Scene 1

English Lit: AQA GCSE Romeo & Juliet, topic 2.6.1

Summary of Act 5, Scene 1

Here's a summary of what happens in Act 5, Scene 1:

In Scene 1, Romeo is quite happy as he mentions a dream he had the night before. In the dream, he was dead and Juliet found him and kissed him – the kiss gave him new life.
A Montague servant, Balthazar, comes to Romeo from Verona. He tells Romeo that Juliet was found dead this morning.
Romeo hasn’t received the letter from Friar Laurence (telling him the plan). So Romeo is completely heartbroken about Juliet’s death.

He plans to return to Verona that evening so he can lay with Juliet again.
But he feels that he cannot live without her – he goes to an apothecary (a person who sold drugs and magic in the past) and buys some poison.
Poison is illegal (and sellers can be put to death), but Romeo tells the man that he has no choice but to sell it because he is too poor to refuse.
Romeo gets the poison and heads to Juliet’s tomb. He plans to lay next to her and use the poison to kill himself so that he does not have to live without her.

In Act 5, Scene 1, Romeo says: 'Nothing can be ill, if she be well.' Here's an analysis of this key quote:

Even while exiled, Romeo is completely obsessed with his love for Juliet.
He feels that everything in life will eventually be alright as long as Juliet is ok.

Summary Act 5, Scene 1
What happened in Romeo's dream in Act 5, Scene 1?
What does Romeo do when he is told about Juliet's death in Act 5, Scene 1?
Why does Romeo not know about Juliet and Friar Laurence's plan in Act 5, Scene 1?
What is an apothecary?