In Verona, the House of Capulet has long entertained a bitter feud with the House of Montague and the young men on each side find every opportunity to fight and cause civil disturbances.

At a masked Ball given by her father, Lord Capulet, the young Juliet catches the eye of Montague’s son and heir, Romeo. It is love at first sight and, defying their respective families, the two young people pursue their passions and shortly thereafter are secretly married by Friar Lawrence.

Yet another brawl ensues and Juliet’s aggressive cousin Tybalt mortally wounds Romeo’s close friend, Mercutio. Reluctantly Romeo feels compelled to avenge his friend and in turn disposes of Tybalt. As a consequence the reigning Prince, Escalus, sends Romeo into exile and he has to flee to neighbouring Mantua.

In the mean time, so as to avoid being forcibly married to Paris, a protégé of her father, Friar Lawrence gives Juliet a potion that gives her every appearance of being dead and, in this state, she is laid to rest in her family tomb. Friar Lawrence entrusts a fellow Franciscan Friar with an urgent letter to Romeo in which he explains the deception.

Romeo never receives the letter but learns of Juliet’s funeral and takes it at face value. He obtains some deadly poison from an apothecary before returning to Verona to gain access to Juliet’s tomb. But Paris is there already and the two lock in mortal combat within the vault and Paris is killed. Romeo is left embracing what he believes to be Juliet’s lifeless body. In utter despair, he takes the poison and dies. Not long afterwards Juliet recovers from her death-like sleep only to find Romeo dead by her side. In anguish she takes his dagger and fatally stabs herself.

Only then do the great Houses of Verona come to their senses and make peace.