Romeo and Juliet

          Romeo and Juliet was tragedy written early in the career of William Shakespeare about two young lovers whose deaths ultimately could unite their feudal families. The play romeo and Juliet is still regarded by many people as one of the most frequently performed plays in the world.

Romeo and Juliet can be grouped into a tradition of tragic romances stretching back to antiquity. Its plot was 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 1582. Shakespeare made adoption and adaptation from both; he developed supporting characters, particularly Mercutio and Paris, in order to expand the plot. The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare has undergone numerous adaptations or modifications for stage, film, musical and opera.