THE REAL STORY OF JULIET AND ROMEO

Once upon a time in the city of Verona there lived two wealthy and powerful families named Capulet and Montague, who had been competing in business and quarreling with each other for so long that the grudge-pile between them had turned into an ongoing feud. Young men from both families taunted each other whenever they crossed paths on Verona’s streets. They often fought each other with fists, and sometimes, even engaged in sword fights. So far, as this tale begins, no one had been killed.

The prince who ruled over their beautiful city was always sending his guards to break up the fights. He would have his guards haul them in front of him and he would chastise and fine them for their behavior. Their parents shrugged, paid the fines, and things were quiet in the streets for a while, but it never lasted.

By chance, or fate, one day while in the market place, Romeo of the Montagues, his brother Mercutio, and their cousin Bolivio, found out there was to be a masked ball at the Capulet Great House that very night. No invitation required at the door. Mercutio suggested they should dress fancy complete with half-masks covering the top halves of their faces and crash the party for a bit of fun. Bolivio was all for that idea. Romeo was more reticent but finally agreed to go as well.

The party was in full swing when they arrived. They were greeted by the sight of lots of food and drink, laughter and talking, and men and women decked out in their finest complete with half masks. The young Montagues fit right in. Music being played put many in a dancing mood. Mercutio and Bolivio were soon leading maidens onto the dance floor. Romeo was hanging back looking handsome, unattached, and bored, though truth be told, he wasn’t so much bored as feeling somewhat out of place at this Capulet party. He had found looking bored a good disguise. Of course, with his half-mask disguising his face, he could’ve dropped his stance of being bored, but he did not do so.

Suddenly, he heard a melodious voice behind him.

“Good sir, please pardon me for being bold, but why are you not dancing?”

Romeo turned and looked into the sparkling light brown eyes of a slim dark-haired maiden. “Are you addressing me?” he asked.

She half-curtsied and said, “I am.”

Romeo wasn’t accustomed to such bold behavior from a young woman who was a stranger to him. Nevertheless, he was intrigued.

“Is the music not lively enough for your taste?” she asked.

Romeo smiled. “It is. Would you be so kind as to dance with me?” He extended his hand to her.

She smiled and took his offered hand. He led her onto the dance floor and they were both delighted to discover they danced quite well together.

When the dance ended, they left the dance floor and she said she needed some air. He escorted her onto a balcony like a gentleman.

To start a conversation, Romeo asked, “Might I know your name? I truly enjoyed our dance.”

“I am Juliet and I also enjoyed our dance.”

“I am Romeo,” he offered smiling.

The perfume of roses in the garden below filled the night air and the moonlight made the night bright and magical. They leaned against the balcony wall and shared a sweet silence, taking it all in.

“Oh, there you are, Juliet,” said an older woman coming onto the balcony. “Your mother sent me to find you. She wants to introduce you to Prince Paris who has just arrived.”

“Thank you, Nursie, let her know I’ll be along soon. I needed some fresh air. This gentleman was making sure I was safe.”

Romeo smiled.

Nursie left.

Juliet continued, “She has been my nurse, looking after me forever. She is kind and loyal. But I must go.”

Romeo nodded and replied, “Thank you for the dance.”

Juliet left him and returned to the party, already smitten from just being near Romeo and he too was so smitten being near her.

Some people say there is no such thing as love at first sight. But that is only because they have never had it happen to them or seen it happen to anyone they knew. In Verona in those days, marriages were arranged like business deals. Love had nothing to do with husbands and wives.

Romeo wandered back into the party. He found Mercutio and Bolivio at the food table.

“We must go,” said Romeo. “I need a quiet place to think about what’s happened.”

Mercutio asked, “What happened?”

Romeo nodded toward Juliet as she came on the dance floor with Prince Paris.

Mercutio raised his eyebrows but turned to Bolivio and said, “Let’s go.”

The three walked out into the moonlit night making their way through the garden to the door of the estate wall where other guests were coming and going.

When they were outside in the lane, Romeo spoke, “You two go ahead. I must think about the beautiful maiden I met tonight. Something about her made thoughts of all other maidens vanish.”

“Was it that beauty you were nodding at as we were leaving?” asked Mercutio.

Romeo nodded.

“Do you know who she is?”

“Nay,” replied Romeo.

“I do. She is Juliet Capulet, daughter of the House of Capulet. You must forget about her, Brother.”

“I cannot.”

Mercutio knew better than to push his brother, so he took cousin Bolivio’s arm, and they headed down the lane.

When they were out of sight, Romeo easily found a place where could climb the wall and once again be in the Capulet’s garden. He walked around keeping the house in sight while making his way toward a quiet spot where a balcony looked over the garden. It was dark in the room behind the balcony. Instinctively, he waited. It was as if fate was guiding his choices. He did not resist.

After a while, candles were lit in the room behind the balcony and then, there she was—beautiful Juliet standing on the balcony above where he had been waiting.

“Oh, Romeo, Romeo, where art thou now?” Juliet’s musical voice mused.

Romeo sprang up from where he had been waiting. “I am here, sweet Juliet, I am here. I couldn’t leave without seeing you once more and here you are like a glorious painting come to life before my eyes.”

She motioned for him to climb onto the balcony. He leaned in to her and their lips met with a kiss.

She smiled. “Glad am I to see you. We must make a plan to discreetly meet on the morrow.”

“Yes, oh, yes,” he replied. More kisses followed.

“Do you know the little bookseller’s shop off the main street?” she asked.

“I do,” he replied.

“Can you arrange to meet me there tomorrow when the town bells strike two after the noon bell rings?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “I shall carry your name into my dreams.”

“And I, yours,” she replied.

Romeo watched her leave the balcony and put out the candle light in her room. He stood still until her curtains closed. Then, he left the garden by way of climbing over the wall, and love-entranced, he made his way home.

Romeo didn’t know it yet but Juliet was more learned than most young maidens of her class. Her father, recognizing her intense intellectual curiosity had arranged for her to have private tutors since she was quite young. She had grown up and become an avid reader, which is why she thought the bookseller’s shop a perfect meeting place. Never in her visits there to peruse and sometimes purchase books accompanied by Nursie had she ever encountered anyone female or male from her class. She knew the bookseller, as well as Nursie, would never betray her meeting Romeo there as long as they were circumspect, and she was confident they would be. She hoped her instinct about him would be confirmed amongst the books where she always felt confident and safe.

Romeo arrived at the bookseller’s shop just as the bells rang two. He entered. He had been here before on occasion.

“Good morning, good Sir,” the bookseller greeted him.

“I’m here to meet a young lady who loves to read.”

“Ahh, she is in the back reading-room. This way, please,” the bookseller led Romeo to a part of the shop which he had never visited. They went through a door and down a short-carpeted hallway into a well-lit cozy reading-room. There sat lovely Juliet with a volume of Petrarch poems in her hands.

“Hello, I see you like Petrarch too,” began Romeo.

“Yes, I enjoy his rhythms and images.”

“So, do I,” murmured Romeo as he moved closer to where Juliet sat in a comfortable reading chair. He sat down in the chair next to her.

There was an awkward silence between them util Romeo said, “Juliet, would you like to read Petrarch poems with me?”

She smiled and nodded. “You first,” she said handing him the volume she was holding.

They started speaking to each other through reading aloud to each other from the Petrarch poems. This reading of poems was accompanied by passionate kisses they exchanged when a particular line drew them closer together.

Nursie, who had been standing watch in the lane, rushed into the shop’s reading-room interrupting their sharing of Petrarch poems and kisses.

“Dear Ones, you must return to your homes. I’ve just heard the awful news. Tybolt has sent challenges to both Mercutio and Romeo to fight to the death on the morrow’s evening.”

Romeo rose to go.

Juliet clung to him begging him to stay.

“Nay, my love, I must away. But before I go, I also must ask the question that burns inside me.”

“Ask away,” Juliet replied.

“Will you marry me before the evening of the morrow?”

“I will.”

Nursie gasped but quickly stifled her reaction.

Romeo said, “I will see Friar Lawrence and make arrangements. I’ll send word to you through Nursie, if she will help us.”

Juliet looked at Nursie with pleading eyes. Nursie, ever loyal, nodded in assent.

The next morning while the dew was on the roses, Romeo went to Friar Lawrence, confessor of his beloved Juliet. Romeo told the friar of his proposal of marriage to Juliet and her acceptance. He also spoke of Nursie’s willingness to be their messenger. They wanted to marry later that very day. Though at first reluctant to perform the marriage so quickly, the friar finally agreed because he hoped this love marriage would help to heal the enmity between the Capulets and the Montagues.

Meanwhile Juliet had an awful argument with her father because she refused to marry Prince Paris who her father had arranged to be her husband just a few days hence. Her father said he would throw her out of the house if she went against his wishes.

At this time, Juliet had no knowledge that Prince Paris really preferred men as lovers, and had only agreed to this arranged marriage in hopes that intimacy would produce a male heir quickly and then each could live a platonic married life together. He knew she loved to read and learn. He hadn’t yet told her, but had already decided once the heir was born, he would support her in all her desires to be a scholar.

Juliet’s weeping was interrupted by her mother who told her to make herself presentable because Prince Paris was requesting their contracted prenuptial meeting. He was waiting in the hall where such important meetings took place.

Juliet made herself presentable and followed her mother to the hall, and then her mother left her alone with the prince.

“Thank you for coming now,” Prince Paris said. “There’s much I want to tell you before we wed.”

Juliet stood silent.

Without mincing his words, Prince Paris came out to her about his preference for male lovers.

Juliet stiffened her spine remaining silent, but secretly she was relieved. Maybe there was a way out of the contract. Her head was filled with memories of Romeo’s kisses.

The prince plunged on revealing his desire to only have intimacy with her to produce an heir and when that duty was done, she could pursue her scholarly desires.

Juliet broke her silence. “Thank you, kind Sir, for revealing your views to me. I will need to reflect and visit my confessor Father Lawrence for guidance.” With that, she returned to her room leaving the prince alone.

She hadn’t been in her room long when Nursie appeared and Juliet sent her to Friar Lawrence to tell him that she wished to see him as soon as possible. Nursie returned telling Juliet the friar agreed. Juliet bathed and dressed before the noon bell rang. In her consultation with the friar, she learned of Romeo’s marriage arrangements.

Her only question was, “When will this miracle happen?”

Father Lawrence answered, “Romeo is nearby and ready. Are you ready as well?”

“I am. I would like Nursie to be our witness.”

Father Lawrence smiled and replied, “She also is standing by.”

Thus, with sweetness and blessings, Father Lawrence married Romeo and Juliet that very day.

With Nursie’s help after the ceremony, Romeo and Juliet went to a secret bower Nursie and Friar Lawrence had prepared for them. It was there the young lovers made passionate love all night long.

The next morning, Nursie arrived and told them that the big fight that was supposed to happen between Mercutio and Tybolt had been stopped by Prince Paris who also withdrew from his marriage contract to Juliet. He stayed in Verona to help keep the peace going forward.

Despite this welcome news, Romeo and Juliet knew they couldn’t remain in Verona. There was still too much hate and tension between their families. So, they made plans to leave Verona that very day cloaked in disguise. They planned ever so carefully, taking only essentials. They were both excellent riders. Friar had two strong horses tied in a grove outside Verona. They entrusted Friar Lawrence with letters they wrote to their respective parents telling them that they were married and off to seek a new life away from Verona’s troubles and strife. They each wished peace upon their families. He would deliver these letters after they were well away.

With all his duties done, Friar Lawrence went into seclusion and arranged for Nursie to join a convent for her safety.

In the end, Romeo and Juliet simply walked out of Verona in their hooded cloaks to the grove where their magnificent steeds awaited them and rode away.

No one, not Prince Paris, Friar Lawrence, Nursie, nor any member of either family knew where they went then or ever.

Rest assured, they lived happily ever after and remained deeply in love forever.