Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is probably the most famous lovers ever. It’s the story 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 an ancient tradition of tragic romances. The story is based on an Italian tale “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.