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What happens in Act 5, Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet?
In Mantua, Balthasar tells Romeo that Juliet is dead. Romeo buys a poison from the Apothecary and plans to return to Verona to kill himself and lay with Juliet in her grave that night.
Read our Summary & Analysis of Act 5, Scenes 1& 2. (4-minute read)
Are any new characters introduced in Act 5, Scene 1?
Romeo’s loyal servant Balthasar appears in Scene 1. His most important function occurs here, when he brings Romeo the news that Juliet is dead, but he will also appear in Scene 3. The Apothecary appears only in Scene 1, and even though he is not a major character, his encounter with Romeo in it is noteworthy, as will be discussed below.
Read our Character List descriptions for Romeo and Juliet. (4-minute read)
Does whether a character speaks in prose or in verse strictly divide the classes of Romeo and Juliet?
Upper-status characters usually speak in verse, while servants and other lower-status characters speak in prose in the play, but not always. Regardless of their status, characters are more likely to speak in verse when discussing serious topics—such as the Apothecary talking about poison in Scene 1. Conversely, higher-status characters tend to speak in prose when being less serious, such as when Romeo and Mercutio are joking around.
Read more about this topic in “Prose and Verse” (half-way down the page). (2-minute read.)
What do Romeo’s actions in Act 5, Scene 1 reveal about his character?
As we have seen, Acts 1 and 2 were mostly told from Romeo’s perspective, before Acts 3 and 4 shift mostly to Juliet’s. Act 5 shifts the main perspective back to Romeo. Scene 1 of Act 5 is a showcase for some of his key character traits, including his tendency to never do anything half-way. His passionate reaction to Balthasar’s news that Juliet is dead (“Then I defy you, stars!”) shows his intensity of both his love and his anger. His decision after hearing this news to commit suicide shows his rashness. Finally, his clever argument that convinces the Apothecary to sell him poison (despite the risk of the penalty of death) highlights another core characteristic of Romeo: his persuasiveness and charm.
Read our in-depth Character Analysis of Romeo. (esp. the 4th paragraph) (3-minute read)
Read explanations of three important quotes by Romeo in Scene 1. (3-minute read)
