For no reason, here's a list of plot points in Romeno and Juliet.

1. Romeo and Juliet fall in love
2. Tybalt attacks Romeo and Mercutio, killing Mercutio
3. Romeo kills Mercutio in self-defence
4. The prince banishes Romeo from Verona
5. Meanwhile, Juliet is arranged to marry Paris
6. To get out of this shitty situation, Juliet takes a draught which will bring death-like symptoms for 24 hours, whereupon she will wake in her tomb with Romeo by her side, and they will go live somewhere else, maybe Wales
7. The priest's letter to Romeo explaining this isn't delivered. Fucking Royal Mail can't do anything right.
8. Romeo gets news that Juliet is 'dead'
9. Romeo finds juliet 'dead' and poisons himself from grief
10. Juliet wakes up, finds Romeo dead and stabs herself to death from grief
11. The Motangue and Capulet families end their feud because of this.

Plot points 2-11 happen roughly in the second half of the play, making this half plot-heavy.

The first half of the play is where Romeo and Juliet fall in love, and is, in my opinion, the best part of the play. Romeo and Juliet's love is extremely intense and they are also extremely articulate in talking about it. This is what I want to see the play for. Get this - they get married the day after the night they meet. That's some intense love.

Around half-way in the play the shit hits the fan (several times actually - plot points 2, 4, 5, 8 and 10). The 2 lovers are seperated most of the time and are very whiny, self-obsessed and depressed. It makes me want to shake them and tell them things aren't as bad as they make out. E.g. if Romeo is banished from Verona, why not move somewhere else (with Juliet, of course).

One of the main themes of the play is obviously love, but its the dangers of love that Shakespeare seems to be warning us of. The priest says people should love not in excess, but moderately. Which is true for most things in life. The consequences of Romeo and Juliet's excessive love is that

• Romeo becomes a helpless crybaby when he's banished from Verona and may be seperated from Juliet
• Juliet takes a massive risk in taking a drug that will kill her for 24 hours (she may actually die from it) 

• Juliet turns down a perfectly comfortable and well-off married life with Paris. I imagine if she was older and wiser she'd see that love (a temporary emotional state anyway) isn't as important as being rich, having a good social standing and getting on well with your family

• Romeo kills himself upon finding Juliet 'dead'
• Juliet kills herself upon finding Romeo dead

Another theme is fighting and feuding. If it wasn't for the feud between the Montagues and Capulets, Romeo and Juliet could just get on with their love for each other. And Mercutio and Tybalt die needlessly, from actual fighting. It takes all these needless deaths for the leaders of the 2 households to see the feud isn't worth it and they make peace.

In summary, the first half of the play is in a league of its own, the second half is entertaining but romeo and juliet become annoying.