(The Capulet family's tomb. Romeo is standing by the open tomb of Juliet and is about to take the poison.)
Romeo: Wherefore hath cruel death ta'en my lady from me?
O, Death is surely a spiteful master!
Surely her end was caused by my deadly sin.
The only way of witnessing her alive,
Is to lose my own life and reunite with my love in heaven.
(He takes the vial of poison from his pocket and takes the stopper off)
I can bear this hurt no longer!
(He lifts the vial of poison to drink it, but moments before he does, Juliet's hand moves slightly and he drops the vial in surprise. It shatters.)
No! No! I am surely a coward for not committing my deed!
But that foul little motion caused a spring of my greed!
(He sinks to his knees)
What caused me to perform this great act of cowardice?
What forced my hand to lose its grip on my way to liberty?
(Juliet awakens)
Juliet: Romeo?
Romeo: If only I would have found it in myself to seize that holy vial!
Juliet: Romeo?
(Romeo looks at Juliet, and rises)
Romeo: Juliet! Thou art not dead?
Juliet: I ne'er was.
Romeo: But wherefore did my servant proclaim you dead?
Juliet: Soon after thou departeth for Mantua,
My father declared I was to be made a bride on Thursday next.
As thou knowst, twould be unfaithful to marry again.
Desp'rate, I went forth to Friar Laurence,
Who told me of his drift to avoid the wedding to the County.
I drank a potion the friar gaveth me,
And soon fell into a deep sleep.
This slumber made me appear dead to all,
That must be when thy servant left to call.
And now I awaken to find thee by my platform,
Crying out your misery.
Romeo: I am much relieved to find thee alive.
(Kisses her)
Juliet: One fact there is that I must know,
Why wast thou weeping on the floor so?
Romeo: When news from Verona came with my servant,
I made my mind up for what must be done.
I bought potent potion that would have slain me,
And I came hither to die next to my wife's tomb.
I wast about to use the poison, but,
I saw thy slender hand move. Twas a slight motion,
But twas enough. The vial slipped from my clumsy fingers,
And I felt myself a coward. But that matters not, thou livest.
Juliet: It is greatly thrifty that I may witness thee alive.
(Kisses him)
Romeo: But, come, my love, we must away,
In this fearful tomb, I shalt not stay.
(They begin to walk out of the tomb)
(Enter Paris)
Paris: Who ist wandering in my love's grave?
Juliet? I thought thou wast dead!
I came hence to pay my respects,
To my beloved wife. But, now,
That I know thou livest, I can pay,
My holy respects in a diff'ring way.
(Leans forward to kiss her, Juliet moves out of the way)
Romeo: Leave the lady be, County.
Paris: And Romeo, too! Thou villainous knave!
Twas because of thee dear Juliet decided,
To come hence to this fearful sepulcher.
Romeo: True, twas I that caused this,
But Juliet hath not come here,
To avoid me, but to away with me.
This whole state caused many to
Think diff'rently. She ne'er was dead,
And she feigned her passing so she could
Avoid being in a faithless marriage with thee.
Paris: Faithless! Ha! I beg to differ, villain.
Dear Juliet told her father she would,
Honor his wishes henceforth from that day.
This maiden was equipped to marry me,
And to renounce thee!
Romeo: Dost thou not understand?
My dear Juliet was already
Married at the time old Capulet planned
The setting of the expected matrimony.
Paris: Thou art a prating clodpole!
How could she have leave
To marry another, and whom
May this faithless husband be?
Juliet: I know not of faithless,
But the husband Romeo
Speaks of is he.
Paris: Tis impossible!
Romeo: No, tis the truth.
Paris: But how have she the time to marry
A wretched villain, such as yourself?
If I recall this information correctly,
Thou art a Montague, Juliet's foe.
The Capulets would never give
Their fair daughter leave to wed an enemy!
Romeo: My lady had leave to go to shrift
The night after her father's revelry.
At that time, her parents believed
Her intent wast to be shrived,
But thither the pair of us were wed.
Paris: Thou filthy demon! My wife thou hast stolen!
(He draws his sword and rushes toward Romeo. Romeo is too stunned by the suddenness of the attack; he doesn't react.)
(Juliet moves in front of Romeo and stops Paris's charge by slamming her fist on the top of his head. Paris is knocked out.)
Juliet: I nearly lost my Romeo once, twill not happen again.
Romeo: Juliet! My life is owed to thee.
(Kisses her)
Juliet: A figure approaches! Draw thy blade; we may be in dire need of it.
(Romeo draws his sword)
(Enter Friar Laurence)
Friar Laurence:
Romeo! Whence I learn'd my message did not arrive in time,
I feared thou would do the worst to thyself! O God!
Who hath slain County Paris?
(Romeo lowers his sword)
Romeo: The County is not slain, good father. He is merely insensible.
He came armed against me and my beloved Juliet. His blade was drawn.
I was too staggered to react, but Juliet was not. She hath shielded me from
The County's rapier and for that my life is forever hers.
Friar Laurence:
O, God! Hast Juliet been hurt?
Juliet: I am not injured, father. County Paris had no occasion to use his blade.
The one who turned Paris insensible on this sepulcher floor was I.
Friar Laurence:
I am much relieved that is so. Now come, quickly!
We are unfortunate to have a party following us.
Juliet: But how will we away? If we take our leave by foot,
We will surely be seen!
Friar Laurence:
I hath come to this grave by carriage.
If we shalt make hast, we may be able
To keep secret from the heated crowd.
Hide in the carriage, but keep your peace,
Or surely Juliet's kin will tear Romeo to pieces!
(Exeunt Friar Laurence, Romeo, and Juliet)
(Enter Lord Capulet, Lady Capulet, and Page)
Capulet: Out with it, boy! Wherefore hast
Thou rous'd us from our beds
At such an early out? And to
Bring us hence to our daughter's
Tomb! What be the meaning of this?
Page: I wast told to keep the watch
Whilst my master, the County Paris,
Came hence to pay his respects to
His beloved wife. Whilst I was keeping
The watch, methinks I heard some noise
From within! I sens'd that the both of you
Shalt be the first I shalt tell, being this your
Holy graveyard.
Lady Capulet:
Why did you not tell us earlier?
Come! We must make haste!
What noise didst thou hear, sirrah?
Page: I heard the noise of angered voices.
I heard naught of what they were speaking,
But I could tell my master was putting up
A fair verbal fight 'gainst those that inquired him.
(They go down to the tombs most recently added to the graveyard)
Capulet: Why call you us here? Nobody is present.
I do not even see-
Lady Capulet:
County Paris!
Capulet: O God! What hath those villainous grave robbers
Done to him? Hast there been a fight hence?
Page: My ears did not witness a quarrel.
Lady Capulet:
I do not trust he is dead.
(Paris stirs)
Capulet: Indeed he is not. See how he stirs.
Page: Haply, he may let know what came to be here.
Paris: Wast it all but a dream? I dreamt I saw
My wife alive and well, but she traveled
With a man whose vile name I need not speak.
Capulet: Come, you make no sense.
Paris: Whence did Romeo leave?
Capulet: What? Romeo? But he hast been banished!
(Lady Capulet looks at Juliet's tomb)
Lady Capulet:
Bandits! Out sepulcher hast been defiled!
Our daughter is no longer hence!
Paris: Then twas not a dream. Juliet truly hast been
Ta'en by Romeo. After all the misfortune she went
Through to avoid the fiend.
Lady Capulet:
Ist true? Could my daughter possibly
Be alive? But I saw her, dead, and bourn
Into this tomb, less than a week ago.
Capulet: Yes, if tis true, I am pleased my child livest.
But, I would rather have her dead than
At the mercy of a Montague!
Lady Capulet:
Quickly! Quickly! We must make haste
If we are to pursue, that vile son of Montague!
(Exeunt)
A/N: I'm mostly just curious to see what people think of this. I wrote this for a project in my freshman year of high school. Let me know what you thought!