He brought flowers to put on his lady's grave. He told me to stand away from here, so I did. Someone with a torch came to open the tomb, so my master drew his sword on him. When I saw that I ran away to call the watchman.

Prince. (Skims the letter). This letter confirms the Friar's story. It tells of their love and the message about her death. And here he writes that he bought poison from a poor chemist, then came to this tomb to die and lie with Juliet.

Where are the enemies? Capulet! Montague! Do you see what misery your hate has brought about? Heaven has found a way to kill the sources of your joy with love. For my part, because I ignored your feuds, I've also lost several of my family. We were all punished.

Capulet. Oh brother Montague, give me your hand. This is my daughter's dowry. I can ask you for nothing else.

Montague. But I can give you more. I'll make a statue of her in pure gold. And as long as this city is called Verona, there will be no other statue praised more than that of the true and faithful Juliet.

Capulet. I'll also make a similar statue of Romeo to lie next to Juliet's. They were only poor sacrifices of our enmity.

Prince. There is a dark peace this morning. The sun is too sorrowful to show itself. Let's go and talk about thise sad things some more. Some will be forgiven and some will be punished. There never was a story more painful than that of Juliet and her Romeo.

They all exit.

The end


Acts 1 - 1V