| Romeo | In love with Rosaline at the beginning of the play. Falls in love with Juliet at the ball. Kills Tybalt. Montague |
| Lord Montague | Father to Romeo and enemies with the Capulets |
| Lady Montague | Mother to Romeo. Dies from broken heart of Romeo being banished. |
| Benvolio | Romeo’s cousin. Wants Romeo to come to ball with him. Friends with Mercutio. Sensitive and peace-maker. |
| Balthasar | Romeo’s servant. Travels with Romeo to Mantua |
| Friar Lawrence | A friar of the Order of Saint Francis, whose good intentions precipitate the tragedy. |
| Juliet | In love with Romeo. Supposed to marry Paris. 13 years old. Knows what she wants. Capulet |
| Lord Capulet | Juliet’s father and a temperamental bully who initially pretends to consider his daughter’s welfare while arranging her marriage, but later demands her quick union with Count Paris. Her father’s pressure is a catalyst in the final sequence of events that ends in Juliet’s suicide. Capulet |
| Lady Capulet | Juliet’s mother is submissive to her husband, and refuses to intercede for Juliet when their daughter expresses concern over the arranged marriage to Count Paris. Capulet |
| Tybalt | Short Temper. Kills Mercutio. Slain by Romeo |
| Nurse | Like Juliet’s mother. Knows about secret marriage. |
| Sampson | A Capulet servingman who is involved in the street brawl |
| Gregory | A Capulet servingman who is involved in the street brawl |
| Prince Ecalus | The ruler of Verona who provides for and represents law and order in the city. He frequently attempts to cede the violence between the Montagues and Capulets, but he finds himself powerless against true love. |
| Mercuito | Romeo’s friend, a kinsman of the Prince, and one of the play’s most colorful characters. In the early Acts, Mercutio displays a pronounced wit and colorful language. However, by Act III, as he lies dying after the street fight, he delivers a damning speech on the feuding houses. Mercutio’s death marks the play’s turn into tragedy. |
| Paris | Count Paris is Juliet’s suitor – Lord Capulet supports the union but Juliet despises him. Though never as insidious as Lord Capulet, Paris behaves arrogantly once the marriage date is set. He confronts Romeo in Act V, which leads to the Count’s death in battle. Related to the Prince |
| Rosaline | Romeo is in love with at the beginning of the play. Doesn’t like boys very much |
Romeo and Juliet Character descriptions.
September 16, 2019