Act 1, Scene 1
Two servingmen of the Capulet family, Sampson and Gregory, enter the stage and begin the play in a conversation. They are in the city of Verona in Italy. Shortly, two other servingmen from the Montague family, Abram and Balthasar, enter and engage in the discussion with Sampson and Gregory.
Benvolio, a member of the Montague family and Tybalt, a member of the Capulet family, arrive. Tybalt and Benvolio fight with their swords, but the arrival of Prince Escalus stops them. He warns them that if the two families do not stop fighting, they will pay with their lives:
" . . . Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground
And hear the sentence of your moved prince.
Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word
By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,
Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets
And made Verona's ancient citizens
Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments
To wield old partisans, in hands as old,
Cankered with peace, to part your cankered hate.
If ever you disturb our streets again,
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace . . ." Act 1, Scene 1, lines 86-96
Montague and Montague's wife talk to Benvolio about where their son, Romeo is. Romeo has been pining for the love of Rosaline. It seems that she does not love him in the helpless way that he loves her.
Topic Tracking: Misery 1
Montague and his wife leave and Romeo arrives. He and Benvolio talk about how he is desperately in love with Rosaline. Romeo says that he is sick with love for Rosaline, and Benvolio promises to make him forget her. All exit.
Topic Tracking: Misery 2
Topic Tracking: Love 1
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