"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!"
"Wait — what's that light in the window over there? It's the east, and Juliet is the sun rising!"
Romeo · Act 2, Scene 2
Tragedy · 1594
Romeo and Juliet, in Modern English
The full play, original text on one side, plain modern English on the other — every scene, free.
- Year
- 1594
- Genre
- Tragedy
- Setting
- Verona, Italy
- Acts & scenes
- 5 acts · 26 scenes
- Reading time
- ~3 hours
- Audio runtime
- ~2h 35m (in app)
What it's about
It is a tragic love story of two teenagers from feuding families, falling in love at first sight and how the events eventually force them to kill themselves because they cannot cope with being separated from one another.
It is a tragic love story of two teenagers from feuding families, falling in love at first sight and how the events eventually force them to kill themselves because they cannot cope with being separated from one another.
Study guide
Everything we have for Romeo and Juliet, all on one page.
Read
The full play, scene by scene, original beside modern English.
Characters
Who's who — and what each one wants.
Themes
What the play is about, beneath the plot.
Motifs & Symbols
Patterns Shakespeare keeps returning to.
Famous Quotes
The lines you know, paraphrased and explained.
Scene Summaries
What happens in each scene, and why it matters.
Quiz
Fifteen questions. No login.
About this Play
Year, setting, length, why people read it.
Read by scene
Tap any scene below to start reading.
Act I
- Prologue. The Prologue
- Scene 1. A public place
- Scene 2. A Street
- Scene 3. Room in Capulet’s House
- Scene 4. A Street
- Scene 5. A Hall in Capulet’s House
Act II
- Prologue. Chorus
- Scene 1. An open place adjoining Capulet’s Garden
- Scene 2. Capulet’s Garden
- Scene 3. Friar Lawrence’s Cell
- Scene 4. A Street
- Scene 5. Capulet’s Garden
- Scene 6. Friar Lawrence’s Cell
Act III
Famous lines, translated
The ones you've heard. The ones you almost remember. Now in plain English.
"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name."
"Oh, Romeo, Romeo — why do you have to be Romeo? Disown your father; reject your name."
Juliet · Act 2, Scene 2
"A plague o' both your houses!
They have made worms' meat of me."
"A curse on both your families! They've turned me into a corpse."
Mercutio · Act 3, Scene 1
"For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."
"There has never been a sadder story than this — the story of Juliet and her Romeo."
Prince · Act 5, Scene 3
In the app 
Hear every line of Romeo and Juliet, narrated.
Common questions
Is the modern English translation accurate?
Yes — every line is matched to its original. Our translations preserve meaning over cleverness: where Shakespeare uses a metaphor, we keep it; where the wordplay turns on a sound that no longer exists, we explain rather than fake it. This is a translation, not a summary.
How long does Romeo and Juliet take to read?
About 3 hours at a steady pace. With synced narration in the app, the runtime is roughly 2h 35m — and you can pause anywhere without losing your place.
Is the original text complete and unabridged?
Yes. We use the full public-domain First Folio text, with no cuts. The simplified column runs in parallel — every line of original Shakespeare has its modern English match.
Where can I listen to it?
Synced read-along narration is in the Fluid Shakespeare app on iOS and Android. Tap a line; press play; the words highlight as they're read. Get the app →