romeo and juliet book review summary

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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Themes and Analysis

Romeo and juliet, by william shakespeare.

Despite being hundreds of years old, Romeo and Juliet still packs a punch and is able to include several key themes throughout the play...

Main Themes

• Love vs. Hate: Explores the tension between love and hatred.
• Fate: The idea that destiny controls their lives and deaths.
• Youth: Presented as a period of impulsive action, lacking in caution.
• Dramatic Irony: The audience is privy to more information than the characters.
• Verse in dialogue: Iambic pentameter is used for poetic effect in the dialogue.
• Foreshadowing: Hints at the tragic end throughout the play.
• Light and Darkness: Symbolizes dualities like love and hate or joy and sorrow.
• Poison: Represents both the destructive power of hate and long-running feuds
• The Rose: A symbol of beauty and purity

The feud between the Montagues and Capulets is introduced, setting the stage for the tragic love story.

Romeo and Juliet secretly marry, but their happiness is short-lived as Tybalt's death leads to Romeo’s banishment.

The tragic end unfolds with both Romeo and Juliet dying, leading to the reconciliation of their feuding families.

Continue down for complete analysis to Romeo and Juliet

Article written by Lee-James Bovey

P.G.C.E degree.

Despite being hundreds of years old, “ Romeo and Juliet ” still packs a punch and is able to include several key themes throughout the play.

“ 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.

The Nature of Fate

Right from the beginning of the play, we are introduced to the idea of fate as Romeo and Juliet are described as star-crossed lovers . Throughout they are somehow able to divine their futures but neither of them seems to have the power to avoid them. Shakespeare introduces the idea of fate from the very beginning, with the Prologue stating, “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life.” This theme is reinforced throughout the play, as the characters frequently refer to omens and predestined outcomes. Romeo, for instance, laments, “I am fortune’s fool,” acknowledging the powerful force of fate that dictates the tragic events of the story.

The Effects of Love

The central theme of “ Romeo and Juliet ” is the intense and all-consuming love between the two protagonists. Their love defies their families’ longstanding feud, representing the power of love to transcend societal boundaries. However, Shakespeare also presents love as a force that can lead to irrational decisions and tragic outcomes. The duality of love—both beautiful and destructive—is at the base of the play’s tragedy. Also, in Elizabethan England love was associated with feminity . We see this reoccurring throughout the play as Romeo is unable to fight Tybalt because he believes his love for Juliet has made him effeminate.

The Individual vs. Society

“ Romeo and Juliet ” explores the tension between individual desires and societal expectations. The lovers’ secret marriage defies their families’ wishes, representing a struggle for personal autonomy in the face of rigid social structures. Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris and Romeo’s rejection of his banishment reflect their desire to control their own destinies.

Furthermore, the laws of the state suggest that fighting between the two houses are prohibited and yet we see those laws flouted by Mercutio and Tybalt in the name of their own honor and then Romeo in the name of revenge. All of these decisions seem to have dire consequences. The failure of these characters to escape societal constraints shows the overpowering influence of the society on the individual.

Youth and Impulsiveness

Shakespeare presents the impulsiveness and intensity of youth as a double-edged sword in “ Romeo and Juliet “. The young lovers’ actions are driven by passion rather than reason, leading to hasty decisions with fatal consequences. Romeo’s swift shift from infatuation with Rosaline to his passionate love for Juliet exemplifies youthful impulsiveness. Juliet’s decision to marry Romeo in secret and the couple’s eventual suicides further highlight how their lack of experience and foresight contributes to the tragedy.

Conflict and Vendetta

The long-running enmity between the Montagues and Capulets is the backdrop of the play and drives much of the action. This theme explores how inherited hatred and divisions generated by conflict can lead to violence and tragedy. The conflict is portrayed as senseless and destructive, affecting not just the feuding families but also the broader community of Verona. Tybalt’s aggression and Mercutio’s death are direct consequences of this feud, ultimately leading to the play’s tragic conclusion. Shakespeare uses this theme to comment on the futility of such enmity.

Key Moments

• The Feud and the Opening Brawl : The play opens with a violent clash between the servants of the Montagues and Capulets, illustrating the deep-seated hatred between the two families. This moment sets the tone for the entire play, emphasizing the destructive nature of the feud and its impact on the broader community.
• Romeo and Juliet Meet : At the Capulet’s party, Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time, instantly falling in love. This is a key moment as it marks the beginning of their tragic love story. Their meeting is laced with dramatic irony, as the audience knows that their love is doomed from the start.
• The Balcony Scene : In this iconic scene, Romeo and Juliet profess their love for each other and plan to marry in secret. The balcony scene is crucial as it solidifies their commitment and propels the narrative forward. It also highlights their defiance of societal expectations and the depth of their passion.
• The Secret Marriage : Romeo and Juliet are secretly married by Friar Laurence. This moment is key as it binds them together, setting the stage for the ensuing tragedy. The marriage, conducted in secrecy, symbolizes their rebellion against their families’ feud and societal norms.
• Mercutio’s Death and Romeo’s Revenge : The death of Mercutio at the hands of Tybalt, and Romeo’s subsequent killing of Tybalt, are pivotal moments. Mercutio’s death marks a turning point in the play, transitioning from romance to tragedy. Romeo’s revenge leads to his banishment, which further complicates his and Juliet’s situation.
• Romeo’s Banishment : After killing Tybalt, Romeo is banished from Verona. This is a critical moment as it separates the lovers and intensifies the sense of impending doom. Romeo’s banishment leads to a series of misunderstandings and rash decisions that ultimately contribute to the tragedy.
• Juliet’s Faked Death : In an attempt to avoid marrying Paris and be reunited with Romeo, Juliet takes a potion that makes her appear dead. This moment is key because it sets the stage for the tragic conclusion, as the plan goes awry when Romeo is not informed in time.
• Romeo’s Return and the Final Tragedy : Believing Juliet to be truly dead, Romeo returns to Verona and takes his own life beside her. Juliet awakens, finds Romeo dead, and kills herself. This final sequence is the climax of the tragedy, bringing the theme of fate full circle. The deaths of the two lovers are a direct result of the feud and the series of tragic misunderstandings.
• The Reconciliation of the Families : The play concludes with the Montagues and Capulets reconciling over their children’s bodies. This moment is significant because it highlights the senselessness of their feud and the devastating consequences of their enmity. The bittersweet reconciliation suggests a glimmer of hope and the possibility of healing.

Style, Tone, and Figurative Language

Shakespeare’s “ Romeo and Juliet ” is renowned for its poetic style, employing a mixture of prose and verse, with a particular emphasis on iambic pentameter. The use of sonnets, especially in the dialogues between Romeo and Juliet, adds a lyrical quality to their expressions of love. The play is rich in dramatic irony, such as when Romeo is convinced that Juliet is dead when she is only faking death. Foreshadowing is used to hint at the lovers’end in several places in the play. Shakespeare’s stylistic choice to intertwine the lovers’ dialogue with poetic forms enhances the romantic and tragic elements of the play, emphasizing the beauty and intensity of their love.

The tone of the play shifts from light-hearted and romantic to dark and tragic as the play progresses. Initially, the tone is playful, especially in the early scenes where Romeo and his friends jest and banter. However, as the story unfolds, the tone becomes increasingly somber, reflecting the growing tension and the inevitability of the tragic outcome. Also, this mixture of light and dark tones mirrors the duality of the themes explored in the play, such as love and hate, joy and sorrow, and life and death. Shakespeare masterfully uses tone to guide the audience’s emotional journey through the play.

Figurative language in the play is abundant, with Shakespeare employing metaphors, similes, personification, and imagery to convey the emotions and themes of the play. For example, Romeo’s comparison of Juliet to the sun is a powerful metaphor that elevates her to a celestial being, illuminating the darkness of his life. The use of oxymorons, such as “loving hate” and “feather of lead,” reflects the conflicting emotions experienced by the characters, particularly the paradoxical nature of love and the turmoil it causes.

“ Romeo and Juliet ” is a trove of symbolism, each element carefully crafted to enhance the play’s themes and deepen our understanding of the characters. The play is filled with symbolic imagery that reflects the complexities of love, fate, and the corrosive effects of vendettas.

Light and Darkness

Light and darkness are prominent symbols in Romeo and Juliet , representing the dualities of love and hate, joy and sorrow, and life and death. Juliet is often associated with light, as seen in Romeo’s declaration, “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.” However, their love exists in a world overshadowed by darkness—the feud between their families and the inevitable tragedy. The play’s use of light and dark imagery underscores the fleeting nature of their love and the constant threat of death that looms over them.

Poison in the play symbolizes both the destructive nature of the feud and the tragic consequences of misguided actions. The potion that Juliet takes to feign death and the poison that Romeo consumes to end his life are both instruments of their tragic fate. Poison represents the corrupting force of the family feud, which ultimately leads to the lovers’ demise. It also serves as a metaphor for the destructive power of love when it becomes intertwined with hatred and violence.

Juliet’s dagger, which she uses to take her own life after discovering Romeo’s death, symbolizes the tragic culmination of their love and the finality of death. The dagger represents Juliet’s agency in her own fate, as she chooses to end her life rather than live without Romeo. It also serves as a symbol of the violent consequences of the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. The dagger, like the poison, is a tool that brings the tragic story to its inevitable conclusion.

The rose is a symbol of beauty and love, but also of the tension between appearance and reality. Juliet famously declares, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” suggesting that names and societal labels are meaningless in the face of true love. The rose symbolizes the purity and beauty of Romeo and Juliet’s love, which is not defined by their family names. However, the rose’s thorns also hint at the pain and suffering that accompany their love, foreshadowing the tragic events to come.

The Lark and the Nightingale

The lark and the nightingale are symbols of time and the conflict between love and reality. The lark, which sings at dawn, represents the morning and the harsh reality that Romeo and Juliet must part. The nightingale, associated with the night, symbolizes the time when the lovers can be together in secret. Their debate over whether they hear the lark or the nightingale reflects their desire to extend their time together and escape the inevitable separation. These birds symbolize the tension between the lovers’ desire for eternal night and the inevitability of daybreak, which brings with it the harsh realities of their situation.

Personal Perspective

Romeo and Juliet, that classic love story everyone has heard of. But it’s not just about two star-crossed lovers. It’s about this whole feud between their families that’s almost ridiculous, you would think they should know better. However, these two fall head over heels, and their families are allvehemently opposed. The brilliance of the play is the way Shakespeare minutely captures the passion and the heartbreak, like he is reading reading the reader’s mind.

And the reader is led to wonder: are they really just victims of fate? Or do their own dumb choices lead them to their downfall? We might say, “Oh, it’s destiny!” But they are also making some major decisions. It’s like they are playing Russian roulette with their lives. And the language is pure poetry. The way he describes everything, from the moonlight to the pain of love, is really intimate and enchanting. Romeo and Juliet is a classic for a reason. It has everything: love, hate, drama, and a whole lot of tragedy. It’s like a trainwreck you can’t look away from.

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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

William shakespeare.

Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Romeo and Juliet: Introduction

Romeo and juliet: plot summary, romeo and juliet: detailed summary & analysis, romeo and juliet: themes, romeo and juliet: quotes, romeo and juliet: characters, romeo and juliet: symbols, romeo and juliet: literary devices, romeo and juliet: quizzes, romeo and juliet: theme wheel, brief biography of william shakespeare.

Historical Context of Romeo and Juliet

Other books related to romeo and juliet.

• Full Title: Romeo and Juliet
• When Written: Likely 1591-1595
• Where Written: London, England
• When Published: “Bad quarto” (incomplete manuscript) printed in 1597; Second, more complete quarto printed in 1599; First folio, with clarifications and corrections, printed in 1623
• Literary Period: Renaissance
• Genre: Tragic play
• Setting: Verona, Italy
• Climax: Mistakenly believing that Juliet is dead, Romeo kills himself on her funeral bier by drinking poison. Juliet wakes up, finds Romeo dead, and fatally stabs herself with his dagger.
• Antagonist: Capulet, Lady Capulet, Montague, Lady Montague, Tybalt

Extra Credit for Romeo and Juliet

Tourist Trap. Casa di Giulietta, a 12-century villa in Verona, is located just off the Via Capello (the possible origin of the anglicized surname “Capulet”) and has become a major tourist attraction over the years because of its distinctive balcony. The house, purchased by the city of Verona in 1905 from private holdings, has been transformed into a kind of museum dedicated to the history of Romeo and Juliet , where tourists can view set pieces from some of the major film adaptations of the play and even leave letters to their loved ones. Never mind that “the balcony scene,” one of the most famous scenes in English literature, may never have existed—the word “balcony” never appears in the play, and balconies were not an architectural feature of Shakespeare’s England—tourists flock from all over to glimpse Juliet’s famous veranda.

Love Language. While much of Shakespeare’s later work is written in a combination of verse and prose (used mostly to offer distinction between social classes, with nobility speaking in verse and commoners speaking in prose), Romeo and Juliet is notable for its heady blend of poetic forms. The play’s prologue is written in the form of a sonnet, while most of the dialogue adheres strictly to the rhythm of iambic pentameter. Romeo and Juliet alter their cadences when speaking to each another, using more casual, naturalistic speech. When they talk about other potential lovers, such as Rosaline and Paris, their speech is much more formal (to reflect the emotional falsity of those dalliances.) Friar Laurence speaks largely in sermons and aphorisms, while the nurse speaks in blank verse.

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Romeo and Juliet: Synopsis & Plot Summary

Plot summary.

An ongoing feud between the Capulets and the Montagues breaks out again on the streets of Verona. Both sides are warned by Prince Escalus that they must not disturb the peace again, on pain of death. Romeo, love-sick for Rosaline, is comforted by his friend Benvolio. Capulet tells Paris that he may not marry his daughter Juliet until she is older. Romeo and his friends learn of a party being held by the Capulets, and decide to go to it as masquers. At the party, Tybalt sees Romeo, but is prevented from fighting him by Capulet. Romeo meets Juliet, and they instantly fall in love. After leaving the party, Romeo eludes his friends, returns to meet Juliet, and they exchange vows of love. Romeo tells Friar Laurence what has happened and he consents to marry them.         Benvolio tells Mercutio that Tybalt has sent Romeo a challenge. Romeo joins them, and is visited by the Nurse, who is told the marriage plan. She tells Juliet, who then goes to Friar Laurence’s cell, and the lovers are married. Tybalt, looking for Romeo, finds Benvolio and Mercutio. Romeo returns, and is challenged by Tybalt, but refuses to fight. Mercutio draws on Tybalt and is fatally wounded. Tybalt then fights with Romeo, and is killed. Romeo flies, and Benvolio reports what has happened to the Prince, who banishes Romeo. The Nurse tells Juliet of Romeo’s banishment and promises to bring him to her. The Friar tells a distraught Romeo he is banished, but advises him to visit Juliet secretly, then to leave for Mantua. Capulet tells Paris he may marry Juliet in three days, and Lady Capulet brings the news to Juliet, who has just bid Romeo a hasty farewell. Juliet refuses to marry Paris, persisting in the face of her father’s anger. She goes to the Friar for help, and finds Paris there arranging the marriage. After he leaves, the Friar devises a plan: he will give her a drink that will make her appear dead and thus avoid the marriage, and will write to Romeo to tell him; they can then elope to Mantua. Juliet tells her father she will now marry Paris, and Capulet brings the wedding forward to the next day. Juliet retires, and drinks the liquid. When her ‘body’ is discovered, all mourn, and she is taken to the family crypt. In Mantua, Balthasar tells Romeo that Juliet is dead. He vows to lie dead next to her that night, and obtains a poison from an apothecary. Friar John tells Friar Laurence that he was unable to deliver Laurence’s letter to Romeo. Realizing the danger, Laurence leaves to tell Juliet what has happened. Paris goes to Juliet’s tomb to mourn her, and encounters Romeo. They fight, and Romeo kills Paris. Romeo then drinks the poison and dies by Juliet. The Friar arrives to see Romeo dead and Juliet waking. She refuses to leave, and kills herself with Romeo’s dagger. Officers arrive, and rouse the families and the Prince. The Friar explains what has happened. Montague and Capulet agree to make peace with each other. Discuss this play in our forums.

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

• How did Shakespeare die?
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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 .

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 .

• Annotated Full Text
• Literary Period: Renaissance
• Publication Date: 1597
• Flesch-Kincaid Level: 11
• Approx. Reading Time: 2 hours and 6 minutes

Romeo and Juliet

Set in Verona amidst a brutal blood feud between the Capulets and Montagues, Romeo and Juliet presents titular-characters Romeo and Juliet as they fall in love at first sight despite their parents’ hatred. The tension between this pure love and the rage that surrounds them ultimately results in the lovers’ deaths, which are able to resolve their families’ bitter enmity. Romeo and Juliet is regarded as an early demonstration of Shakespeare’s innovative take on dramatic structure. He expands subplots to underscore the main plot, develops minor characters, switches back and forth between comedy and drama to create believable tension and sympathetic characters, and he repurposes the then popular sonnet form to indicate character growth and the immediate connection between the lovers. It was one of his most popular plays during his time, and it remains one of the most performed Shakespeare plays today. Shakespeare’s representation of these star-crossed lovers has become the quintessential representation of the beauty in tragic love and the power language has to describe it. As the play itself concludes, “never has there been a story of more woe, than that of Juliet and her Romeo.”

Table of Contents

• Dramatis Personae
• The Prologue
• Act I - Scene I
• Act I - Scene II
• Act I - Scene III
• Act I - Scene IV
• Act I - Scene V
• Act II - Prologue
• Act II - Scene I
• Act II - Scene II
• Act II - Scene III
• Act II - Scene IV
• Act II - Scene V
• Act II - Scene VI
• Act III - Scene I
• Act III - Scene II
• Act III - Scene III
• Act III - Scene IV
• Act III - Scene V
• Act IV - Scene I
• Act IV - Scene II
• Act IV - Scene III
• Act IV - Scene IV
• Act IV - Scene V
• Act V - Scene I
• Act V - Scene II
• Act V - Scene III
• Character Analysis
• Foreshadowing
• Historical Context
• Literary Devices
• Personification
• Quote Analysis
• Rhetorical Devices

Study Guide

• William Shakespeare Biography

Teaching Resources

• Romeo and Juliet Act III, Scene V Dialogue Analysis Activity Worksheet
• Romeo and Juliet Character Analysis Lesson Plan
• Romeo and Juliet Literary Devices Lesson Plan
• Romeo and Juliet Teaching Guide

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Romeo and Juliet

Synopsis and plot overview of shakespeare's romeo and juliet.

• In this section

TL;DR (may contain spoilers): The classic story of boy meets girl; girl's family hates boy's family; boy's family hates girl's family; boy kills girl's cousin; boy and girl kill themselves.

Romeo and Juliet Summary

An age-old vendetta between two powerful families erupts into bloodshed. A group of masked Montagues risk further conflict by gatecrashing a Capulet party. A young lovesick Romeo Montague falls instantly in love with Juliet Capulet, who is due to marry her father’s choice, the County Paris. With the help of Juliet’s nurse, the women arrange for the couple to marry the next day, but Romeo’s attempt to halt a street fight leads to the death of Juliet’s own cousin, Tybalt, for which Romeo is banished. In a desperate attempt to be reunited with Romeo, Juliet follows the Friar’s plot and fakes her own death. The message fails to reach Romeo, and believing Juliet dead, he takes his life in her tomb. Juliet wakes to find Romeo’s corpse beside her and kills herself. The grieving family agree to end their feud.

• Read our  Romeo and Juliet Character Summaries . 

More detail: 2 minute read

Romeo and Juliet begins as the Chorus introduces two feuding families of Verona: the Capulets and the Montagues. On a hot summer's day, the young men of each faction fight until the Prince of Verona intercedes and threatens to banish them. Soon after, the head of the Capulet family plans a feast. His goal is to introduce his daughter Juliet to a Count named Paris who seeks to marry Juliet. 

Montague's son Romeo and his friends (Benvolio and Mercutio) hear of the party and resolve to go in disguise. Romeo hopes to see his beloved Rosaline at the party. Instead, while there, he meets Juliet and falls instantly in love with her. Juliet's cousin Tybalt recognises the Montague boys and forces them to leave just as Romeo and Juliet discover one another. 

Romeo lingers near the Capulet house to talk with Juliet when she appears in her window. The pair declare their love for one another and intend to marry the next day. With the help of Juliet's Nurse, the lovers arrange to marry when Juliet goes for confession at the cell of Friar Laurence. There, they are secretly married (talk about a short engagement). 

Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow — Romeo and Juliet, Act 2 Scene 2

Following the secret marriage, Juliet's cousin Tybalt sends a challenge to Romeo. Romeo refuses to fight, which angers his friend Mercutio who then fights with Tybalt. Mercutio is accidentally killed as Romeo intervenes to stop the fight. In anger, Romeo pursues Tybalt, kills him, and is banished by the Prince. 

Juliet is anxious when Romeo is late to meet her and learns of the brawl, Tybalt's death, and Romeo's banishment. Friar Laurence arranges for Romeo to spend the night with Juliet before he leaves for Mantua. Meanwhile, the Capulet family grieves for Tybalt, so Lord Capulet moves Juliet's marriage to Paris to the next day. Juliet’s parents are angry when Juliet doesn't want to marry Paris, but they don't know about her secret marriage to Romeo.

A pair of star-crossed lovers — Romeo and Juliet, Prologue

Friar Laurence helps Juliet by providing a sleeping draught that will make her seem dead. When the wedding party arrives to greet Juliet the next day, they believe she is dead. The Friar sends a messenger to warn Romeo of Juliet's plan and bids him to come to the Capulet family monument to rescue his sleeping wife. 

Ready to test your knowledge? Have a go at our multiple choice Romeo and Juliet Quiz

The vital message to Romeo doesn't arrive in time because the plague is in town (so the messenger cannot leave Verona). Hearing from his servant that Juliet is dead, Romeo buys poison from an Apothecary in Mantua. He returns to Verona and goes to the tomb where he surprises and kills the mourning Paris. Romeo takes his poison and dies, while Juliet awakens from her drugged coma. She learns what has happened from Friar Laurence, but she refuses to leave the tomb and stabs herself. The Friar returns with the Prince, the Capulets, and Romeo's lately widowed father. The deaths of their children lead the families to make peace, and they promise to erect a monument in Romeo and Juliet's memory.

Romeo and Juliet Animated Summary - 3-Minute Shakespeare

To watch more animated play summaries visit our 3-Minute Shakespeare pages

For additional reading, see our blogs on Romeo and Juliet

Discover more of Shakespeare's romantic lines:  Shakespeare Quotes on Love

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BOOK REVIEW: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

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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 of Shakespeare’s works – e.g. unrequited love, love triangles, or class differences. [There is an issue of unrequited love early in the play between Romeo and Rosaline, but Romeo gets over that girl in a hot minute once he meets Juliet.] The problem is that he meets Juliet by crashing her father’s party while wearing a disguise (a disguise that ultimately doesn’t fool the right people,) and the reason Romeo needs a disguise is because Romeo’s father and Juliet’s father are archenemies. Otherwise, the couple meets all requirements for wooing to commence: they each have feelings for the other, and they are of similar class status. In short, they would be a marriageable couple if their families didn’t hate each other.

[Warning: My Shakespeare reviews are far more spoiler-laden than usual because the stories are well-known to most readers and some find a detailed synopsis useful to make sense of the archaic language.] After an opening that establishes the enmity between the Montagues and Capulets, Romeo and Juliet fall for each other fast and hard, and with lightening speed have wed and consummated the marriage. However, no one other than the priest who married them, Friar Laurence, knows of the wedding. They have to keep the marriage secret because it would get back to the heads of the feuding households immediately.

Soon after the wedding, Tybalt (Juliet’s hot-headed kinsman) goes out looking for Romeo. Tybalt had recognized Romeo at the party, and wanted to fight him then, but Mr. Capulet (Juliet’s father) made him chill out because he didn’t want blood spilled during his party. But the next day Tybalt goes out intent on fighting. Tybalt finds Romeo’s friend (Mercutio) and his kinsman (Benvolio,) and Mercutio ends up crossing blades Tybalt. When Romeo comes on the scene, he steps into the middle of the fray to separate the men, and Tybalt finds an opening to thrust into Mercutio. As Mercutio dies, he famously wishes a “plague on both houses” (meaning Tybalt’s Capulets and Romeo’s Montagues.) Mercutio is but one of many who are completely fed up with the feud between these two families. The Prince of Verona has had it up to his neck with the bickering.

While Romeo is generally more a lover than a fighter, he duels and kills Tybalt immediately after Mercutio’s death. After killing Tybalt, Romeo flees the scene, later to find out he’s been banished from Verona upon threat of death. (Lady Capulet petitions the Prince for Romeo to be executed but the Prince won’t go for it, figuring Tybalt got what was coming to him for picking a fight and stabbing Mercutio. Then Lady Capulet plots to have a hit put out on Romeo, but events outpace her plot.) After meeting with Friar Laurence, Romeo flees to Mantua.

When her family informs Juliet that Tybalt has been slain by Romeo, they think she is broken up about her kinsman’s death. However, she’s really worried about her husband Romeo (who, of course, none of the family knows she’s married to.) When it seems like Juliet’s sadness for Tybalt has gone on long enough, her father sets a post-haste wedding date between Juliet and County Paris (the young man that Capulet favors for his daughter.) This is a problem for Juliet because: a.) she’s already married; and, b.) she deeply loves Romeo and finds Paris sort of Meh! She gets into a tiff with her father who thinks she’s an ungrateful whelp. [In Shakespeare’s day, the debate was whether a girl’s feelings about to whom she should be wed should be empathized with or ignored altogether. The idea that her feelings should be a major consideration was deemed laughable. Her mother comes down on the former side, but Lady Capulet accepts her husband’s conclusion of the alternative.]

Juliet goes to see Friar Laurence, who is a botanical mad scientist on the side. The Friar develops an elaborate scheme. Juliet is to go home, apologize to her father for not jumping on board the marriage train with the boy that her father so dearly loves (but to do so without sarcasm,) and then before going to sleep she will take a potion. This potion, not uncommon in Shakespearean works, will make her appear dead for a time, and then she’ll wake up perfectly fine. The family will take her to their crypt, pending the funeral. Friar Laurence sends a note to Romeo explaining the plan. Romeo is to meet Juliet when she wakes up, and they can then flee to Mantua — their families none the wiser.

Up to this point, this play could be a comedy just as easily as it is a tragedy. Sure, there have been a couple stabbing fatalities, but that’s actually pretty calm stuff compared to some of the comedies. (The dead are secondary characters.) What makes it a tragedy, is that Friar Laurence’s messenger can’t get through to deliver the memo in time because of some Black Death scare. Instead, Romeo’s (the Montague family’s) servant gets there first, and, because he’s not in on the Friar’s plot, tells Romeo the truth as he understands it – i.e. that Juliet is dead. Romeo sneaks back to the Verona cemetery with some poison he got at a shady apothecary on the way. Friar Laurence doesn’t know Romeo didn’t get the priest’s message until Romeo is already rolling up on the crypt, intent on dying with is beloved and so Laurence is late arriving to the scene.

To add to the tragedy, Paris is visiting Juliet’s grave and thinks Romeo is a villain. Romeo and Paris battle it out, and Romeo kills Paris. Romeo – knowing that Paris was betrothed to Juliet but without knowledge of Romeo and Juliet’s marriage – places Paris in the crypt near Juliet. But then he takes up position immediately beside her, and drinks the poison. As soon as Romeo dies, Juliet regains consciousness. She finds Romeo dead, and discovers that there’s not enough of the poison left for her. She tries kissing some poison off him, but when that doesn’t work, she plunges a dagger into her own chest.

After Juliet dies, authorities arrive on the scene having been summoned by a person who heard the duel between Romeo and Paris. The Prince arrives and calls for the heads of the Montague and Capulet households so that they can see what tragedy their feud has caused. The sight of the two dead star-crossed lovers (plus Paris, whom Capulet seemed to love) moves Montague and Capulet to end hostilities.

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I’ve been a Shakespeare fan since high school and have played a witch in Macbeth. It helps to learn the old English language and the history to really understand him and his humor. If more folks would do so they would love his work so much more than they do.

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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

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…

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.

Where to Read

Parent and kid reviews.

• Parents say (1)
• Kids say (32)

Based on 1 parent review

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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What to read next.

Romeo + Juliet

Hamlet (1991)

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The latest book reviews and book news, romeo and juliet: book review.

Romeo and Juliet book review

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 Summary

Set in Verona Italy, the play starts off with a brawl in the streets between the Montague and the Capulet servants. The two families hate each other and that hate also has passed down to the servants. Prince Escalus of Verona breaks up the brawl and declares that the next one to start the fight will be punishable by death.

Count Paris discusses marrying Juliet with her father but he pushes the date back. Instead, he asks him to attend a ball that the Capulet’s are planning to hold. Benvolio, who is the cousin of Romeo, a Montague, tries to get Romeo out of his depression. He convinces Romeo with the help of Mercutio to attend the Capulet ball to meet Rosaline.

During the ball, Romeo ends up falling in love with Juliet. Juliet’s cousin Tybalt is angry when he discovers that Romeo has snuck into the ball. He wants to kill Romeo but is stopped by Juliet’s father who doesn’t want to ruin the ball.

After the ball, Romeo sneaks to meet Juliet and they admit their love for each other. Tybalt is still furious at Romeo and challenges him to a duel. The death of a close friend of Romeo ignites the flames to an all-out war between the two families.

Will Romeo and Juliet be able to be together? Will their families stop the feud or will it destroy both of the families?

The History of Romeo and Juliet

The story of Romeo and Juliet is very old but there are many that haven’t read the book or didn’t pay attention in class. It is one of Shakespeare most popular plays and is performed the most alongside Hamlet. While Shakespeare expanded on the Romeo and Juliet story, he was not the one who created the original story.

The plot of Romeo and Juliet is based on an Italian tale that was translated into verse as The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet  by Arthur Brooke in 1562. It was later retold in prose by William Painter in 1567. Shakespeare borrowed heavily from both sources and expanded on the plot as well as adding role characters and made it into the story we know today.

This story was written early in Shakespeare’s career between the years 1591-1596 and made its debut in 1596. It perfectly alternated between comedy and tragedy which is a style Shakespeare is known for. The play is over 400 years old and it is still one of the most popular plays in the world.

When we take about a love story or a tragic love story , the first story that is mentioned is Romeo and Juliet. When a story is as good as this, it transcends time. Not everyone is a fan of Shakespeare but even they have to admit his plays are incredible. Happy reading untik next time!

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Are you much into the “Who was Shakespeare” debate? I’m tangentially aware of it and tend to come down on the “Shakespeare was Shakespeare” side of things myself.

I’ve come across it and it is an interesting debate. I think it may have been a collective effort from various people.

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‘Romeo and Juliet’ Review: The A.R.T. Keeps It Classic

Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” is popular. By some accounts, it’s the second-most-performed Shakespeare play in the United States, and to many Americans who are used to high school English class, it’s synonymous with the Bard. Making this well-known work feel new or relevant today is therefore a daunting challenge, but the American Repertory Theater’s latest production of the tragedy revitalizes the play’s relatability and excitement. Although the play has some purported aims that don’t feel fully realized, the A.R.T’s production of “Romeo and Juliet’ is nonetheless entertaining and lively, retaining its classic beauty while imbuing it with imaginative choreography.

Amy Rubin’s set design is bare-bones, making the audience focus on Shakespeare’s words instead of extensive scenic design. Most of the props are formed from a single wooden cube that shifts about the stage, serving as Juliet’s balcony, the Capulets’ tomb, and the lovers’ deathbed at various points of the production. This set makes it clear that the play is not attempting to place Romeo and Juliet in a radically new environment. Rather, the production underscores the timeliness of Shakespeare’s script by emphasizing that the star-crossed lovers could be in any location or society; their experiences feel universalized by a stage that requires the audience to use their imagination and project their own experiences.

The most alluring feature of “Romeo and Juliet” is its choreography. The movement director and choreographer, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, brings an original, funny, and almost cinematic feel to the production. Key moments are highlighted through an engaging slo-mo effect, reminding its audience of the importance of certain scenes. For example, when Romeo (Rudy Pankow) meets Juliet (Emilia Suárez) at the Capulet celebration, the dancers — including Juliet — slow while Romeo glides through the party at a normal pace, eyes trained on his new love as a heartbeat sound effect rings out. As Romeo’s speech turns to Juliet’s beauty, we also see through the direction that his attention is trained on her.

Cherkaoui plays with the actors’ movements in other ways as well, capitalizing on the Bard’s lack of stage directions in the original script to give the production unique twists. A notable pantomime is added where Friar Laurence (Terrence Mann) tells Juliet his feigned suicide plan. As he whispers in her ear, a pre-recorded version of his idea echoes across the stage, and Juliet moves away from his mouth to act out an idealized version of the final act’s events. This direction perfectly marries creative sound design (Daniel Lundberg) with fresh choreography to make the old play feel exceedingly new.

While the various technical aspects of the production are well-done and make the beloved tale of Romeo and Juliet feel engrossing, the intended vision of the show’s director muddies the classic feel of the production to some degree. In the show’s program, the Tony Award-winning director of the show, Diane M. Paulus ’88, states that she wants to reframe Romeo and Juliet not “as a story about hate, but rather as a story about love.” According to this overall concept, the audience is meant to focus on the love blooming between the teenagers at the show’s heart instead of the hate that controls fair Verona. In some ways, the play aligns with this vision through Emilio Sosa’s costuming: The Capulets and Montagues’ modern outfits are not distinguished from one another in any meaningful way, shying away from a tendency to dress the houses in opposing colors. Yet some directorial choices seem to actually highlight the hateful effects of Romeo and Juliet’s love. The death of Mercutio (Clay Singer) is dramatic and bloody, with his screams of “A plague o’ both your houses” feeling bitter and resentful. Additionally, when Juliet feigns death, her family’s shadows are projected upon a white sheet. Their writhing figures screech in harrowing pain, making her plans with Romeo feel twisted instead of beautiful. These choices indeed heighten the emotional core of the play, but are confusing when paired with Paulus’ vision of a love-centered “Romeo and Juliet.”

The play’s vision is perhaps weakened most by its modified ending, which departs from Shakespeare’s script. In the original finale, Lord Capulet (Bradley Dean)and Lord Montague (Terence Archie) join hands and agree to raise a monument to their children in order to break away from their ancient grudge. A.R.T.’s “Romeo and Juliet” replaces this scene with another silent pantomime in which both families plant a garden together while the shades of Romeo and Juliet embrace at the center of the stage. The symbolism of regrowth is clear but also somewhat cheesy, as if the production does not trust the audience to understand the Lords’ peace agreement without in-your-face visuals — strangely, this is the first time in the play’s minimalistic staging that extensive props are used.

Despite some creative shortcomings, the A.R.T.’s production of “Romeo and Juliet” understands the entertainment value that Shakespeare’s work provides and supplements the emotional power of its tragedy with fantastic choreography. When the show doesn’t dwell on its director’s grand aims, it feels the most true to itself and the play’s original feel. Overall, the A.R.T’s take on the work is classic yet exciting and will remind audiences of the spell that Shakespeare’s work still casts upon us to this day.

“Romeo and Juliet” runs at the Loeb Drama Center through Oct. 6.

—Staff writer Hannah E. Gadway can be reached at [email protected] .

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