Romeo and Juliet: Characters Flashcards

Characters in "Romeo and Juliet"

• Romeo Montague: Heir of the Montague family; falls in love with Juliet; kills Tybalt, contributing to the tragic outcome.

• Juliet Capulet: Daughter of the Capulet family; deeply in love with Romeo; her choices drive the narrative towards tragedy.

• Friar Laurence: A well-meaning priest who marries Romeo and Juliet in secrecy, believing their union may end the feud between their families.

• Nurse: Juliet's confidant and messenger; plays a crucial role in facilitating the romance between Juliet and Romeo.

• Mercutio: Romeo's friend; known for his wit and eloquence; killed by Tybalt, which intensifies the conflict between the families.

• Tybalt: Impulsive and aggressive cousin of Juliet; his hatred for Montagues escalates the animosity and violence in Verona.

• Lord Montague: Patriarch of the Montague family; represents the family's opposition to the Capulets.

• Lady Montague: Romeo's mother; dies from grief after Romeo's exile, highlighting the personal costs of the feud.

• Lord Capulet: Head of the Capulet family; has a strained relationship with Juliet; pushes her towards marriage with Paris.

• Lady Capulet: Juliet's mother; eager for her daughter to marry Paris, emphasizing parental pressures in the story.

• Benvolio: Romeo's cousin; attempts to keep peace and avoid conflict; serves as a voice of reason amid the chaos.

• Friar John: Sent to convey important messages about Juliet to Romeo; his failure to deliver the message contributes to the tragic conclusion.

• Balthasar: Loyal servant to Romeo; mistakenly informs Romeo of Juliet's death, igniting the series of tragic events.

• The Apothecary: Pharmacist in Mantua; sells poison to Romeo, symbolizing the desperation and themes of mortality in the play.

• Paris: A nobleman favored by Lord Capulet to marry Juliet; represents societal expectations of marriage during the era.

• Prince Escalus: Ruler of Verona; seeks to maintain order and peace; related to Mercutio and Paris, further intertwining the conflicts.

• Peter: Capulet servant who invites guests to the ball; represents the lower social class and adds comic relief.

• Sampson and Gregory: Capulet servants; embody the feud's animosity, instigating conflict with the Montagues from the beginning.

• Abraham: Montague's servant; involved in the initial brawl; represents the lower-tier conflict between the families.

• The Chorus: Traditional character in plays that comments on the story; provides foreshadowing and thematic insights.

• Rosaline: The woman Romeo loves before Juliet; her choice to remain chaste emphasizes the theme of unrequited love and desire.