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Analysis of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on July 25, 2020 • ( 6 )

Shakespeare, more than any other author, has instructed the West in the catastrophes of sexuality, and has invented the formula that the sexual becomes the erotic when crossed by the shadow of death. There had to be one high song of the erotic by Shakespeare, one lyrical and tragi-comical paean celebrating an unmixed love and lamenting its inevitable destruction. Romeo and Juliet is unmatched, in Shakespeare and in the world’s literature, as a vision of an uncompromising mutual love that perishes of its own idealism and intensity.

—Harold Bloom, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human

Romeo and Juliet, regarded by many as William Shakespeare’s first great play, is generally thought to have been written around 1595. Shakespeare was then 31 years old, married for 12 years and the father of three children. He had been acting and writing in London for five years. His stage credits included mainly histories—the three parts of Henry VI and Richard III —and comedies— The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Taming of the Shrew, The Comedy of Errors, and Love’s Labour’s Lost. Shakespeare’s first tragedy, modeled on Seneca, Titus Andronicus , was written around 1592. From that year through 1595 Shakespeare had also composed 154 sonnets and two long narrative poems in the erotic tradition— Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. Both his dramatic and nondramatic writing show Shakespeare mastering Elizabethan literary conventions. Then, around 1595, Shakespeare composed three extraordinary plays—R ichard II, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Romeo and Juliet —in three different genres—history, comedy, and tragedy—signalling a new mastery, originality, and excellence. With these three plays Shakespeare emerged from the shadows of his influences and initiated a period of unexcelled accomplishment. The two parts of Henry IV and Julius Caesar would follow, along with the romantic comedies The Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, and Twelfth Night and the great tragedies Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra . The three plays of 1595, therefore, serve as an important bridge between Shakespeare’s apprenticeship and his mature achievements. Romeo and Juliet, in particular, is a crucial play in the evolution of Shakespeare’s tragic vision, in his integration of poetry and drama, and in his initial exploration of the connection between love and tragedy that he would continue in Troilus and Cressida, Othello, and Antony and Cleopatra. Romeo and Juliet is not only one of the greatest love stories in all literature, considering its stage history and the musicals, opera, music, ballet, literary works, and films that it has inspired; it is quite possibly the most popular play of all time. There is simply no more famous pair of lovers than Romeo and Juliet, and their story has become an inescapable central myth in our understanding of romantic love.

Despite the play’s persistence, cultural saturation, and popular appeal, Romeo and Juliet has fared less well with scholars and critics, who have generally judged it inferior to the great tragedies that followed. Instead of the later tragedies of character Romeo and Juliet has been downgraded as a tragedy of chance, and, in the words of critic James Calderwood, the star-crossed lovers are “insufficiently endowed with complexity” to become tragic heroes. Instead “they become a study of victimage and sacrifice, not tragedy.” What is too often missing in a consideration of the shortcomings of Romeo and Juliet by contrast with the later tragedies is the radical departure the play represented when compared to what preceded it. Having relied on Senecan horror for his first tragedy, Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare located his next in the world of comedy and romance. Romeo and Juliet is set not in antiquity, as Elizabethan convention dictated for a tragic subject, but in 16th-century Verona, Italy. His tragic protagonists are neither royal nor noble, as Aristotle advised, but two teenagers caught up in the petty disputes of their families. The plight of young lovers pitted against parental or societal opposition was the expected subject, since Roman times, of comedy, not tragedy. By showing not the eventual triumph but the death of the two young lovers Shakespeare violated comic conventions, while making a case that love and its consequences could be treated with an unprecedented tragic seriousness. As critic Harry Levin has observed, Shakespeare’s contemporaries “would have been surprised, and possibly shocked at seeing lovers taken so seriously. Legend, it had been hereto-fore taken for granted, was the proper matter for serious drama; romance was the stuff of the comic stage.”

Shakespeare’s innovations are further evident in comparison to his source material. The plot was a well-known story in Italian, French, and English versions. Shakespeare’s direct source was Arthur Brooke’s poem The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet (1562). This moralistic work was intended as a warning to youth against “dishonest desire” and disobeying parental authority. Shakespeare, by contrast, purifies and ennobles the lovers’ passion, intensifies the pathos, and underscores the injustice of the lovers’ destruction. Compressing the action from Brooke’s many months into a five-day crescendo, Shakespeare also expands the roles of secondary characters such as Mercutio and Juliet’s nurse into vivid portraits that contrast the lovers’ elevated lyricism with a bawdy earthiness and worldly cynicism. Shakespeare transforms Brooke’s plodding verse into a tour de force verbal display that is supremely witty, if at times over elaborate, and, at its best, movingly expressive. If the poet and the dramatist are not yet seamlessly joined in Romeo and Juliet, the play still displays a considerable advance in Shakespeare’s orchestration of verse, image, and incident that would become the hallmark of his greatest achievements.

The play’s theme and outcome are announced in the Prologue:

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life; Whose misadventur’d piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife.

Suspense over the lovers’ fate is eliminated at the outset as Shakespeare emphasizes the forces that will destroy them. The initial scene makes this clear as a public brawl between servants of the feuding Montagues and Capulets escalates to involve kinsmen and the patriarchs on both sides, ended only when the Prince of Verona enforces a cease-fire under penalty of death for future offenders of the peace. Romeo, Montague’s young son, does not participate in the scuffle since he is totally absorbed by a hopeless passion for a young, unresponsive beauty named Rosaline. Initially Romeo appears as a figure of mockery, the embodiment of the hypersensitive, melancholy adolescent lover, who is urged by his kinsman Benvolio to resist sinking “under love’s heavy burden” and seek another more worthy of his affection. Another kinsman, Mercutio, for whom love is more a game of easy conquest, urges Romeo to “be rough with love” and master his circumstances. When by chance it is learned that Rosaline is to attend a party at the Capulets, Benvolio suggests that they should go as well for Romeo to compare Rosaline’s charms with the other beauties at the party and thereby cure his infatuation. There Romeo sees Juliet, Capulet’s not-yet 14-year-old daughter. Her parents are encouraging her to accept a match with Count Paris for the social benefit of the family. Love as affectation and love as advantage are transformed into love as all-consuming, mutual passion at first sight. Romeo claims that he “ne’er saw true beauty till this night,” and by the force of that beauty, he casts off his former melancholic self-absorption. Juliet is no less smitten. Sending her nurse to learn the stranger’s identity, she worries, “If he be married, / My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” Both are shocked to learn that they are on either side of the family feud, and their risk is underscored when the Capulet kinsman, Tybalt, recognizes Romeo and, though prevented by Capulet from violence at the party, swears future vengeance. Tybalt’s threat underscores that this is a play as much about hate as about love, in which Romeo and Juliet’s passion is increasingly challenged by the public and family forces that deny love’s authority.

The first of the couple’s two great private moments in which love’s redemptive and transformative power works its magic follows in possibly the most famous single scene in all of drama, set in the Capulets’ orchard, over-looked by Juliet’s bedroom window. In some of the most impassioned, lyrical, and famous verses Shakespeare ever wrote, the lovers’ dialogue perfectly captures the ecstasy of love and love’s capacity to remake the world. Seeing Juliet above at her window, Romeo says:

But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief That thou her maid art far more fair than she.

He overhears Juliet’s declaration of her love for him and the rejection of what is implied if a Capulet should love a Montague:

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name! Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet. . . . ’Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What’s Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet .So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name; And for that name, which is no part of thee, Take all myself.

In a beautifully modulated scene the lovers freely admit their passion and exchange vows of love that become a marriage proposal. As Juliet continues to be called back to her room and all that is implied as Capulet’s daughter, time and space become the barriers to love’s transcendent power to unite.

With the assistance of Friar Lawrence, who regards the union of a Montague and a Capulet as an opportunity “To turn your households’ rancour to pure love,” Romeo and Juliet are secretly married. Before nightfall and the anticipated consummation of their union Romeo is set upon by Tybalt, who is by Romeo’s marriage, his new kinsman. Romeo accordingly refuses his challenge, but it is answered by Mercutio. Romeo tries to separate the two, but in the process Mercutio is mortally wounded. This is the tragic turn of the play as Romeo, enraged, rejects the principle of love forged with Juliet for the claims of reputation, the demand for vengeance, and an identifi cation of masculinity with violent retribution:

My very friend, hath got this mortal hurt In my behalf; my reputation stain’d With Tybalt’s slander—Tybalt, that an hour Hath been my kinsman. O sweet Juliet, Thy beauty hath made me effeminate And in my temper soft’ned valour’s steel!

After killing Tybalt, Romeo declares, “O, I am fortune’s fool!” He may blame circumstances for his predicament, but he is clearly culpable in capitulating to the values of society he had challenged in his love for Juliet.

The lovers are given one final moment of privacy before the catastrophe. Juliet, awaiting Romeo’s return, gives one of the play’s most moving speeches, balancing sublimity with an intimation of mortality that increasingly accompanies the lovers:

Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-brow’d night; Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night And pay no worship to the garish sun.

Learning the terrible news of Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s banishment, Juliet wins her own battle between hate and love and sends word to Romeo to keep their appointed night together before they are parted.

As Romeo is away in Mantua Juliet’s parents push ahead with her wedding to Paris. The solution to Juliet’s predicament is offered by Friar Lawrence who gives her a drug that will make it appear she has died. The Friar is to summon Romeo, who will rescue her when she awakes in the Capulet family tomb. The Friar’s message to Romeo fails to reach him, and Romeo learns of Juliet’s death. Reversing his earlier claim of being “fortune’s fool,” Romeo reacts by declaring, “Then I defy you, stars,” rushing to his wife and breaking society’s rules by acquiring the poison to join her in death. Reaching the tomb Romeo is surprised to find Paris on hand, weeping for his lost bride. Outraged by the intrusion on his grief Paris confronts Romeo. They fight, and after killing Paris, Romeo fi nally recognizes him and mourns him as “Mercutio’s kinsman.” Inside the tomb Romeo sees Tybalt’s corpse and asks forgiveness before taking leave of Juliet with a kiss:

. . . O, here Will I set up my everlasting rest And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars From this world-wearied flesh.

Juliet awakes to see Romeo dead beside her. Realizing what has happened, she responds by taking his dagger and plunges it into her breast: “This is thy sheath; there rest, and let me die.”

Montagues, Capulets, and the Prince arrive, and the Friar explains what has happened and why. His account of Romeo and Juliet’s tender passion and devotion shames the two families into ending their feud. The Prince provides the final eulogy:

A glooming peace this morning with it brings. The sun for sorrow will not show his head. Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; Some shall be pardon’d, and some punished; For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

The sense of loss Verona and the audience feels at the lovers’ deaths is a direct result of Shakespeare’s remarkable ability to conjure love in all its transcendent power, along with its lethal risks. Set on a collision course with the values bent on denying love’s sway, Romeo and Juliet manage to create a dreamlike, alternative, private world that is so touching because it is so brief and perishable. Shakespeare’s triumph here is to make us care that adolescent romance matters—emotionally, psychologically, and socially—and that the premature and unjust death of lovers rival in profundity and significance the fall of kings.

Romeo and Juliet Oxford Lecture by Emma Smith

Analysis of William Shakespeare’s Plays

A Summary and Analysis of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

Although it was first performed in the 1590s, the first documented performance of Romeo and Juliet is from 1662. The diarist Samuel Pepys was in the audience, and recorded that he ‘saw “Romeo and Juliet,” the first time it was ever acted; but it is a play of itself the worst that ever I heard in my life, and the worst acted that ever I saw these people do.’

Despite Pepys’ dislike, the play is one of Shakespeare’s best-loved and most famous, and the story of Romeo and Juliet is well known. However, the play has become so embedded in the popular psyche that Shakespeare’s considerably more complex play has been reduced to a few key aspects: ‘star-cross’d lovers’, a teenage love story, and the suicide of the two protagonists.

In the summary and analysis that follow, we realise that Romeo and Juliet is much more than a tragic love story.

Romeo and Juliet : brief summary

After the Prologue has set the scene – we have two feuding households, Montagues and Capulets, in the city-state of Verona; and young Romeo is a Montague while Juliet, with whom Romeo is destined to fall in love, is from the Capulet family, sworn enemies of the Montagues – the play proper begins with servants of the two feuding households taunting each other in the street.

When Benvolio, a member of house Montague, arrives and clashes with Tybalt of house Capulet, a scuffle breaks out, and it is only when Capulet himself and his wife, Lady Capulet, appear that the fighting stops. Old Montague and his wife then show up, and the Prince of Verona, Escalus, arrives and chastises the people for fighting. Everyone leaves except Old Montague, his wife, and Benvolio, Montague’s nephew. Benvolio tells them that Romeo has locked himself away, but he doesn’t know why.

Romeo appears and Benvolio asks his cousin what is wrong, and Romeo starts speaking in paradoxes, a sure sign that he’s in love. He claims he loves Rosaline, but will not return any man’s love. A servant appears with a note, and Romeo and Benvolio learn that the Capulets are holding a masked ball.

Benvolio tells Romeo he should attend, even though he is a Montague, as he will find more beautiful women than Rosaline to fall in love with. Meanwhile, Lady Capulet asks her daughter Juliet whether she has given any thought to marriage, and tells Juliet that a man named Paris would make an excellent husband for her.

Romeo attends the Capulets’ masked ball, with his friend Mercutio. Mercutio tells Romeo about a fairy named Queen Mab who enters young men’s minds as they dream, and makes them dream of love and romance. At the masked ball, Romeo spies Juliet and instantly falls in love with her; she also falls for him.

They kiss, but then Tybalt, Juliet’s kinsman, spots Romeo and recognising him as a Montague, plans to confront him. Old Capulet tells him not to do so, and Tybalt reluctantly agrees. When Juliet enquires after who Romeo is, she is distraught to learn that he is a Montague and thus a member of the family that is her family’s sworn enemies.

Romeo breaks into the gardens of Juliet’s parents’ house and speaks to her at her bedroom window. The two of them pledge their love for each other, and arrange to be secretly married the following night. Romeo goes to see a churchman, Friar Laurence, who agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet.

After the wedding, the feud between the two families becomes violent again: Tybalt kills Mercutio in a fight, and Romeo kills Tybalt in retaliation. The Prince banishes Romeo from Verona for his crime.

Juliet is told by her father that she will marry Paris, so Juliet goes to seek Friar Laurence’s help in getting out of it. He tells her to take a sleeping potion which will make her appear to be dead for two nights; she will be laid to rest in the family vault, and Romeo (who will be informed of the plan) can secretly come to her there.

However, although that part of the plan goes fine, the message to Romeo doesn’t arrive; instead, he hears that Juliet has actually died. He secretly visits her at the family vault, but his grieving is interrupted by the arrival of Paris, who is there to lay flowers. The two of them fight, and Romeo kills him.

Convinced that Juliet is really dead, Romeo drinks poison in order to join Juliet in death. Juliet wakes from her slumber induced by the sleeping draught to find Romeo dead at her side. She stabs herself.

The play ends with Friar Laurence telling the story to the two feuding families. The Prince tells them to put their rivalry behind them and live in peace.

Romeo and Juliet : analysis

How should we analyse Romeo and Juliet , one of Shakespeare’s most famous and frequently studied, performed, and adapted plays? Is Romeo and Juliet the great love story that it’s often interpreted as, and what does it say about the play – if it is a celebration of young love – that it ends with the deaths of both romantic leads?

It’s worth bearing in mind that Romeo and Juliet do not kill themselves specifically because they are forbidden to be together, but rather because a chain of events (of which their families’ ongoing feud with each other is but one) and a message that never arrives lead to a misunderstanding which results in their suicides.

Romeo and Juliet is often read as both a tragedy and a great celebration of romantic love, but it clearly throws out some difficult questions about the nature of love, questions which are rendered even more pressing when we consider the headlong nature of the play’s action and the fact that Romeo and Juliet meet, marry, and die all within the space of a few days.

Below, we offer some notes towards an analysis of this classic Shakespeare play and explore some of the play’s most salient themes.

It’s worth starting with a consideration of just what Shakespeare did with his source material. Interestingly, two families known as the Montagues and Capulets appear to have actually existed in medieval Italy: the first reference to ‘Montagues and Capulets’ is, curiously, in the poetry of Dante (1265-1321), not Shakespeare.

In Dante’s early fourteenth-century epic poem, the Divine Comedy , he makes reference to two warring Italian families: ‘Come and see, you who are negligent, / Montagues and Capulets, Monaldi and Filippeschi / One lot already grieving, the other in fear’ ( Purgatorio , canto VI). Precisely why the families are in a feud with one another is never revealed in Shakespeare’s play, so we are encouraged to take this at face value.

The play’s most famous line references the feud between the two families, which means Romeo and Juliet cannot be together. And the line, when we stop and consider it, is more than a little baffling. The line is spoken by Juliet: ‘Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?’ Of course, ‘wherefore’ doesn’t mean ‘where’ – it means ‘why’.

But that doesn’t exactly clear up the whys and the wherefores. The question still doesn’t appear to make any sense: Romeo’s problem isn’t his first name, but his family name, Montague. Surely, since she fancies him, Juliet is quite pleased with ‘Romeo’ as he is – it’s his family that are the problem. Solutions have been proposed to this conundrum , but none is completely satisfying.

There are a number of notable things Shakespeare did with his source material. The Italian story ‘Mariotto and Gianozza’, printed in 1476, contained many of the plot elements of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet . Shakespeare’s source for the play’s story was Arthur Brooke’s The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet (1562), an English verse translation of this Italian tale.

The moral of Brooke’s tale is that young love ends in disaster for their elders, and is best reined in; Shakespeare changed that. In Romeo and Juliet , the headlong passion and excitement of young love is celebrated, even though confusion leads to the deaths of the young lovers. But through their deaths, and the example their love set for their parents, the two families vow to be reconciled to each other.

Shakespeare also makes Juliet a thirteen-year-old girl in his play, which is odd for a number of reasons. We know that Romeo and Juliet is about young love – the ‘pair of star-cross’d lovers’, who belong to rival families in Verona – but what is odd about Shakespeare’s play is how young he makes Juliet.

In Brooke’s verse rendition of the story, Juliet is sixteen. But when Shakespeare dramatised the story, he made Juliet several years younger, with Romeo’s age unspecified. As Lady Capulet reveals, Juliet is ‘not [yet] fourteen’, and this point is made to us several times, as if Shakespeare wishes to draw attention to it and make sure we don’t forget it.

This makes sense in so far as Juliet represents young love, but what makes it unsettling – particularly for modern audiences – is the fact that this makes Juliet a girl of thirteen when she enjoys her night of wedded bliss with Romeo. As John Sutherland puts it in his (and Cedric Watts’) engaging Oxford World’s Classics: Henry V, War Criminal?: and Other Shakespeare Puzzles , ‘In a contemporary court of law [Romeo] would receive a longer sentence for what he does to Juliet than for what he does to Tybalt.’

There appears to be no satisfactory answer to this question, but one possible explanation lies in one of the play’s recurring themes: bawdiness and sexual familiarity. Perhaps surprisingly given the youthfulness of its tragic heroine, Romeo and Juliet is shot through with bawdy jokes, double entendres, and allusions to sex, made by a number of the characters.

These references to physical love serve to make Juliet’s innocence, and subsequent passionate romance with Romeo, even more noticeable: the journey both Romeo and Juliet undertake is one from innocence (Romeo pointlessly and naively pursuing Rosaline; Juliet unversed in the ways of love) to experience.

In the last analysis, Romeo and Juliet is a classic depiction of forbidden love, but it is also far more sexually aware, more ‘adult’, than many people realise.

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4 thoughts on “A Summary and Analysis of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet”

Modern reading of the play’s opening dialogue among the brawlers fails to parse the ribaldry. Sex scares the bejeepers out of us. Why? Confer “R&J.”

It’s all that damn padre’s fault!

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Parents' guide to, romeo and juliet.

Common Sense Says
Parents Say 1 Review
Kids Say 32 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Tragic teen love story stands the test of time.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

In the first scene in the play, Capulets and Montagues goad each other into a fi

Shakespeare's clever wordplay often includes references to body parts and sex ac

There are a couple of references to drinking wine.

Any Positive Content?

Romeo and Juliet is often the first Shakespeare play that young people read, and

Many lives are lost because the Montagues and Capulets can't settle their differ

Friar Lawrence is a kind friend who wants to help Romeo unite with his beloved J

Violence & Scariness

In the first scene in the play, Capulets and Montagues goad each other into a fierce sword battle. Later, after Capulet's cousin Tybalt argues with and stabs Mercutio, Romeo is baited into an argument with Tybalt and kills him with his sword. At the end of the play, there are two more sword deaths and a suicide by poison.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Shakespeare's clever wordplay often includes references to body parts and sex acts -- the words "maidenhead" and "whore" are used creatively, for example. This bawdy language is often highlighted with physical gesturing when the play is staged, but the book is more clever than suggestive. Actual sex, other than kissing, takes place "off-screen," in that we only know Romeo and Juliet spend one night together as husband and wife because we see them part early the next morning.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Educational Value

Romeo and Juliet is often the first Shakespeare play that young people read, and it's an excellent introduction to the language and rhythm of his works. Also, Shakespeare's plots, and many of his lines, reappear across many generations of literature; reading Shakespeare is part of a great foundation for further study.

Positive Messages

Many lives are lost because the Montagues and Capulets can't settle their differences in a civilized manner. The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet shows how innocence and love can become casualties of hatred.

Positive Role Models

Friar Lawrence is a kind friend who wants to help Romeo unite with his beloved Juliet, and Juliet's nurse is likewise devoted to her young mistress, but both provide more help than guidance. Capulet and Montague are loving parents, but set a very poor example with their incivility. Romeo and Juliet risk their lives and familial relationships for love, which is admirable in a way, but it can't be ignored that they have only just met.

Parents need to know that Romeo and Juliet is often the first Shakespeare play that middle- or high-school students read. It's a tragic, romantic story about two young lovers who get caught in the crossfire of their parents' conflict. Shakespearean language can be challenging to read, especially at first, and newcomers would do best with a well-annotated edition that explains difficult words and constructions. Romeo and Juliet includes little inappropriate sexual content or profanity, but there are a few very violent scenes in which major characters are run through with swords. Director Franco Zeffirelli's beautiful 1968 film version is very true to the play, and well worth seeing. A much more modern and artful, but brutal, film starring Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio was well received when it came out in 1996. It's also worth checking out the 1961 musical film West Side Story , which was based on this timeless play.

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Parent and kid reviews.

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What's the Story?

Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet takes place in Verona, Italy, where the houses of Capulet and Montague are in conflict. Each of these older men commands the loyalty of numerous friends and family members, and the factions battle in the city streets. The town is ruled by Prince Escalus, who warns the citizens that he will not tolerate any further bloodshed and mayhem from the opposing factions. Capulet's daughter, Juliet, and Montague's son, Romeo, meet at a feast held by Capulet and fall in love. The two are sweethearts are determined to be together despite the division between their families, and they secretly marry. Romeo is later goaded into fighting with Capulet's cousin Tybalt, who is stabbed and killed. Romeo is then banished from Verona. Meanwhile, Capulet wants Juliet to marry another man, and Juliet knows she can't tell her parents whom she has already married. She conspires with the friar who married them to deceive her family so that she can steal away and be with Romeo. It's not until that plan ends tragically that the two families realize how foolish they have been.

Is It Any Good?

Not surprisingly, Romeo and Juliet has it all: clever dialogue, passionate romance, violent conflict, and plenty of poetry. Modern readers might have to suspend their disbelief to accept Romeo and Juliet's grand passion, but with a little patience, readers will be transported by the epic beauty of one of the world's best-loved plays.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the love between Romeo and Juliet -- two tenagers who have known each other for only about one day. Is this love at first sight? Is their love heightened by the obstacles they face?

The Capulets and Montagues hate each other, but we don't know why. Does it matter?

Do you think Shakespeare's play glamorizes suicide?

Why do you think this play is considered a classic and is often required reading in school?

Book Details

Author : William Shakespeare
Genre : Literary Fiction
Topics : History
Book type : Fiction
Publisher : Simon & Schuster
Publication date : January 1, 2004
Number of pages : 336
Last updated : June 9, 2015

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Romeo and juliet, by william shakespeare.

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is one of his most popular plays, a tragic love story set in the Italian city of Verona. “ Romeo and Juliet gives a wonderful exploration of young love, of first love, of romantic attitudes to love.” Stanley Wells , Shakespearean scholar

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“Shakespeare’s most popular play, it’s more popular than Hamlet, more popular than any of the other tragedies or plays.” Read more...

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Titus andronicus (arden shakespeare) by jonathan bate & william shakespeare, all the sonnets of shakespeare by paul edmonson, stanley wells & william shakespeare, the art of shakespeare's sonnets by helen vendler & william shakespeare, shakespeare's sonnets by katherine duncan-jones & william shakespeare, illustrated stories from shakespeare by anna claybourne, rosie dickins & william shakespeare, hamlet by william shakespeare, our most recommended books, middlemarch by george eliot, war and peace by leo tolstoy, on liberty by john stuart mill, frankenstein (book) by mary shelley, nineteen eighty-four by george orwell, jane eyre by charlotte brontë.

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ROMEO AND JULIET

From the campfire classics series.

by William Shakespeare & illustrated by Sachin Nagar & adapted by John F. McDonald ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 10, 2011

Using modern language, McDonald spins the well-known tale of the two young, unrequited lovers. Set against Nagar’s at-times...

A bland, uninspired graphic adaptation of the Bard’s renowned love story.

Pub Date: May 10, 2011

ISBN: 978-93-80028-58-3

Page Count: 80

Publisher: Campfire

Review Posted Online: April 5, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2011

GENERAL GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS

Share your opinion of this book

From the Wordplay Shakespeare series

by William Shakespeare & developed by The New Book Press LLC ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 9, 2013

Even so, this remains Macbeth, arguably the Bard of Avon’s most durable and multilayered tragedy, and overall, this enhanced...

A pairing of the text of the Scottish Play with a filmed performance, designed with the Shakespeare novice in mind.

The left side of the screen of this enhanced e-book contains a full version of Macbeth , while the right side includes a performance of the dialogue shown (approximately 20 lines’ worth per page). This granular focus allows newcomers to experience the nuances of the play, which is rich in irony, hidden intentions and sudden shifts in emotional temperature. The set and costuming are deliberately simple: The background is white, and Macbeth’s “armor” is a leather jacket. But nobody’s dumbing down their performances. Francesca Faridany is particularly good as a tightly coiled Lady Macbeth; Raphael Nash-Thompson gives his roles as the drunken porter and a witch a garrulousness that carries an entertainingly sinister edge. The presentation is not without its hiccups. Matching the video on the right with the text on the left means routinely cutting off dramatic moments; at one point, users have to swipe to see and read the second half of a scene’s closing couplet—presumably an easy fix. A “tap to translate” button on each page puts the text into plain English, but the pop-up text covers up Shakespeare’s original, denying any attempts at comparison; moreover, the translation mainly redefines more obscure words, suggesting that smaller pop-ups for individual terms might be more meaningful.

Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2013

Page Count: -

Publisher: The New Book Press LLC

Review Posted Online: Nov. 6, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2013

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT FICTION | GENERAL GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS | GENERAL GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS | MANGA | MYSTERY & CRIME

by William Shakespeare ; adapted by Georghia Ellinas ; illustrated by Jane Ray

HEART OF DARKNESS

by Peter Kuper ; illustrated by Peter Kuper ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 5, 2019

Gorgeous and troubling.

Cartoonist Kuper ( Kafkaesque , 2018, etc.) delivers a graphic-novel adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s literary classic exploring the horror at the center of colonial exploitation.

As a group of sailors floats on the River Thames in 1899, a particularly adventurous member notes that England was once “one of the dark places of the earth,” referring to the land before the arrival of the Romans. This well-connected vagabond then regales his friends with his boyhood obsession with the blank places on maps, which eventually led him to captain a steamboat up a great African river under the employ of a corporate empire dedicated to ripping the riches from foreign land. Marlow’s trip to what was known as the Dark Continent exposes him to the frustrations of bureaucracy, the inhumanity employed by Europeans on the local population, and the insanity plaguing those committed to turning a profit. In his introduction, Kuper outlines his approach to the original book, which featured extensive use of the n-word and worked from a general worldview that European males are the forgers of civilization (even if they suffered a “soul [that] had gone mad” for their efforts), explaining that “by choosing a different point of view to illustrate, otherwise faceless and undefined characters were brought to the fore without altering Conrad’s text.” There is a moment when a scene of indiscriminate shelling reveals the Africans fleeing, and there are some places where the positioning of the Africans within the panel gives them more prominence, but without new text added to fully frame the local people, it’s hard to feel that they have reached equal footing. Still, Kuper’s work admirably deletes the most offensive of Conrad’s language while presenting graphically the struggle of the native population in the face of foreign exploitation. Kuper is a master cartoonist, and his pages and panels are a feast for the eyes.

Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019

ISBN: 978-0-393-63564-5

Page Count: 160

Publisher: Norton

Review Posted Online: Aug. 18, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2019

More by Peter Kuper

by Peter Kuper ; illustrated by Peter Kuper

by Peter Kuper

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What are some examples of film adaptations of Romeo and Juliet ?

How did Shakespeare die?
Why is Shakespeare still important today?

Leonardo DiCaprio (L) and Kate Winslet in a scene from the motion picture Titanic (1997) directed by James Cameron. Academy Awards, Oscars, cinema, film, movie

Romeo and Juliet

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Romeo and Juliet - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

What is Romeo and Juliet about?

Romeo and Juliet is about a young hero and heroine whose families, the Montagues and the Capulets, respectively, are ferocious enemies. Romeo and Juliet ’s passionate star-crossed love leads to their demise, which ultimately serves to pacify the relationship between their families.

What is Romeo and Juliet based on?

Shakespeare’s principal source for the plot of Romeo and Juliet was The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet , a long narrative poem written in 1562 by the English poet Arthur Brooke , who had based his poem on a French translation of a tale by the Italian writer Matteo Bandello .

Where is Romeo and Juliet set?

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona , Italy.

How is Romeo and Juliet still relevant today?

The characters of Romeo and Juliet have been continuously depicted in literature, music, dance, and theatre. The premise of the young hero and heroine whose families are enemies is so appealing that Romeo and Juliet have become, in the modern popular imagination, the representative type of star-crossed lovers.

Some of the most distinct film adaptations of Romeo and Juliet are Franco Zeffirelli ’s 1968 version of the same name, which notably cast actors similar in age to the play’s young protagonists; Baz Luhrmann ’s visually vibrant 1996 Romeo + Juliet ; and the 2013 zombie romantic comedy Warm Bodies . Learn more.

Romeo and Juliet , play by William Shakespeare , written about 1594–96 and first published in an unauthorized quarto in 1597. An authorized quarto appeared in 1599, substantially longer and more reliable. A third quarto, based on the second, was used by the editors of the First Folio of 1623. The characters of Romeo and Juliet have been depicted in literature , music, dance, and theatre. The appeal of the young hero and heroine—whose families, the Montagues and the Capulets, respectively, are implacable enemies—is such that they have become, in the popular imagination, the representative type of star-crossed lovers.

Shakespeare’s principal source for the plot was The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet (1562), a long narrative poem by the English poet Arthur Brooke , who had based his poem on a French translation of a tale by the Italian Matteo Bandello .

View an excerpt of David Garrick's 18th-century adaptation of William Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet” where the lovers speak to each other before they die

Shakespeare sets the scene in Verona , Italy . Juliet and Romeo meet and fall instantly in love at a masked ball of the Capulets, and they profess their love when Romeo, unwilling to leave, climbs the wall into the orchard garden of her family’s house and finds her alone at her window. Because their well-to-do families are enemies, the two are married secretly by Friar Laurence . When Tybalt, a Capulet, seeks out Romeo in revenge for the insult of Romeo’s having dared to shower his attentions on Juliet, an ensuing scuffle ends in the death of Romeo’s dearest friend, Mercutio . Impelled by a code of honour among men, Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished to Mantua by the Prince of Verona, who has been insistent that the family feuding cease . When Juliet’s father, unaware that Juliet is already secretly married, arranges a marriage with the eminently eligible Count Paris, the young bride seeks out Friar Laurence for assistance in her desperate situation. He gives her a potion that will make her appear to be dead and proposes that she take it and that Romeo rescue her. She complies. Romeo, however, unaware of the friar’s scheme because a letter has failed to reach him, returns to Verona on hearing of Juliet’s apparent death. He encounters a grieving Paris at Juliet’s tomb, reluctantly kills him when Paris attempts to prevent Romeo from entering the tomb, and finds Juliet in the burial vault. There he gives her a last kiss and kills himself with poison. Juliet awakens, sees the dead Romeo, and kills herself. The families learn what has happened and end their feud.

For a discussion of this play within the context of Shakespeare’s entire corpus, see William Shakespeare: Shakespeare’s plays and poems .

Yipee ki-yay, motherbooker

Swearing, rants, reviews, on every level, book review – romeo and juliet by william shakespeare.

I’m a fan of Shakespeare. I think he’s way more accessible than people give him credit for. I can also understand why so many people don’t get along with him. For me, it all comes down to how you first experience him. For most of us, we’ll come across our first Shakespeare play at school. If you go through this with the right teacher then he you’ll be able to embrace the Bard fully. If you don’t have the right teacher then you’ll just think he’s old and boring. Thankfully, the first play that I studied was Macbeth and it ended up being a lot of fun. Then I got stuck into Othello , Hamlet and King Lear . By the time I was 16, I was already pretty hooked on old Willy. Although, I’ve never been a big fan of a couple of his most popular plays. Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Nights Dream tend to be ones that most people are willing to watch. I guess they’re more like traditional romantic comedies, so they might be easier for modern audiences to get behind. Really, I don’t know why people love these plays so much. For me, they’re two of his most tedious plays. And, yes, I have studied the histories. Certainly in the case of Romeo and Juliet . I just think it’s stupid.

But, last month, I decided to read the story of the star-crossed lovers in fair Verona. I guess I wanted to see if my opinion had changed over the years. Spoiler alert: it hadn’t. I still think this play is terrible. It’s based on a very childish and unrealistic version of love. I’d also argue that it doesn’t actually offer any real insight into human existence. I don’t understand why there is still such a fascination with this play. I don’t see what appeal there is in deciding to put on this play. It’s just not interesting. This is one of the main reasons that modern productions take so many liberties with the setting. Would Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation have been quite so successful had it not been set in contemporary America? Was it not the fact that Romeo and his chums brandished guns instead of actual swords? I doubt it.

That’s the main problem with this play. On its own, it really isn’t that exciting. That’s why you need to rejig is to include gangsters or rival football teams or whatever. You need an added context to really make it work. As it stands, the play does little to establish itself or its context. It doesn’t really care. We just know that these families are at war. Do we need to know why? Not according to Shakespeare. It’s just way to increase the melodrama and give these teens something to really get upset about. There’s such a lack of depth within this play. It focuses on the scenes between the two lovers and throws in a few fight scenes for good measure. What else is there? Not much, It’s just an overly simple narrative and very little character development.

Speaking of which, I read an article that suggested we hate this play because society hates young women. But how can we hate Juliet when we know nothing about her? All we really know is that she’s 13 because Shakespeare is super keen that we never forget that fact. I’m not suggesting that Romeo is a very developed character, but we do get to know more about him. He’s a feminine youth who is mocked for believing in love so much. That’s not so much of a problem but it could have been taken further. It’s difficult to believe in this love when we, the audience, don’t know anything about these two kids. Is it any wonder that so many people think their love is superficial?

And their love really is superficial. I’m not saying that all teenage love affairs are superficial but this one is. I’ve read an argument that suggests the play isn’t a warning about teenage love but is a warning not to underestimate teenagers. That the play is showing us that teenagers are mature adults capable of making their own decisions. It also had the gall to suggest that Juliet’s death is empowering. That her only alternative is being married off to someone she doesn’t love. That death is her only way to find freedom. Now, I’m sorry but if you think that is a positive message then I’m worried about you. Taken in this light, the play is just another teen drama that is advocating death as the ultimate resolution. Not only does Juliet not have to marry Paris but their families magically stop fighting. Forgive me if I don’t praise a play for encouraging young girls in arranged marriages to just end their lives. That’s not feminism.

This is a play that is so popular because people obsess about their teenage years. That’s why shows like The OC, Dawson’s Creek and Riverdale keep getting made. They’re written by people in the 30s and 40s who think that these were the best years of their lives. That the love between two teenagers is passionate and magical. Teenagers tend to be avid believers in love at first sight but, for the most part, this is an idea that we grow out of. Cause let’s be honest, teenagers are idiots. Romeo and Juliet are definitely idiots. The fact that they don’t take a second to think before acting is proof that they’re idiots. Whether you believe that their love is real or not, you have to admit that they’re both drama queens. They’ve known each other for a matter of days, secretly got married and then killed themselves. A 13-year-old and a 17 (ish) year old boy end up dead and, because we idolise teenagers, it has become one of the most celebrated love stories of all time. How is it possible?

To really believe that this is a love story, you have to believe that the pair would have stayed together forever. I mean, had they not got caught up in the drama and killed themselves. There is absolutely no evidence that the pair would have had a long and happy marriage. Their relationship is based on looks and a desire to escape their fates. There is no deep, emotional connection. Juliet is young and Romeo is a hopeless romantic. Given a few years and a couple of babies, I reckon the star-crossed lovers would be in terrible shape. Juliet looking after two young Montague’s while her husband is off writing poetry to whichever young thing he’s obsessed with at that time. Maybe there is something weirdly romantic about young love dying together. It’s like the thing with Disney movies. We’re told they lived happily ever after but we never see it. In Romeo and Juliet , we never see the reality of their decision. But, put them in the real world and I doubt these two would have lasted long.

Romeo and Juliet

89 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

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Summary and Study Guide

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy by the English playwright William Shakespeare. It is among Shakespeare’s best-known plays and, like its author, has been highly influential in shaping the course of English-language literature. First performed before 1597 (the date of its earliest known printing), it has been popular ever since. Like most of Shakespeare’s plays, it employs a combination of blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter) and prose , with occasional deviations in form; for example, Shakespeare often punctuates scenes or long speeches with a rhyming couplet for dramatic effect. The classic play explores themes of The Beauty and Danger of Love , The Power of Dreams and Illusions , and Empty Rivalry and Feud .

This summary refers to the 2011 Folger Shakespeare Library edition.

Content Warning: The source material and guide refer to suicide and violence, including discussions of sexual assault.

Plot Summary

A feud between two noble families, the Montagues and the Capulets, is tearing apart the city of Verona. Young men allied with these households fight each other in the streets. At last, the violence gets so bad that the city’s Prince declares that any member of these clans caught fighting will be exiled from the city.

Meanwhile, Romeo , the romantic young son of the Montagues, is suffering: He’s lovelorn over a girl named Rosaline, who doesn’t return his affections. His friends Benvolio and Mercutio persuade him to attend the Capulets’ masked ball in the hopes that he’ll spot another girl to fall in love with there. This plan works all too well: The disguised Romeo falls instantly in love with Juliet , the Capulets’ daughter, whose parents hope to marry her to the eligible young Count Paris. However, Romeo and Juliet’s love overwhelms all such considerations, and when Romeo comes in secret to Juliet’s garden in the night, they vow to marry.

Romeo’s friends take a dim view of this plan. Benvolio points out that Romeo was desperately in love with another girl before seeing Juliet, Mercutio makes sex jokes, and Friar Lawrence , Romeo’s priestly friend and mentor, warns him that the relationship is likely to end in disaster. However, Friar Lawrence also sees the young lovers as an opportunity to heal the rift between Montagues and Capulets, so he agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet in secret.

Before any good can come of this clandestine marriage, Mercutio gets into a street fight with Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt . Mercutio is killed, and a grief-stricken Romeo murders Tybalt in revenge. Though it means leaving behind his new bride, Romeo must flee Verona to avoid punishment at the hands of the Prince.

Juliet is horrified when she learns that her new husband has killed her cousin, but she soon forgives him, and the couple spend a clandestine night together before Romeo departs for Mantua. Juliet then learns that her parents plan to marry her to Count Paris imminently. She goes to Friar Lawrence for help, and he concocts an elaborate plan to reunite the newlyweds: He’ll give Juliet a drug that makes her seem as if she’s dead, when in fact she’ll just be in a brief, deathlike coma. While her family entombs her, Friar Lawrence will send a message to Romeo to come and find her.

Juliet goes through with this plan, but Friar Lawrence’s part in the proceedings doesn’t go so well. News of Juliet’s “death” reaches Romeo in Mantua before Friar Lawrence’s explanatory message makes it there. Romeo rushes to Verona, where he finds and kills the mourning Paris outside the Capulet tomb. He descends into the dark and, finding what seems to be Juliet’s corpse, poisons himself.

Friar Lawrence arrives at the tomb to care for Juliet as she awakes only to find her discovering Romeo’s still-warm body lying next to her. The priest tries to convince Juliet to come away, but she refuses, and he flees at the sound of approaching footsteps. Left alone, Juliet stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger. In the wake of these horrors, the Montagues and Capulets are forced to make a tragic peace.

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Romeo and Juliet is a timeless masterpiece written by the renowned playwright, William Shakespeare. The play tells the tragic love story of two young lovers from rival families in Verona, Italy. The themes of love, hatred, fate, and the consequences of impulsive decisions are woven into the fabric of the play, making it one of the most significant works of literature ever written.

As a language model, I have analyzed and studied the text of Romeo and Juliet to provide a comprehensive book review. Through this review, we hope to highlight the key elements of the play, including its plot, characters, themes, and language, and demonstrate why it has endured for centuries.

Significance, bibliography.

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy that follows the love story of two young teenagers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. The two fall in love at first sight during a party at the Capulet household, despite their families’ long-standing feud. Romeo, infatuated with Juliet, sneaks into her garden and professes his love for her. The two plan to marry in secret with the help of Friar Lawrence. However, their plans are thwarted by a series of unfortunate events, including the death of Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, at the hands of Romeo’s friend Mercutio, and Romeo’s subsequent banishment from Verona.

Juliet, desperate to avoid marrying Paris, a suitor chosen by her father, turns to Friar Lawrence for help. The Friar devises a plan to reunite the lovers, which involves Juliet faking her own death with a sleeping potion. Unfortunately, Romeo hears only that Juliet has died and, heartbroken, purchases poison and kills himself at Juliet’s tomb. Juliet wakes up to find Romeo dead and, unable to live without him, takes her own life with Romeo’s dagger. The play ends with the families reconciling, too late to save their children.

The play’s protagonists are Romeo and Juliet, two young lovers who are deeply in love but ultimately doomed by the feud between their families. Romeo is a Montague and is known for his impulsiveness and passion. Juliet, on the other hand, is a Capulet and is more practical and level-headed than Romeo. Both characters are flawed, but their flaws are what make them human and relatable.

The play’s supporting characters are equally compelling. Friar Lawrence is a wise and compassionate priest who plays a critical role in the lovers’ tragic fate. He agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet in secret, hoping that their union will bring peace to their families. However, his plan to reunite the lovers ultimately leads to their deaths. Mercutio is Romeo’s best friend, known for his wit and humor. He is killed in a duel with Tybalt, which sets off a chain of events that lead to the play’s tragic conclusion.

Here’s a table of the main characters in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare:

Character	Description
Romeo	The son of Montague and the play’s male protagonist. He is initially infatuated with Rosaline but falls in love with Juliet at first sight. Romeo is impulsive and passionate, which leads to his tragic fate.
Juliet	The daughter of Capulet and the play’s female protagonist. She is initially obedient to her family’s wishes but defies them when she falls in love with Romeo. Juliet is intelligent and strong-willed, but ultimately becomes a victim of the feud between the two families.
Mercutio	Romeo’s friend and kinsman to the Prince of Verona. Mercutio is quick-witted and has a sharp tongue. He is killed by Tybalt, which sets off a chain of events that leads to the play’s tragic ending.
Tybalt	Juliet’s cousin and a skilled swordsman. Tybalt is hot-headed and eager to fight the Montagues. He is responsible for killing Mercutio and is later killed by Romeo in revenge.
Friar Laurence	A Franciscan friar who agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet in secret. Friar Laurence is well-meaning but his plans to reunite the lovers ultimately lead to their deaths.
Nurse	Juliet’s nurse and confidante. The Nurse is a comic character who provides a contrast to the tragic events of the play. She is loyal to Juliet but ultimately fails to protect her from her family’s wrath.
Capulet	Juliet’s father and the head of the Capulet family. Capulet is initially hesitant to marry Juliet off to Paris, but becomes enraged when she refuses. He is responsible for driving Juliet to seek Friar Laurence’s help.
Montague	Romeo’s father and the head of the Montague family. Montague is initially concerned about Romeo’s melancholy, but becomes embroiled in the feud with the Capulets.
Prince Escalus	The Prince of Verona who serves as the play’s voice of authority. He is frustrated by the feud between the Montagues and Capulets and threatens to punish anyone who disturbs the peace.

Note: This table only includes the main characters in the play. There are many other minor characters who play important roles in the story, such as Paris (Juliet’s suitor), Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin), and the Apothecary (who sells Romeo the poison).

The themes of love, hate, fate, and the consequences of impulsive decisions are central to Romeo and Juliet. Love is portrayed as a force that can transcend social barriers and family feuds, but it is also shown to be fleeting and fragile. Hate, on the other hand, is depicted as a destructive force that can lead to tragedy and death.

Fate is also an essential theme in the play. The idea that the lovers were fated to die is suggested from the beginning, as the Prologue describes Romeo and Juliet as “star-crossed lovers.” The idea of fate is reinforced throughout the play through references to astrology and dreams. The idea that the lovers’ fate was predetermined is reinforced by the play’s tragic ending, which suggests that the lovers were doomed from the start.

Another theme of Romeo and Juliet is the consequences of impulsive decisions. Romeo and Juliet’s love is impulsive, and their rash decisions to marry and fake Juliet’s death ultimately lead to their tragic fate. The play suggests that impulsive decisions, particularly those made in the heat of passion, can have severe and irreversible consequences.

Shakespeare’s language in Romeo and Juliet is renowned for its poetic beauty and rich imagery. The play is written in iambic pentameter, a form of poetry that consists of ten syllables per line, with every second syllable stressed. The use of iambic pentameter gives the play a musical quality and helps to create a sense of rhythm and flow.

Shakespeare also uses a variety of literary devices, including metaphor, simile, and personification, to bring his characters and their emotions to life. The play’s most famous lines, including “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet” and “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” have become iconic examples of Shakespeare’s mastery of language.

Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, and its enduring popularity can be attributed to its timeless themes and the universal appeal of its characters. The play has been adapted into countless films, stage productions, and other works of literature, and its influence can be seen in everything from popular music to modern romantic comedies.

The play’s significance also lies in its portrayal of the human condition. Romeo and Juliet’s story is one of love and loss, and their tragic fate has resonated with audiences for centuries. The play speaks to the power of love, the destructive nature of hate, and the consequences of impulsive decisions, all themes that are as relevant today as they were in Shakespeare’s time.

While Romeo and Juliet is widely regarded as a masterpiece, it has not been without its criticisms. Some have argued that the play’s portrayal of love is unrealistic and that Romeo and Juliet’s relationship is too idealized. Others have criticized the play’s depiction of women, arguing that Juliet is little more than a passive object of desire.

Despite these criticisms, Romeo and Juliet ‘s enduring popularity suggests that it continues to resonate with audiences today.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. London: Arden Shakespeare, 1980.
Garber, Marjorie. Shakespeare’s Ghost Writers: Literature as Uncanny Causality. New York: Routledge, 2010.
Holland, Peter. Shakespeare Survey: Volume 65, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Kastan, David Scott. Shakespeare and the Book. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.
Wells, Stanley. Shakespeare: A Life in Drama. New York: W.W. Norton, 1995.
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Romeo and Juliet

By william shakespeare.

Shakespeare's classic tale of forbidden love, where two young lovers from feuding families defy all odds, leading to passion, conflict, and a tragic end.

In a nutshell...

"Romeo and Juliet" is a tragic love story in Verona, Italy. Despite their families' bitter feud, Romeo and Juliet fall deeply in love and secretly marry. Their romance is dogged by misfortunes, including a duel that ends in fatality and a faked death, leading to the tragic double suicide of the couple. The play ends with the reconciliation of the two families, realizing the devastating consequences of their hatred.

Key Moments

Romeo and Juliet's Secret Marriage: A pivotal moment in the play, their secret union defies their families' feud and fortifies their love.
Tybalt's Death: Romeo kills Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, in a duel, which sets off a chain of events that leads to the play's ultimate tragedy.
The Double Suicide: Romeo and Juliet's joint suicide is the tragic end of their love story.

Main Characters

Romeo Montague: A young man from the Montague family, known for his impulsive nature and passionate love for Juliet.
Juliet Capulet: A young woman from the Capulet family, renowned for her beauty and intelligence, equally in love with Romeo.
Friar Lawrence: A wise and compassionate friar who marries Romeo and Juliet and tries to help them chart the terrain of their forbidden love.

Verona's rigid social and cultural norms during the 14th century create a hostile environment for Romeo and Juliet's love. The strict family feuds and expectations of societal roles limit their choices and contribute to the tragedy.

Continue down for the complete summary to Romeo and Juliet

Article written by Lee-James Bovey

P.G.C.E degree.

“ Romeo and Juliet ” explores the fates of two young lovers whose deaths are predestined (I am not counting this as a spoiler, as everybody knows, and you find out in the first minute of the play)! The play centers around how fate intervenes to lead them on a path that results in their tragic end but has wider implications for the imagined version of Verona and the fictional family feud.

The act is an introduction of the Montagues and Capulets, two rival families in Verona, Italy. Romeo and Juliet, from these opposing houses, meet at a masked ball and fall in love. The feud between the families sets up the play’s conflict.

The first scene helps to set the scene between the two families. We see two Capulet servants bragging about being stronger than Montague’s men and making smutty puns. They spot two Montague men and plot to try and start a fight with them within the confines of Verona law. They bite their thumbs at the Montagues, which is considered an insult. A war of words ensues, and this descends into a fight. Benvolio enters and tries to calm things down by drawing his sword.

Tybalt witnesses this and sees it as an act of aggression. Benvolio explains he was trying to keep the peace, and Tyblat states that he hates peace almost as much as the Montagues. The brawl continues, and Montague and Capulet get involved before Prince Escalus stops it. He decrees that he is tired of the unrest and that anybody who disturbs the peace again will face the death penalty.

The play draws inspiration from real-life family feuds in Renaissance Italy, like Florence’s Pazzi and Medici rivalry in the 15th century . These powerful banking families competed for political and economic control of Florence, and their tussles often led to violence.

Paris and Capulet discuss the idea of Juliet marrying Paris. While Capulet is keen on this, he thinks Juliet is too young. Meanwhile, Benvolio and Romeo are invited to the Capulet ball under the assumption they are not Montagues. Benvolio thinks Romeo should go to help him get over Rosaline. Romeo agrees, but only because Rosaline’s name is on the guest list.

This scene is set just before the feat that the Capulets have planned. It serves partially as comic relief thanks to the nurse’s bawdy stories. However, the scene ends with Juliet’s mum announcing that Paris wishes to marry Juliet. Juliet suggests she has not given much thought to marriage but will look out for Paris to see if he is someone Juliet might like.

Once again, there is a lot of comedy in this scene, thanks mainly to the character of Mercutio. He, Romeo, and Benvolio are dressed and ready to attend the Capulet party, but Romeo is still pining for Rosaline. Mercutio mocks all of Romeo’s pleas, turning his words into innuendos. The conversation turns darker as they talk about Romeo’s strange dream. Romeo claims that going to the party will lead to his demise. This is foreshadowing. However, Mercutio quells his fears, and they proceed to the party.

This scene where Romeo meets Juliet for the first time marks the play’s rising action. Upon doing so, he instantly forgets Rosaline, declaring, “Did my heart love till now?” meaning that his previous feelings were probably shallow. Unbeknownst to Romeo, he is spotted by Tybalt, who wants to confront Romeo for daring to appear. Capulet stops him, but Tybalt swears vengeance for the slight. Romeo and Juliet share a kiss, but both are mortified when they later find out that they belong to rival households.

Tybalt strikes me as a ruffian. He’s quick to anger and impulsive and often resorts to violence to settle his disputes. He is arrogant and tends to provoke conflict. He’s a classic example of a young, hot-headed noble who believes he’s above the law and entitled to act as he pleases.

Romeo and Juliet defy their families and secretly marry in this act, marking the story’s turning point.

Romeo attempts to find Juliet, abandoning Benvolio and Mercutio. Mercutio assumes that Romeo has gone to track down Rosaline and playfully insults him. However, Romeo does not respond as he is preoccupied and has ascended a wall to get to Juliet.

This is a key point in the play as Romeo listens in on Juliet as she declares her love for him but laments that he is a Montague. She thinks out loud, suggesting she would relinquish her very name if he loved her. Romeo announces his presence and declares his love. Juliet wants him to leave as she is worried if he is caught, he will be killed. The scene has an exciting back-and-forth as Romeo comes on strong, and despite her feelings, Juliet is hesitant as she is worried things are moving too fast. She arranges to send someone to him in the morning to test whether his love is as authentic as he suggests.

The scene opens with Friar Lawrence talking about the properties of certain herbs and foreshadowing the mixture that will eventually lead to the lover’s demise. Romeo enters, and the friar suspects he has slept with Rosaline. Romeo explains that he has fallen for Juliet, and despite the friar’s skepticism, he agrees to marry the pair as he can foresee it leading to peace between the two families.

The events of this story would have been different if Romeo had been more cool-headed. However, it is possible that Romeo would not have fallen so in love if he had been that kind of person, and the whole story would not have happened.

This scene contains a lot of exposition dressed up as comedy. Firstly, we learn through a discussion between Benvolio and Mercutio that Tybalt has issued a challenge to Romeo. Mercutio talks up Tybalt’s mastery of dueling but clarifies that he cannot stand the man. Romeo arrives and is mocked by Mercutio for abandoning his friends in search of love.

While this is said in jest, there is a suggestion that Mercutio does mean what he says. They are joined by the nurse, who is ridiculed by Mercutio, who effectively accuses her of being a promiscuous lady. Romeo asks the nurse to ask Juliet to find an excuse to attend church so that the pair might marry. Romeo also convinces the nurse to make it possible for the pair to meet on their wedding night.

The nurse returns to Juliet and teases Juliet, who is impatient and hungry for information. Eventually, the nurse tells Juliet of Romeo’s plan.

Romeo and Juliet meet and are married by Friar Lawrence, the story’s turning point.

The balcony scene is one of the most iconic moments in all of literature, and it’s been referenced and parodied countless times in movies and TV shows. It’s a classic example of a romantic moment that has become a cultural touchstone. In the classic romantic comedy Say Anything , John Cusack’s character, Lloyd Dobler, plays Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” on a boombox outside Diane Court’s window to win her heart.

Tragedy strikes as Romeo kills Juliet’s cousin Tybalt in a duel with Romeo. As a result, he is banished from Verona. This is the critical point in the play, as tragedies dog the couple’s love from here.

Benvolio and Mercutio are approached by a group of Capulets led by Tybalt. Mercutio mocks Tybalt, and things become heated. Romeo arrives, and Tybalt turns his attention to him. Having just married into the Capulet family, Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt, which enrages Mercutio, who fights Tybalt instead. Mercutio is killed by Tybalt, who runs off.

Mercutio dies dramatically, still punning, before finally passing away, cursing the Capulet and Montague names. Romeo laments that he did not fight Tybalt, claiming that his love for Juliet has made him effeminate. Tybalt returns, and Romeo exacts his revenge, killing Tybalt. Benvolio convinces Romeo to run away. Prince Escalus arrives, and Benvolio explains how Romeo tried to keep the peace. Escalus declares Romeo banished and states he will be killed if ever seen within Verona.

News of Tybalt’s death is relayed to Julia via the nurse, who at first makes it sound like both Tybalt and Romeo are dead, which prompts Juliet to consider taking her own life, foreshadowing what will eventually happen. The nurse clears up the confusion, but this does not help Juliet, who is distraught that she won’t see her husband on her wedding night. The nurse vows to seek out Romeo and takes a ring as a sign of Juliet’s affection.

We can’t put Tybalt’s death at Romeo’s feet now. I mean, he was practically begging to get hurt. It seems that he was a strong catalyst for the tragedy.

Romeo is in a state of despair following the loss of his friend and the news he will be banished. He claims he might as well be dead because being alive and not with Juliet is crueler. The nurse arrives, and Romeo is again distraught at the idea that Juliet might think him a murderer. The friar reassures Romeo. He hatches a plan for Romeo to visit Juliet that night and then go into exile and allow the news of their marriage to spread, and hopefully, with time, Prince Escalus might change his mind. The ring Juliet sends helps to renew Romeo’s hopes, and he sets off to see his wife.

The Capulets discuss Juliet potentially marrying Pairs. Lord Capulet promises Paris Juliet’s hand in marriage. This decision prompts Juliet to fake her death, a key point in the play.

Romeo and Juliet awake having consummated their marriage. Juliet doesn’t want Romeo to leave, and overcome with love, he agrees to do this regardless of the consequences. Realizing how dire the consequences will be, Juliet convinces him to leave. When he leaves, Juliet’s mother enters and tells Juliet she will marry Paris. Juliet refuses. This angers Lady Capulet. Lord Capulet gets involved and is enraged by Juliet’s refusal to obey him. Juliet talks to the nurse, who tries to convince Juliet that Romeo is as good as dead and that Paris would be a good match. Juliet pretends to agree and arranges to meet the friar to “confess.”

In the action leading to the story’s climax , Juliet is devastated at Romeo’s exile and fakes her death to avoid a forced marriage.

From this point, everything that could go wrong goes wrong. I can’t say if we can call this work high literature from its plot. The twists are contrived, and the plot is not very realistic. I guess it is a classic today, but it was probably pulp fiction in its day.

Paris talks to the friar about his upcoming wedding. Meanwhile, Juliet arrives and claims she must confess to getting Paris to leave. When he does, Juliet threatens to kill herself rather than marry Paris. She and the friar make a plan to use medicine to fake Juliet’s death so she can avoid marrying Paris and be reunited with Romeo.

Juliet surprises her parents by cheerfully agreeing to marry Paris. Lord Capulet heads off to tell Paris the good news.

Juliet asks to be alone at night and prepares to take the potion. She frets over this decision and has visions of Tybalt’s ghost.

The following day, Juliet is discovered and presumed dead. Paris joins Lord and Lady Capulet in despairing at her presumed demise.

It is a bit ironic that parents are overly strict with their children to the point that they cause their children misery. But when their children suffer from life’s misfortune, they are devastated. What makes one hurt better than the other?

This is a largely comic scene in which a group of musicians refuses to play cheerful music. It is often cut during productions as it seems far too comic, given the somber tone of what happened.

In a series of misunderstandings and impulsive decisions, the star-crossed lovers commit actions that lead to the play’s tragic climax.

Balthazar meets Romeo, who seems in good spirits. He asks for news of Juliet but is distraught when he learns that she has died. He vows to join her in Verona. On the way to be with Juliet, he buys a vial of poison as he intends to end his own life.

Friar Lawrence talks to a fellow friar who has asked to deliver a letter to Romeo informing him of Juliet’s plan. Unfortunately, he could not deliver the note. The friar worries about rescuing Juliet’s body but does not know Romeo thinks Juliet is dead.

At this point, the friar is incompetent at the charge he set himself at. He’s a man of the cloth, living a somewhat secluded life dedicated to his religious duties. His isolation and focus on spiritual matters might have made understanding the world’s ways difficult. I guess this proves the saying that good intentions pave the way to hell, after all.

This scene marks the story’s climax , and the following events rush to an abrupt end. Romeo attempts to break into the tomb but is stopped by Paris, who believes Romeo is there to deface the tomb somehow. Romeo pleads with Paris, but a fight is unavoidable, and he kills Paris.

When Romeo reaches Juliet’s (apparently dead) body, he positions himself beside her and takes the poison. Juliet awakes and is told by Friar Lawrence that both Romeo and Paris are dead. Juliet tries to kill herself by taking the poison from Romeo’s lips, but when this doesn’t work, she uses Romeo’s dagger to take her own life. In the play’s falling action and denouement , Lord Escalus blames the tragedy on the feuds, and both the lords agree to end the feud.

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About Lee-James Bovey

Lee-James, a.k.a. LJ, has been a Book Analysis team member since it was first created. During the day, he's an English Teacher. During the night, he provides in-depth analysis and summary of books.

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Romeo and Juliet Review: Shakespeare's Masterpiece
Book Title: Romeo and Juliet. Book Description: Shakespeare's famous tale of two star-crossed lovers. Book Author: William Shakespeare. Book Edition: Norton Critical Edition. Book Format: Paperback. Publisher - Organization: Folger Shakespeare Library. Date published: March 1, 2004. ISBN: 978--393-91402-5. Number Of Pages: 320
BOOK REVIEW: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare My rating: 5 of 5 stars Amazon.in page Get Speechify to make any book an audiobook This is one of Shakespeare's most famous works, if not the most famous love story in the history of love stories. The central challenge of this couple's love affair isn't the usual fare…
Analysis of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
Instead of the later tragedies of character Romeo and Juliet has been downgraded as a tragedy of chance, and, in the words of critic James Calderwood, the star-crossed lovers are "insufficiently endowed with complexity" to become tragic heroes. Instead "they become a study of victimage and sacrifice, not tragedy.".
A Summary and Analysis of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
We know that Romeo and Juliet is about young love - the 'pair of star-cross'd lovers', who belong to rival families in Verona - but what is odd about Shakespeare's play is how young he makes Juliet. In Brooke's verse rendition of the story, Juliet is sixteen. But when Shakespeare dramatised the story, he made Juliet several years ...
Romeo and Juliet Book Review
Kids say (32 ): Not surprisingly, Romeo and Juliet has it all: clever dialogue, passionate romance, violent conflict, and plenty of poetry. Modern readers might have to suspend their disbelief to accept Romeo and Juliet's grand passion, but with a little patience, readers will be transported by the epic beauty of one of the world's best-loved ...
BOOK REVIEW : Romeo and Juliet By William Shakespeare
BOOK REVIEW : Romeo and Juliet By William Shakespeare. It has been referred to as the greatest love story of all time, or perhaps the most tragic. Romeo and Juliet serves to satisfy both anyway, which for a 1595 play has obviously stuck around for a very long time, which points to how good a book can turn out to be centuries after its author ...
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet. by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is one of his most popular plays, a tragic love story set in the Italian city of Verona. " Romeo and Juliet gives a wonderful exploration of young love, of first love, of romantic attitudes to love.". Stanley Wells, Shakespearean scholar.
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Key Facts about Romeo and Juliet. Title: Romeo and Juliet. When written: Around 1595. Published: 1597 (unauthorized) Genre: play / tragedy. Setting: Verona in Italy set around the 13th-14th century. Climax: Romeo being banished and Juliet refusing to marry Paris. Antagonist: Debatably, the two warring families, the Capulets, and Montagues.
Romeo and Juliet Themes and Analysis
Themes. " Romeo and Juliet " is a timeless tragedy that explores the themes of love, hate, and fate. The play delves into the destructive power of family feuds and the consequences of impulsive decisions. It also examines the tension between personal choice and the seemingly inescapable forces of destiny.
ROMEO AND JULIET
A pairing of the text of the Scottish Play with a filmed performance, designed with the Shakespeare novice in mind. The left side of the screen of this enhanced e-book contains a full version of Macbeth, while the right side includes a performance of the dialogue shown (approximately 20 lines' worth per page).This granular focus allows newcomers to experience the nuances of the play, which ...
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet, play by William Shakespeare, written about 1594-96 and first published in an unauthorized quarto in 1597.An authorized quarto appeared in 1599, substantially longer and more reliable. A third quarto, based on the second, was used by the editors of the First Folio of 1623. The characters of Romeo and Juliet have been depicted in literature, music, dance, and theatre.
Book Review
Juliet is young and Romeo is a hopeless romantic. Given a few years and a couple of babies, I reckon the star-crossed lovers would be in terrible shape. Juliet looking after two young Montague's while her husband is off writing poetry to whichever young thing he's obsessed with at that time.
Romeo and Juliet Summary and Study Guide
Overview. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy by the English playwright William Shakespeare. It is among Shakespeare's best-known plays and, like its author, has been highly influential in shaping the course of English-language literature. First performed before 1597 (the date of its earliest known printing), it has been popular ever since.
Book Review: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet is a timeless masterpiece written by the renowned playwright, William Shakespeare. The play tells the tragic love story of two young lovers from rival families in Verona, Italy. The themes of love, hatred, fate, and the consequences of impulsive decisions are woven into the fabric of the play, making it one of the most significant works of literature ever written.
Was Romeo 'love-bombing' Juliet?
Sarah Lewis explores the false foundation of America's racial hierarchy in new book ... Arts & Culture A history of Shakespeare at the A.R.T. 'Romeo and Juliet' is latest in long line of productions stretching back to theater's inaugural staging in 1980 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' 5 min read Arts & Culture
Romeo and Juliet: Book Review
Romeo and Juliet book review. Date: February 22, 2023 Author: Ahaqir 3 Comments. Today we will be reviewing the class book/play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. It is a comedy/ tragedy that is taught in classes all over the world. Keep reading for a short summary of the book and how the play came to be!
Romeo and Juliet Historical Context
Literary Context. " Romeo and Juliet ", a classic example of the tragedy genre, is deeply rooted in the literary landscape of the Elizabethan era. Shakespeare's play draws on conventions of romance and comedy while also reflecting the influence of Renaissance humanism and the Petrarchan tradition of love poetry.
Romeo and Juliet Critical Evaluation
Insofar as Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy, it is a tragedy of fate rather than of a tragic flaw. Although the two lovers have weaknesses, it is not their faults, but their unlucky stars, that ...
Romeo and Juliet Plot Summary
Key Moments Romeo and Juliet's Secret Marriage: A pivotal moment in the play, their secret union defies their families' feud and fortifies their love. Tybalt's Death: Romeo kills Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, in a duel, which sets off a chain of events that leads to the play's ultimate tragedy. The Double Suicide: Romeo and Juliet's joint suicide is the tragic end of their love story.
Romeo and Juliet: Teaching Teenagers Then and Now
Discover Shakespeare's stories and the world that shaped them. Deepen your understanding of his works and their cultural influence. Shakespeare's works Read and learn more about Shakespeare's plays and poems; Shakespeare in print The First Folio (the book that gave us Shakespeare) and what came after; Shakespeare in performance From playhouse to film sets, explore four centuries of staging ...
Romeo and Juliet [Full Summary] of Key Ideas and Review
Gain a complete understanding of "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare from Blinkist. The "Romeo and Juliet" book summary will give you access to a synopsis of key ideas, a short story, and an audio summary. ... Romeo and Juliet Review. Romeo and Juliet (1597) is a tale of star-crossed lovers whose forbidden romance captivates ...

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Romeo and Juliet

In a nutshell...

Key Moments

Main Characters