Romeos and Juliet Summary

In Act 1 Scene 1, two Capulet servants are insulting the Montague family. When two Montagues walk in, the two Capulets servant decide to fight them, but they want it to look like the Montagues started it. One of the Capulet servants bites his lips thumb at a Montague, but says he didn't. Both parties get agitated and a fight starts. Benvolio, a Montague, comes in to break up the fight. He pulls out his sword to do so, but Tybalt, a Capulet, sees the sword and thinks he wants to fight to. A crowd gather arounds the fight. Both Montague and Capulet arrive with their wives and start throwing insults and calling for weapons. The Prince comes and breaks up the fight and tells the men to meet with him. He says that this fight will be the last or they will be severely punished. Everyone departs but the Montagues and Benvolio. They want to know why Romeo is so sad. They see Romeo approaching and decide Benvolio should talk to him. Romeo is sad because the woman he loves, Rosaline, is chaste, and therefore, will never be with him. 

In Scene Two, Paris a wealthy business man asks Capulet for his daughter's, Juliet, hand in marriage. He says he will throw a party to see if she likes him, but is not opposed to the match. A servant is given the invite list and runs into Romeo and invites him to the party, not knowing that he's a Montague. Romeo and Benvolio decide to go so they can see Rosaline.