Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare that tells the story of two young lovers who are separated by their families, but eventually reunite only to be killed by their own family members. The protagonist in Romeo and Juliet is Romeo.
The main character in any story is also called the protagonist, and this character is usually someone who has a strong effect on other characters and events. In Romeo and Juliet, that character is Romeo.
Romeo is the central focus of this play because his actions have the most impact on the other characters and events in the story. He is impulsive and impetuous, and his behavior often lands him in trouble with others. For example, he does not return home from seeing Juliet at night until morning because he gets into an argument with Tybalt over who should win their duel (Romeo). This leads to Mercutio being killed by Tybalt later on in the play (Mercutio).
Another example occurs when Romeo kills Tybalt during their duel by stabbing him through the heart (Romeo). This action causes him to become banished from Verona forever because it was illegal for anyone besides Prince Escalus to kill another person.
