In Verona, Italy, Romeo and Juliet, the teenaged children of two feuding families, meet by chance and fall in love. They are secretly married by Romeo's confessor, Friar Laurence, with the assistance of Juliet's nursemaid. Unfortunately, a street duel breaks out between Juliet's cousin Tybalt and Romeo's friend Mercutio, which results in the death of the latter. Romeo retaliates by killing Tybalt, and is penalized with exile.

Unaware of Juliet's secret marriage, her father has arranged for her to marry a wealthy young count. In order to escape this arranged marriage and remain faithful to Romeo, Juliet consumes a potion prepared by Friar Laurence, intended to make her appear dead. Friar Laurence plans to inform Romeo of the hoax so that he can pick Juliet up after her burial and escape with her when she recovers from her swoon, but the news of Juliet's death reaches Romeo before the friar's letter. In despair, he kills himself in Juliet's tomb. Awakening shortly after he expires, Juliet follows suit. Later, the two families process into their joint funeral together, implying that the tragedy has resolved their feud.