Act 4 summaries

Scene 1: Friar Lawrence’s cell.

Paris visits the Friar in his cell and tells him that he intends to marry Juliet in two days. The Friar - knowing of Romeo and Juliet’s secret marriage - tries to make him postpone it. Juliet arrives and ambiguously dodges Paris’ remarks about marriage.

After Paris has left, Juliet asks Friar Lawrence for advice since the only solution she sees now is suicide. The Friar instead suggests a plan involving a sleeping potion. Juliet is to drink it on the night before the wedding. It will make her seem dead for 42 hours, which means that she will wake up in the family tomb where she can be reunited with Romeo and they can elope together. Juliet agrees, and the Friar promises to inform Romeo of this plan in a letter.

Scene 2: A hall in Capulet’s house.

Juliet tells her father that she is willi...