Romeo & Juliet: Act I

Last year when I read Romeo and Juliet I was so confused. I couldn't understand the Shakespearean language, which was a big problem because I didn't really get the plot of the play. After reading it once before, it makes it a whole lot easier to understand. I have found that I actually really enjoy Shakespeare, which is a big change from a few years ago. Romeo and Juliet is now one of my favorite pieces of literature. 

In the prologue, we learn that the story takes place in Verona, Italy, where there are two families (Capulet and Montague) with equal status. The two families have been fighting for years. But fait brings two lovers (Romeo and Juliet) together, and their deaths are the only things that can stop their families from fighting. 

The two families, the Capulets and the Montagues, are extremely alike, despite their ongoing feud. But when Romeo and Juliet meet, all of their family's fighting is forgotten. When Romeo first lays eyes on Juliet, he says that he has never felt true love before. This seems to be a hypocritical statement, because in the previous scene Romeo cannot stop taking about his "love" for Rosaline.