Romeo and Juliet ends with the deaths of the two in the Capulet tomb and with the reconciliation of the families: Romeo drinks poison beside Juliet, who, on waking, kills herself with his dagger, and Montague promises a golden statue of Juliet, while Capulet says Romeo's will be equally rich (Act V, scene 3).
In Mantua (Act V, scene 1), Balthasar tells Romeo that Juliet died and was buried, and Romeo, with no letter from the friar, defies the stars and buys poison from a wretched apothecary. In scene 2, Friar John explains to Friar Laurence why the letter did not arrive: he was locked in a house suspected of plague and returned it. Laurence goes alone to the tomb, where Juliet will wake in a few hours.
In scene 3, Paris scatters flowers on the tomb, Romeo arrives to break it open, and the two fight; Paris falls asking to be laid beside Juliet, and Romeo grants the request, kisses Juliet, and drinks the poison. Friar Laurence arrives late. Juliet wakes, refuses to flee with him, finds her husband dead and, on hearing the watch, kills herself with his dagger.
The watch, the Prince, and the families arrive. Montague says his wife died of grief over their son's exile, and the friar tells everything. The Prince reads in the whole a punishment: "see what a scourge is laid upon your hate, since heaven finds a way to kill your joys with love!" Capulet holds out his hand to Montague, who promises to raise a golden statue of Juliet, and Capulet replies that Romeo's will be equally rich. The Prince closes the play by saying that there will be pardon for some and punishment for others.