Act I, Scene 4: Romeo, Benvolio, Mercutio, and others make their way to the Capulet house. They determine that they will not apologize for attending uninvited yet plan to stay only briefly. Romeo is still going on about Rosaline, prompting Mercutio to deliver a speech about Queen Mab. Mercutio had been trying to lighten the mood with vulgar jokes and jests and finally launches into this speech full of vulgar imagery (making them women of good carriage means good child bearers or good in bed-the woman carries the weight of the man in bed). Mercutio believes dreams to be simple fantasy, though Romeo believes them to be prophetic. Romeo expresses a premonition that fate has an untimely death in store for him as a result of attending the Capulet party. He believes that his life is now moving in an uncontrollable direction and so he is not afraid. Unfortunately, his premonition will prove to be accurate.
Act I, Scene 5: The party. Capulet welcomes his guests and bids them to dance, teasing the women that if they do not, he will proclaim that they have corns. Romeo spots Juliet and falls instantly in love (forgetting Rosaline). The party is a masquerade but Tybalt recognizes the voice of Romeo and instantly jumps to attack. He is stopped, much to his dismay, by Capulet who says that Romeo is causing no trouble and will therefore be tolerated. Romeo and Juliet talk, and Romeo kisses her. They continue to talk until the Nurse comes to bring Juliet to talk with her mother. The Nurse informs Romeo that Juliet is a Capulet. After Romeo has departed with Benvolio, the Nurse tells Juliet that he is a Montague. Juliet laments the situation, as she has already fallen in love with Romeo.
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Romeo and Juliet: Novel Summary: Act I, Scene 4-Act I, Scene 5
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