Romeo and Juliet

Escalus

Also known as Prince of Verona · Prince

Prince of Verona, who enforces the law against the feuding families and exiles Romeo after Tybalt’s death. He later hears the account of the lovers’ deaths and reconciles the families.

Mercutio

Kinsman to the Prince and Romeo’s friend. Tybalt mortally wounds him in a street fight.

Paris

Also known as County Paris · young Nobleman

A young nobleman and kinsman to the Prince who seeks Juliet’s hand in marriage. He is killed by Romeo at Juliet’s tomb.

Page to Paris

Also known as Paris’s Page

An unnamed attendant to Paris, present during the street encounter with Benvolio and Mercutio.

Montague

Also known as Lord Montague

Head of the Montague family and Romeo’s father. He is locked in a long feud with Capulet; he reports that his wife died of grief after Romeo’s exile.

Lady Montague

Montague’s wife and Romeo’s mother. She worries about Romeo’s unhappiness and dies of grief after his exile.

Romeo

Montague’s son, who secretly marries Juliet and is exiled after killing Tybalt. Believing Juliet dead, he takes poison at her tomb.

Benvolio

Montague’s nephew and Romeo’s friend and cousin. He tries to keep the peace and recounts the fatal fight to the Prince.

Abram

A servant of Montague who confronts Capulet’s servants in the opening street brawl.

Balthasar

Romeo’s servant, named among Montague’s men at the opening street brawl. He brings Romeo news of Juliet’s apparent death and accompanies him to the tomb.

Capulet

Also known as Lord Capulet

Head of the Capulet family and Juliet’s father. He tries to arrange Juliet’s marriage to Paris and later grieves her apparent death before learning of the secret marriage and the lovers’ deaths.

Lady Capulet

Capulet’s wife and Juliet’s mother. She encourages Juliet to marry Paris and later brings her news of the arranged wedding.

Juliet

Capulet’s daughter, who secretly marries Romeo. To avoid a forced marriage to Paris, she takes a potion that makes her appear dead; she wakes to find Romeo dead and kills herself.

Tybalt

Lady Capulet’s nephew and a fierce opponent of the Montagues. He kills Mercutio and is then killed by Romeo.

Capulet’s Cousin

Also known as old cousin Capulet

An elderly kinsman of Capulet who reminisces with him at the feast.

Nurse

Also known as Juliet’s Nurse

Juliet’s longtime nurse and confidante, who helps arrange messages and the secret marriage with Romeo. She carries Juliet’s ring to Romeo and knows about the marriage.

Peter

A servant to Juliet’s Nurse who accompanies her and carries out her errands. He later quarrels with the musicians at Juliet’s funeral.

Sampson

A servant of Capulet who provokes the opening street brawl with Montague’s servants.

Gregory

A servant of Capulet who joins Sampson in provoking the opening street brawl.

Friar Lawrence

Also known as Friar Lawrence’s Cell’s Friar · Franciscan Friar

A Franciscan friar and Romeo’s spiritual adviser. He secretly marries Romeo and Juliet, gives Juliet a potion to help her escape a forced marriage, and explains the tragedy to the Prince.

Friar John

A Franciscan friar who is entrusted with Friar Lawrence’s letter to Romeo. A quarantine prevents him from delivering it, and he returns the letter to Lawrence.

Apothecary

Also known as An Apothecary

An unnamed, impoverished apothecary in Mantua who illegally sells Romeo poison.

Chorus

A speaking chorus that introduces the lovers’ story and summarizes their families’ feud.

Three Musicians

A group of musicians listed among the play’s characters. Three of them appear at Juliet’s funeral and exchange words with Peter.

Officer

Also known as An Officer

An unnamed officer, listed among the play’s characters but not identified in the story passage.

Citizens of Verona

Also known as Citizens

Veronese townspeople who intervene in the street brawls and call for justice after the deaths.

Maskers, Guards, Watchmen and Attendants

Unnamed attendants and revelers listed among the play’s characters; some maskers accompany Romeo and his friends to Capulet’s feast.

Rosaline

Also known as Romeo’s fair niece Rosaline · Romeo’s former love

A woman Romeo loves before meeting Juliet; she has vowed to remain chaste and is invited to Capulet’s feast.

Servant with Capulet’s invitation

Also known as Capulet’s Servant

An unnamed servant sent to find the people listed on Capulet’s invitation. Romeo reads the guest list for him.

Signior Martino

Also known as Martino

A guest named on Capulet’s invitation; his wife and daughters are also listed, but not individually named.

County Anselmo

Also known as Anselmo

A guest named on Capulet’s invitation; his sisters are mentioned but not individually named.

Lady Widow of Utruvio

Also known as the lady widow of Utruvio

A widow named among the invited guests at Capulet’s feast.

Signior Placentio

Also known as Placentio

A guest named on Capulet’s invitation; his nieces are also listed, but not individually named.

Valentine

Also known as Mercutio’s brother

Mercutio’s brother, named on Capulet’s invitation; he does not appear directly.

Livia

A woman named on Capulet’s invitation as a guest.

Signior Valentio

Also known as Valentio

A guest named on Capulet’s invitation; Tybalt is identified as his cousin.

Lucio

A guest named on Capulet’s invitation.

Helena

A woman named on Capulet’s invitation as a guest.

Queen Mab

Also known as Mab

A tiny fairy queen described by Mercutio as the midwife of dreams, who visits sleepers and shapes their fantasies.

Susan

The Nurse’s deceased child, who was the same age as Juliet; the Nurse says she is with God.

Nurse’s Husband

Also known as Juliet’s deceased foster father

The Nurse’s late husband, who helped care for Juliet when she was a baby.

Capulet’s Servant

Also known as Capulet’s invitation servant

An unnamed household servant who announces that Capulet’s guests have arrived and supper is ready.

Tiberio’s Son and Heir

Also known as son and heir of old Tiberio

An unnamed young man whom Juliet asks about at the feast; the Nurse identifies him as the son and heir of old Tiberio.

Young Petruchio

Also known as Petruchio

A young man identified by the Nurse at Capulet’s feast; Juliet asks who he is as he leaves.

Potpan

A Capulet household servant called on to help clear the feast table.

First Servant at Capulet’s Feast

Also known as First Servant

An unnamed servant who directs the kitchen work and asks another servant to let Susan Grindstone and Nell into the house.

Second Servant at Capulet’s Feast

Also known as Second Servant

An unnamed servant who helps with the feast preparations and responds to the first servant.

Susan Grindstone

A person named by a Capulet household servant as someone to be let into the house during the feast preparations.

Nell

A person named by a Capulet household servant as someone to be let into the house during the feast preparations.

Antony

A Capulet household servant called on during the feast preparations.

Capulet’s Cousin’s Son

Also known as Lucentio’s son

The son of Lucentio, mentioned by Capulet’s cousin as being thirty years old.

Lucentio

A man whose wedding Capulet and his cousin recall attending; his son is mentioned as thirty years old.

Page

Also known as Mercutio’s Page

An unnamed page with Mercutio who is sent to fetch a surgeon after Mercutio is wounded.

Romeo’s Man

Also known as Romeo’s servant

Romeo’s unnamed servant, whom Benvolio has spoken with and whom Romeo trusts to deliver a message and a rope ladder.

Angelica

A person addressed by Capulet while he gives instructions to spare no expense on the baked meats.

Paris’s Page at the Tomb

Also known as Page of Paris

An unnamed page accompanying Paris to Juliet’s tomb with flowers and a torch. He runs to summon the watch after Paris and Romeo fight.

First Musician

Also known as Simon Catling

A musician at Juliet’s funeral who refuses Peter’s request to play and speaks with him about music. Peter addresses him as Simon Catling.

Second Musician

Also known as Hugh Rebeck

A musician at Juliet’s funeral who speaks with Peter about the meaning of “silver sound.” Peter addresses him as Hugh Rebeck.

Third Musician

Also known as James Soundpost

A musician at Juliet’s funeral whom Peter identifies as the singer. Peter addresses him as James Soundpost.

First Watch

An unnamed watchman who leads the watch at the Capulets’ tomb, reports the deaths, and holds the suspects for the Prince.

Second Watch

An unnamed watchman who reports that Romeo’s servant was found in the churchyard.

Third Watch

An unnamed watchman who brings Friar Lawrence and the tools found with him to the Prince.

Barefoot Brother

Also known as Friar John’s brother

An unnamed Franciscan friar in Mantua whom Friar John sought to accompany him while visiting the sick; the searchers’ quarantine prevented them from leaving.