House of Montague
Montague: Father to Romeo and married to Lady Montague. Head of Montague clan, he is locked in a bitter and on-going feud with the Capulets. He is concerned that Romeo is melancholy at the beginning of the play.
Lady Montague: Mother to Romeo and married to Montague. She dies in grief when Romeo is banished.
Benvolio: Montague’s nephew and Romeo’s cousin. Benvolio is a loyal friend to Romeo who tries to counsel him in his love life – he attempts to distract Romeo from thinking about Rosaline. He avoids and tries to defuse violent encounters, but it is implied by Mercutio that he does have a temper in private.
Balthasar: Romeo’s serving man. When Romeo is in exile, Balthasar brings him news of Verona. He unwittingly informs Romeo of Juliet’s death, but is not being aware that she has taken a substance to only appear dead.
Abraham: Montague’s serving man. He fights Capulet’s serving men Samson and Gregory in Act 1, Scene 1, establishing the discord between the families.
The House of Capulet
Capulet: Head of the Capulet clan, married to Lady Capulet and father to Juliet. Capulet is locked in an on-going, bitter and unexplained dispute with the Montague family. Capulet is very much in charge and demands respect. He is prone to rage if he does not get his own way. Capulet loves his daughter very much but is out of touch with her hopes and dreams. He believes that she should marry Paris.
Lady Capulet: Married to Capulet and mother to Juliet. Lady Capulet appears distanced from her daughter, Juliet. It is interesting to note that Juliet receives most of her moral guidance and affection from the Nurse. Lady Capulet, who also married young, believes it was high time Juliet was married off and believes Paris to be the most appropriate candidate.
Tybalt: Lady Capulet’s Nephew and Juliet’s cousin. Tybalt is antagonistic and has a deep hatred of the Montagues. He has a short temper and is quick to draw his sword when his ego is in danger of being damaged. Tybalt has a vindictive nature and is feared.
Juliet’s Nurse: A loyal maternal figure and friend to Juliet, who provides moral guidance and practical advice having breast fed and brought Juliet up from birth. She knows Juliet better than any other and provides comic relief in the play with her bawdy sense of humor. The Nurse does not really understand Juliet’s desire to be taken over completely by love but despite this, assists her in attaining it. The Nurse has a disagreement with Juliet near the end of the play which demonstrates her lack of understanding about the intensity of Juliet’s feelings.
Samson: Serving man of the Capulets. After the Chorus, he is the first character to speak and establishes the conflict between the Capulets and the Montagues.
Gregory: Serving man of the Capulets. Along with Samson, he discusses the tension in the Montague household.
Peter: A serving man of the Capulets, illiterate and a bad singer. Peter invites guests to the Capulets’ feast and escorts the Nurse to meet with Romeo.
Other important characters
Friar Lawrence: A religious man and friend to both Romeo and Juliet. The Friar is intent on negotiating a friendship between the Montagues and Capulets in order to restore peace to Verona. He believes that the joining of Romeo and Juliet in marriage could establish this friendship and performs their marriage in secret to this end. The Friar is resourceful and has a plan for every occasion. He also has medical knowledge and uses herbs and potions. It is the Friar’s idea that Juliet administers a potion in order that she may appear dead until Romeo can return to Verona to rescue her.
Mercutio: The Prince’s kinsman and a close friend to Romeo. Mercutio is a colorful character who enjoys word-play and double entendres particularly of a sexual nature. He does not understand Romeo’s desire for romantic love believing that sexual love is sufficient. Mercutio can be easily provoked and hates people who are pretentious or vain. Mercutio is one of Shakespeare’s best loved characters. On standing up for Romeo against Tybalt, Mercutio is slain, uttering the famous line, “A plague on both your houses.” This prophecy is realized as the plot unfolds.
Paris: The County Paris is a kinsman to the Prince. Paris expresses his interest in Juliet as a prospective wife. Capulet believes that Paris is an appropriate husband for his daughter and encourages him to propose. With Capulet’s backing Paris arrogantly believes that Juliet is his and behaves accordingly.
Prince of Verona: The political leader of Verona and kinsman to Mercutio and Paris. The Prince is intent on keeping peace in Verona and as such has a vested interest in establishing a truce between the Montagues and Capulets.
Friar John: A holy man employed by Friar Lawrence to deliver a message to Romeo about Juliet’s faked death. The Friar is delayed in a quarantined house and as a result the message does not reach Romeo.
Rosaline: Never appears onstage but is the object of Romeo’s initial infatuation. Renowned for her beauty and vow of lifelong chastity she cannot (or will not) return Romeo’s love.
