ROMEO AND JULIET

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers.

Romeo and Juliet belongs to a tradition of tragic romances stretching back to antiquity. Its plot is based on an Italian tale, translated into verse as The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet by Arthur Brooke in 1562 and retold in prose in Palace of Pleasure by William Painter in 1567. Shakespeare borrowed heavily from both but, to expand the plot, developed supporting characters, particularly Mercutio and Paris. Believed to have been written between 1591 and 1595, the play was first published in a quarto version in 1597. This text was of poor quality, and later editions corrected it, bringing it more in line with Shakespeare's original.

Shakespeare's use of his poetic dramatic structure, especially effects such as switching between comedy and tragedy to heighten tension, his expansion of minor characters, and his use of sub-plots to embellish the story, has been praised as an early sign of his dramatic skill. The play ascribes different poetic forms to different characters, sometimes changing the form as the character develops. Romeo, for example, grows more adept at the sonnet over the course of the play.

PERSONS REPRESENTED

ACT I - Scene I. A public place.

ACT I - Scene II. A Street.

ACT I - Scene III. Room in Capulet’s House.

ACT I - Scene IV. A Street.

ACT I - Scene V. A Hall in Capulet’s House.

ACT II - Scene I. An open place adjoining Capulet’s Garden.

ACT II - Scene II. Capulet’s Garden.

ACT II - Scene III. Friar Lawrence’s Cell.

ACT II - Scene IV. A Street.

ACT II - Scene V. Capulet’s Garden.

ACT II - Scene VI. Friar Lawrence’s Cell.

ACT III - Scene I. A public Place.

ACT III - Scene II. A Room in Capulet’s House.

ACT III - Scene III. Friar Lawrence’s cell.

ACT III - Scene IV. A Room in Capulet’s House.

ACT III - Scene V. An open Gallery to Juliet’s Chamber, overlooking the Garden.

ACT IV - Scene I. Friar Lawrence’s Cell.

ACT IV - Scene II. Hall in Capulet’s House.

ACT IV - Scene III. Juliet’s Chamber.

ACT IV - Scene IV. Hall in Capulet’s House.

ACT IV - Scene V. Juliet’s Chamber; Juliet on the bed.

Act V - Scene I. Mantua. A Street.

Act V - Scene II. Friar Lawrence’s Cell.

Act V - Scene III. A churchyard; in it a Monument belonging to the Capulets.