Scene Analysis:

Death Scene:

Begin with the entrance of the Apothecary.

Romeo offers him forty ducats for poison.
- Ducat was a currency used in Europe for trade and such from the middle ages up
until recent history. (Widmer, M. (2001). Gottschee 1406-1627: Feudal Domain on
the Frontier of Empire. Place N/A: Gottscheer Heritage and Genealogy Association.)
The apothecary has a moral dilemma, as Romeo says:
Famine is in thy cheeks,
Need and oppression starveth in thy eyes,
Contempt and beggary hangs upon thy back- 69-71 (5.1)
He has the choice to give Romeo the poison and take the forty ducats (changing his life from
relative poverty), knowing that Romeo may be using the poison to kill himself. Or not take
the money and continue to live in poverty and maybe die from starvation. My poverty, but
not my will, consents.- line 75 (5.1)
The Apothecary gives Romeo the poison and Romeo leaves to go to Juliets apparent grave,
after she was drugged to appear as though she was dead, Romeo believes she is dead.

The next scene begins between Friar Lawrence and Friar John where they speak of this
letter that is meant to be given to Juliet from Romeo that explains where to meet up so they
can run away together. However, the letter never reaches her, as no messenger would take
the letter in fear of infection, in this case the plague. They then speak of how Juliet will
wake within the next three hours.

The next scene begins with Paris and his Page, where he brings flowers to Juliets tomb, as
he also believes she has died.
Romeo enters, after Paris has moved away, however he can still see and hear Romeo.
Romeo gives Balthasar a letter that is to be given to his lord and father. Romeo tells
Balthasar to leave and to not come back in fear of Romeo killing him.
Balthasar: For all the same, Ill hide me hereabout,
His looks I fear, and his intents I doubt.- line 43-44 (5.3)
Balthasar stays close but does not disturb Romeo.
Romeo goes to open to tomb and Paris steps out believing that Romeo is going to harm
Juliet further. Paris says that he is going to apprehend Romeo and kill him. Romeo starts by
telling Paris to leave and to leave Romeo to grieve, but he does not and they fight, ending
with the death of Paris. Romeo places Paris in the tomb with Juliet.
Romeos final speech is very important in finding out his feelings and provides great
language when explaining how this is the last time his eyes will see and his arms will hug
someone, and his lips will kiss another. Romeo drinks the poison and states that Thy drugs
are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. (- line 120 (5.3)) and then he dies.
Friar Lawrence and Balthasar have a conversation outside the tomb, whereby Balthasar
states that Romeo threatened to kill him if he re-entered. Friar Lawrence enters the tomb
by himself, where he is greeted by blood, that of Paris, he realises that both are dead. This is
when Juliet awakens and finds Romeo has killed himself. Friar Lawrence leaves. Juliet in one
of her final speeches states that she wishes that Romeo had left her some poison for her to
drink as well: O churl, drunk all and left no friendly drop to help me after?- line 163-164
(5.3). Juliet hears someone coming, so she grabs the dagger and kills herself, her final words
being This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die. She falls on Romeos body and dies.
The Captain of the Watch enters and tells the others to wake the Capulets and Montagues.
The Captain of the Watch tells Capulet and Lady Capulet of the deaths and they wish to seek
out how and who had murdered Romeo, Juliet and Paris. They enter the tomb to see the
bodies. Montague enters and reveals that his wife died after hearing of her sons exile:
Grief of my sons exile hath stopped her breath. Line 211 (5.3)
Friar Lawrence then reveals he is the top suspect of the deaths. The Prince then asks him to
tell them what he knows. He reveals that he married Romeo and Juliet and that the day they
married was the day that Tybalt died.

Key quotes:
- As will disperse itself through all the veins- line 61 (5.1)
- My poverty, but not my will, consents.- line 75 (5.1)
- So fearful were they of infection.- line 16 (5.2)
- Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open,
And in despite Ill cram thee with more food.- line 47-48 (5.3)- Romeo is using the
tomb in which Juliet is in as a metaphor for a mouth and himself as the food that is
about to enter once he kills himself
- Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath- line 92 (5.3) he also says that
Juliet is still bright in the lips and in the cheeks and states that he believes it is
because Deaths pale flag is not advanced there- line 96 (5.3) when actually it is
because she is not dead
- Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet,
And she, there dead, that Romeos faithful wife- line 231-232 (5.3)