Romeo, of the House of Capulets, and Juliet, of the House of Montagues, scorn the family feud of years, and love each other with all the fervor of Veronian youths. The ardent wooer sings his love beneath his lady’s window while the stars wink their approval of the lovers’ happiness. Juliet’s father urges her marriage to Tybalt, a man of his choosing, but Romeo determines she shall not, so together they visit the venerable Friar Lawrence and are secretly united in marriage. Romeo is challenged by his rival, Tybalt, and in the encounter wounds his antagonist, for which he is exiled. Romeo’s departure leaves Juliet open to the demands of her father, who insists upon her immediate marriage to Tybalt. In terror she flees to the old Friar, who gives her a powerful sleeping potion, and on the day she is to marry Tybalt, her friends are horrified to see her fall into a deathlike swoon. She is interred in the vault of her ancestors, and Romeo, hearing of her death, returns home, enters the vault and after gazing upon the face of his beloved plunges a dagger into his heart. Juliet awakens to see him expiring, and in her agony seizes the same dagger, inflicts a death-wound, and expires beside her lover.