Romeo And Juliet: The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet

By William Shakespeare

When Romeo, heartbroken and love-sick over Rosalind, meets Juliet, he falls in love almost instantly. Masked and unaware of her family origins, Romeo doesn’t realize that Juliet is a Capulet—sworn enemies of his family, the Montagues. The lovers decide to escape their families’ legacies and marry. Yet, it is not to be so—Juliet and her Romeo meet a tragic end, which finally unites their families and ends years of strife. Perhaps the most famous love story in the world, Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare’s most enduring work, and from Shakespeare in Love to Shakespeare in the Park, the star-crossed lovers have met across a crowded stage for over four hundred years.

Known as “The Bard of Avon,” William Shakespeare is arguably the greatest English-language writer known. Enormously popular during his life, Shakespeare’s works continue to resonate more than three centuries after his death, as has his influence on theatre and literature. Shakespeare’s innovative use of character, language, and experimentation with romance as tragedy served as a foundation for later playwrights and dramatists, and some of his most famous lines of dialogue have become part of everyday speech.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Dec 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781443443487

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest playwright the world has seen. He produced an astonishing amount of work; 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 5 poems. He died on 23rd April 1616, aged 52, and was buried in the Holy Trinity Church, Stratford.

Book preview

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

CHORUS

ESCALUS

Prince of Verona

PARIS

a young nobleman, kinsman to the Prince

MONTAGUE, CAPULET

heads of two houses at variance with each other

An Old Man of the Capulet family

ROMEO

son to Montague

MERCUTIO

kinsman to the Prince, and friend to Romeo

BENVOLIO

nephew to Montague, and friend to Romeo

TYBALT

nephew to Lady Capulet

FRIAR LAWRENCE, FRIAR JOHN

Franciscans

BALTHASAR

servant to Romeo

SAMPSON, GREGORY

servants to Capulet

PETER

servant to Juliet’s nurse

ABRAHAM

servant to Montague

An Apothecary

Three Musicians

An Officer

LADY MONTAGUE

wife to Montague

LADY CAPULET

wife to Capulet

JULIET

daughter to Capulet

Nurse to Juliet

Citizens of Verona; Gentlemen and Gentlewomen of both houses; Maskers, Torchbearers, Pages, Guards, Watchmen, Servants, and Attendants

THE SCENE: VERONA AND MANTUA.

THE PROLOGUE

Enter CHORUS.

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.

5 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.

The fearful passage of their death-mark’d love,

10 And the continuance of their parents’ rage,

Which, but their children’s end, nought could remove,

Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage;

The which if you with patient ears attend,

What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. [Exit.

ACT ONE

SCENE I. Verona. A public place.

Enter SAMPSON and GREGORY, of the house of Capulet, with swords and bucklers on.

SAMPSON Gregory, on my word, we’ll not carry coals.

GREGORY No, for then we should be colliers.

SAMPSON I mean, an we be in choler, we’ll draw.

[5]

GREGORY Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of collar.

SAMPSON I strike quickly, being moved.

GREGORY But thou art not quickly moved to strike.

SAMPSON A dog of the house of Montague moves me.

[10]

GREGORY To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand; therefore, if thou art moved, thou run’st away.

SAMPSON A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague’s.

[14]

GREGORY That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall.

SAMPSON ’Tis true; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall; therefore I will push Montague’s men from the wall and thrust his maids to the wall.

[20]

GREGORY The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.

SAMPSON ’Tis all one; I will show myself a tyrant.

When I have fought with the men, I will be civil with the maids — I will cut off their heads.

[24]

GREGORY The heads of the maids?

[26]

SAMPSON Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads’, take it in what sense thou wilt.

GREGORY They must take it in sense that feel it.

SAMPSON Me they shall feel while I am able to stand; and ’tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.

[32]

GREGORY ’Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor-John. Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of Montagues.

Enter two other Servants, ABRAHAM and BALTHASAR.

SAMPSON My naked weapon is out; quarrel,

I will back thee.

[35]

GREGORY How? turn thy back and run?

SAMPSON Fear me not.

GREGORY No, marry; I fear thee!

SAMPSON Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.

[40]

GREGORY I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list.

SAMPSON Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them, which is disgrace to them if they bear it.

ABRAHAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

[44]

SAMPSON I do bite my thumb, sir.

ABRAHAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

SAMPSON [Aside to Gregory] Is the law of our side, if I say ay?

GREGORY [Aside to Sampson] No.

SAMPSON No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir.

[50]

GREGORY Do you quarrel, sir?

ABRAHAM Quarrel, sir! No, sir.

SAMPSON But if you do, sir, I am for you. I serve as good a man as you.

ABRAHAM No better?

[55]

SAMPSON Well, sir.

Enter BENVOLIO.

GREGORY [Aside to Sampson] Say ‘better’; here comes one of my master’s kinsmen.

SAMPSON Yes, better, sir.

[59]

ABRAHAM You lie.

SAMPSON Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. [They fight.

[63]

BENVOLIO Part, fools! [Beats down their swords.

Put up your swords; you know not what you do.

Enter TYBALT.

TYBALT What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?

[65]

Turn thee, Benvolio; look upon thy death.

BENVOLIO I do but keep the peace; put up thy sword,

Or manage it to part these men with me.

TYBALT What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word,

As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee.

[70]

Have at thee, coward! [They fight.

Enter an Officer, and three or four Citizens with clubs or partisans.

OFFICER Clubs, bilk, and partisans! Strike; beat them down.

CITIZENS Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montagues!

Enter Old CAPULET in his gown, and his Wife.

CAPULET What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!

LADY CAPULET A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?

[75]

CAPULET My sword, I say! Old Montague is come,

And flourishes his blade in spite of me.

Enter Old MONTAGUE and his Wife.

MONTAGUE Thou villain Capulet! — Hold me not, let me go.

LADY MONTAGUE Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe.

Enter PRINCE ESCALUS, with his Train.

PRINCE Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,

[80]

Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel —

Will they not hear? What, ho! you men, you beasts,

That quench the fire of your pernicious rage

With purple fountains issuing from your veins!

On pain of torture, from those bloody hands

[85]

Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground,

And hear the sentence of your moved prince.

Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,

By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,

Have thrice disturb’d the quiet of our streets

[90]

And made Verona’s ancient citizens

Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments

To wield old partisans, in hands as old,

Cank’red with peace, to part your cank’red hate.

[95]

If ever you disturb our streets again,

Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.

For this time all the rest depart away.

You, Capulet, shall go along with me;

And, Montague, come you this afternoon,

To know our farther pleasure in this case,

[100]

To old Free-town, our common judgment-place.

Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.

[Exeunt all but Montague, his Wife, and Benvolio.

MONTAGUE Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach?

Speak, nephew; were you by when it began?

BENVOLIO Here were the servants of your adversary

[105]

And yours, close fighting ere I did approach.

I drew to part them; in the instant came

The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepar’d;

Which, as he breath’d defiance to my ears,

He swung about his head and cut the winds,

[110]

Who, nothing hurt withal, hiss’d him in scorn.

While we were interchanging thrusts and blows,

Came more and more, and fought on part and part,

Till the Prince came, who parted either part.

LADY MONTAGUE O, where is Romeo? Saw you him to-day?

[113]

Right glad I am he was not at this fray.

BENVOLIO Madam, an hour before the worshipp’d sun

Peer’d forth the golden window of the east,

A troubled mind drew me to walk abroad;

Where, underneath the grove of sycamore

[120]

That westward rooteth from this city side,

So early walking did I see your son.

Towards him I made; but he was ware of me

And stole into the covert of the wood.

I, measuring his affections by my own,

[125]

Which then most sought where most might

Reviews for Romeo And Juliet

[judithrs · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare. Folger Shakespeare Library. 1992. As I said above, this was a book club selection. Cannot remember when I last read this play, but I loved reading it this time. How can I forget how much I love Shakespeare?!! After I read the play, I found a BBC Radio production with Kenneth Branagh playing Romeo and Judie Dench playing Nurse! I really enjoyed reading along as I listened and got more out of the play the second reading. I sort of wanted to listen to it again, but instead decided to watch Zeffierlli’s movie and am so glad I did. A great way to enjoy Shakespeare!

[jonfaith · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

O teach me how I should forget to think

I was prepared to be underwhelmed by a jaded near fifty return to this plethora of love-anchored verse. It was quite the opposite, as I found myself steeled with philosophy "adversity's sweet milk" and my appreciation proved ever enhanced by the Bard's appraisal of the human condition. How adroit to have situated such between two warring tribes, under a merciful deity, an all-too-human church and the wayward agency of hormonal teens. Many complain of this being a classic Greek drama adapted to a contemporary milieu. There is also a disproportionate focus on the frantic pacing in the five acts. I can appreciate both concerns but I think such is beyond the point. The chorus frames matters in terms of destiny, a rumination on Aristotelian tragedy yet the drama unfolds with caprice being the coin of the realm. Well, as much agency as smitten couples can manage. Pacing is a recent phenomenon, 50 episodes for McNulty to walk away from the force, a few less for Little Nell to die.

Shakespeare offers insights on loyalty and human frailty as well as the Edenic cursing of naming in some relative ontology. Would Heidegger smell as sweet? My mind's eye blurs the poise of Juliet with that of Ophelia; though no misdeeds await the Capulet, unless being disinherited by Plath's Daddy is the road's toll to a watery sleep. The black shoe and the attendant violent delights.

[sdtaylor555 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I'm not a big Shakespeare fan, so I won't rate any of his works very high

[gpangel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Romeo and Juliet- Manga Classics – by William Shakespeare, by Stacy King, Crystal S. Chan (Adaptation), Julien Choy (Art), Akanovas (Lettering), Jeannie Lee (Lettering)There is no need to go into the synopsis or plot of one of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays. We all know the basics of this story by now. Many have read the play in school or have seen a stage or movie adaptation at one point. So, I think it is safe to skip the analysis. For me, Manga is something I flat out ignored for years because I presumed without ever giving it a fair chance that it would not be something I’d enjoy. Then I discovered it was often geared towards teens or young adults, which was yet another strike against it. But, by sheer accident, I discovered Manga covered a lot of areas, and was much more complex than I’d given it credit for. Having gotten to an age where I’ve dipped my toes in many different genres, and sub-genres, I find that the ‘I’ve outgrown this’ or ‘aged out of’ attitude closes off many unexplored avenues and because I like to think I’m open minded, I’ve begun to reconsider areas I’ve previously closed off. As a result, I’m having a lot of fun learning about Manga, Graphic Novels, and Comics. Much to my surprise, I’ve found a nice selection of classic stories, in Manga/Graphic Novel format. After recently reading a memoir by Olivia Hussey, the actress who portrayed Juliet in the famous Zeffirelli 1968 film, this play was on my mind quite a lot. So, when I noticed this Manga version on Netgalley, it grabbed my attention immediately. For anyone who may be thinking the dialogue is 'updated' with more modern dialect, you’d be wrong. This is the same script you’d find in the original play- except there are no stage directions. Instead, those are replaced by images, which works out much better than I’d have imagined. The artwork is spectacular, as is the adaptation. Obviously, a great deal of thought went into how to present this classic in Manga form, and I’d say it came off beautifully. Granted, I’m still a novice at this, but I was pleased with the presentation. I did have a few technical issues, since this one is not in Kindle/ MOBI format. I had to use Adobe Edition, which is a pain, and the scrolling was terrible, especially since, of course it’s back to front. Several times my screen jumped to the end of the book and caused a great deal of frustration.Shakespeare is still difficult to read and adjusting to this format made it an even bigger challenge. It took me a good long while to get through it. (If anyone has a suggestion on how to make this less daunting- please feel free to offer me some suggestions.) However, despite the heaviness of the drama, and the extra effort it required to read the book, I was impressed, and enjoyed reading this classic with the well-drawn illustrations and art work which certainly enriched and enhanced my experience.Despite the disdain of melodrama- I liked all the angst between Romeo and Juliet- but not that sad ending! It still makes a great cautionary tale- even after all these years. 4 stars

[libstaff2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.25 StarsA fanciful retelling of Romeo and Juliet in Manga format. Emotive artwork and much of the dialogue is in true Shakespeare form. A nice addition to the Manga Classics series. Keep up the good work! For classics and adaptation fans.Net Galley Feedback

[michael_rose-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Like most, I imagine, I was forced to read this in high school (freshman year, specifically). I was no fan of Shakespeare at the time, though I've since come around somewhat. While I've not read it since, I've no real desire to. They're just a couple of horny teenagers thinking they're experiencing true love and all that. For that reason, this work does not entertain me as one might want. However, I do appreciate what it's lent to our culture, and specifically to derivative works. Without this book, we would not have West Side Story, which I do happen to be fond of.

[heycaye · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I would've given a star for the crazy plot. But then again, that's what makes this unforgettable. The story's crazy. Also, Shakespeare's as smooth as usual, especially in the language of love. I can see why this has become a classic.

[dukefan86 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful language, classic Shakespeare.

[df5b_roberts · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ah, my favorite classic.

[meditationesmartini · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As long as you remind yourself that this is teen melodrama and not tragedy the essential vapidity of the central relationship and the frustratingly buried deeper and more complex relationships--actually all Romeo's, with Mercutio but also Benvolio, Tybalt, the priest--don't get in the way of good tawdry enjoyment. Now I think about it, Romeo's like a cryptohomoerotic sixteenth-century Archie.

[katieloucks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

great classic

[bluedelirium · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This review is for the Frankly Annotated First Folio Edition, with annotations by Demitra Papadinis.The layout of the book is fantastic, making it easy to keep your place in the play when checking on the notes. The notes themselves are fantastic, going in depth and not leaving out the dirty jokes. A thoroughly enjoyable and educational edition!

[therebelprince · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The definitive edition of this play for 21st century academics. Weis is an intelligent editor who shows an objective viewpoint when looking at textual cruxes, and really provides a decent overview of the scholarship on the text. Perhaps the introduction doesn't cover the text in a literary analysis sense, but I suppose there are more highschool-oriented texts out there for that. Very good, and - while not perhaps in my Top 5 of the current Arden series - an example of what the Arden editions aspire to be.

[dr_cicle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was pretty good but some parts were confusing.

[maxernst11 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Publiekslieveling, maar ik vond het niet altijd overtuigend, soms zelfs stroef. Bevat uiteraard weergaloze passages. Vertaling van Komrij.1595, bekend verhaal, midden XV?, maar wel afstand van moralistische behandeling,exuberante po?zie, evolutie van romantische komedie naar tragedie, maar heel vlot alsof het door Shakespeare zelf niet serieus werd bevonden. Twee stijlen: hoogdraven-mani?ristisch en rijper en sober. Thema is de roekeloze hartstocht; daarom een noodlottragedie: ondergang buiten hun wil om (bij de andere tragedies komt de ondergang door een tekort aan krachten of een gebrek).Huis van Montague tegen het huis van Capulet in Verona. Julia is 14 jaar.Boodschap van de prins tegen geweld I,1 (?Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace?, p 1012); omschrijving liefde I,1 (?Love is a smoke rais?d with the fume of sighs:/Beining purg?d, a fire sparkling in lovers? eyes;/Being vex?d, a sea nourish?d with lovers? tears:/What is it else? A madness most discreet,/A choking gall and a preserving sweet.?, 1013)Hoogtepunt: de dialoog Romeo-Julia II,2 en III,5Vlottere taal dan de vorige, maar toch ook stroeve delen; opvallend korte, komische entractes.

[antao-3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Teenage Proclivity for Conjugation: "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, J.A. Bryant Jr. Published 1998.

Upon each re-reading I always wonder why Shakespeare does not reveal the reason that the families hate each other. We are told that the households are alike in dignity (social status). We are even provided with a "spoiler alert" when we learn that the "star crossed lovers" will commit suicide, resulting in a halt to the feuding between the two families. In addition, we receive the clue that the feud has gone on for a long time (ancient grudge) However, the omission of the reason for the feud leaves us wondering and imagining a variety of scenarios--just as Shakespeare must have intended. I think it is important for an author to leave a mystery for the reader to explore. In Star Wars there was a sense of mystery about the Force, what was it. Are there any reasons needed, ever? The humankind's history is filled with feuds which are completely pointless... "Ancient grudge", servants' street fight -- and general desire to feel better than someone else. Isn't this very pointlessness that Shakespeare intended the viewers to see?

The rest of this review can be read elsewhere.

[thebookmagpie · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's okay. And I love the Queen Mab speech. And look, Shakespeare's SHAKESPEARE. Man knows how to write. And I get that it's not a love story and that Shakespeare knows this. Just. Everyone in this story needs to calm down like forty notches. It's histrionic. And I love Catcher in the Rye, so when I say something's histrionic, I mean it.

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like the nurse. I still don't think these dumb kids loved" each other."

[floratina · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

READ IN ENGLISH

I suppose this is an absolute must-read for everyone who has ever been to high school. I read it in my fifth year and actually I really couldn't understand what gave this story it's marvelous reputation.

May Contain Some Spoilers!

Maybe it was more normal in those days, as I'm not the slightest a professor when it comes to both English Literature/Plays and English History, but it seems at least a bit weird, to run away and kill yourself over someone you've only just met and everything. Yes, there is of course a lot of drama in it, and presumably it is better to see it on stage than to read it, but I had expected more from this story, as it is so extremely famous!

[mrsdanaalbasha · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The play, set in Verona, begins with a street brawl between Montagues and Capulets who are sworn enemies. The Prince of Verona intervenes and declares that further breach of the peace will be punishable by death. Later, Count Paris talks to Capulet about marrying his daughter, but Capulet is wary of the request because Juliet is only thirteen. Capulet asks Paris to wait another two years and invites him to attend a planned Capulet ball. Lady Capulet and Juliet's nurse try to persuade Juliet to accept Paris's courtship.

Meanwhile, Benvolio talks with his cousin Romeo, Lord Montague's son, about Romeo's recent depression. Benvolio discovers that it stems from unrequited infatuation for a girl named Rosaline, one of Capulet's nieces. Persuaded by Benvolio and Mercutio, Romeo attends the ball at the Capulet house. However, Romeo instead meets and falls in love with Juliet. After the ball, in what is now called the "balcony scene", Romeo sneaks into the Capulet courtyard and overhears Juliet on her balcony vowing her love to him in spite of her family's hatred of the Montagues. Romeo makes himself known to her and they agree to be married. With the help of Friar Laurence, who hopes to reconcile the two families through their children's union, they are secretly married the next day.

Juliet's cousin Tybalt, incensed that Romeo had sneaked into the Capulet ball, challenges him to a duel. Romeo, now considering Tybalt his kinsman, refuses to fight. Mercutio is offended by Tybalt's insolence, as well as Romeo's "vile submission," and accepts the duel on Romeo's behalf. Mercutio is fatally wounded when Romeo attempts to break up the fight. Grief-stricken and wracked with guilt, Romeo confronts and slays Tybalt.

Montague argues that Romeo has justly executed Tybalt for the murder of Mercutio. The Prince, now having lost a kinsman in the warring families' feud, exiles Romeo from Verona and declares that if Romeo returns, "that hour is his last." Romeo secretly spends the night in Juliet's chamber, where they consummate their marriage. Capulet, misinterpreting Juliet's grief, agrees to marry her to Count Paris and threatens to disown her when she refuses to become Paris's "joyful bride." When she then pleads for the marriage to be delayed, her mother rejects her.

Juliet visits Friar Laurence for help, and he offers her a drug that will put her into a death-like coma for "two and forty hours." The Friar promises to send a messenger to inform Romeo of the plan, so that he can rejoin her when she awakens. On the night before the wedding, she takes the drug and, when discovered apparently dead, she is laid in the family crypt.

The messenger, however, does not reach Romeo and, instead, he learns of Juliet's apparent death from his servant Balthasar. Heartbroken, Romeo buys poison from an apothecary and goes to the Capulet crypt. He encounters Paris who has come to mourn Juliet privately. Believing Romeo to be a vandal, Paris confronts him and, in the ensuing battle, Romeo kills Paris. Still believing Juliet to be dead, he drinks the poison. Juliet then awakens and, finding Romeo dead, stabs herself with his dagger. The feuding families and the Prince meet at the tomb to find all three dead. Friar Laurence recounts the story of the two "star-cross'd lovers". The families are reconciled by their children's deaths and agree to end their violent feud. The play ends with the Prince's elegy for the lovers: "For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

[wealhtheowwylfing · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Note: this is only four stars compared to other Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet is not the best play he ever wrote, but it is far and away better than almost anything else in the English language.

[delta351 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This updated Folger's edition is very readable, yet still contains all of the explanatory picture from the previous editions.I sometimes was able to read several pages without referencing the footnotes on the left page. I also thought the suggested books for further reading were helpful, as they highlight major themes of this classic.

[katie1802 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely love this! Romeo can be an idiot sometimes, their families are jerks and the Friar seriously screwed up but you have to love it all.

Favourite Quote ;

Oh she doth teach the torches to burn bright, it seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear, beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear.

[elizabeth1929-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ah. The tragic story of Romeo and Juliet. After years and years of hearing what its about, I finally got to read the story for myself. And what a wonderfully tragic story is was. First thing that surprized me was the sexual stuff. Well, I didn't know it was referring to sexual stuff until the teacher pointed it out, but still. I also realised how unrealistic this play is. I mean, two people falling in love at first sight, getting married before the week is over, and dying because of each other is something that I don't see happening in real life. And I'm so glad it doesn't.

[engpunk77 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I don't get the hype. I find Romeo to be completely annoying and the story is just frustrating. Worse is trying to see modern film adaptations of the same story, where life-or-death lost messages is impossible. I don't see the point in reading this story except to promote cultural literacy (in which case, a plot summary would suffice).

[nolabelsunleashed · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of my favorite writes by William Shakespeare, along with Julius Caesar and The Merchant of Venice. Forbidden love, yet desire to be together. An elaborate plan that would have worked, had one been a little more patient as it pertained to Juliet waking up. The epitome of a romantic tragedy but not without lessons. The main one being that some feuds should be squashed.

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

While designing a board game based in Verona, Italy in the 1400's, I ended up reading the play 14 times. It stands up very well. If you're looking for a brilliant treatment in a film, the Francesco Zefferelli version is near perfect. Try to get a version that doesn't edit the Tibault/Mercutio sword-fight, a magnificent dramatic sequence. But for reading aloud in an evening, this is a great experience as well. Should I tell you that the male brain isn't fully matured until the age of 26? It is germane to the plot.

[tiffanyak_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a great romantic tragedy, which I had to read for my Intro. to Drama class. This is one of those works of Shakespeare that has been done in a multitude of forms and variations, so it is quite likely that everyone has a rough idea of the story. Still, you really cannot replace the original. There is a lot of unbelievable story to it, which can overdo it to the point of being distracting, but overall the language and story are so supremely memorable that it automatically qualifies as a must-read. As to the edition itself, I found it to be greatly helpful in understanding the action in the play. It has a layout which places each page of the play opposite a page of notes, definitions, explanations, and other things needed to understand that page more thoroughly. While I didn't always need it, I was certainly glad to have it whenever I ran into a turn of language that was unfamiliar, and I definitely appreciated the scene-by-scene summaries. Really, if you want to or need to read Shakespeare, an edition such as this is really the way to go, especially until you get more accustomed to it.

[newskepticx · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This is a tragedy in the sense that Shakespeare did so much better with his other plays. This one is weak. The amount of coincidence is down right ridiculous, Shakespeare plays way too much into the "love" for a tale that is supposed to be cautionary(or so I think it might've been senseless fighting between two families led to tragic deaths, never really capitalizes on it til the end). It's also the standard for classic love story although it is nothing of the sort. I despised it.

[richestgirls-3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I give this book 5 stars because it uses creative and expresses a true form of writing that makes you want to read more until you've read the whole book!!