Romeo and Juliet, Act 5, Scene 1 summary
Act 5, Scene 1 of 26 · 4 min to read the scene
In Act 5, Scene 1, Romeo hears from Balthasar that Juliet lies buried, receives no letter from the Friar, and prepares to leave Mantua that night. Determined to join Juliet in death, he persuades a poor apothecary to sell him forbidden poison, changing his hopeful mood into a deadly resolve.
What happens
- Romeo feels unusually happy and recalls a dream in which Juliet’s kisses restore him to life.
- Balthasar reports seeing Juliet placed in her family’s tomb and says he brings no letter from the Friar.
- Romeo orders writing materials and horses, declares that he defies the stars, and plans to leave that night.
- Remembering a desperately poor pharmacist, Romeo seeks poison despite Mantua’s death penalty for selling it.
- The Apothecary accepts forty ducats because of poverty, and Romeo takes the poison for use at Juliet’s grave.
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of Romeo and Juliet, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
In this scene
What to notice
The Apothecary distinguishes financial necessity from personal consent. His hunger gives Romeo a way to obtain the forbidden drug.
Quick check
Why does the Apothecary agree to sell Romeo poison?
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of Romeo and Juliet, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
200,000+ classics to read, hear and hold
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
