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. 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. While Shakespeare expanded on the Romeo and Juliet story, he was not the one who created the original story.

It is one of Shakespeare most popular plays and is performed the most alongside Hamlet. 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. 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 death of a close friend of Romeo ignites the flames to an all-out war between the two families. Tybalt is still furious at Romeo and challenges him to a duel. He wants to kill Romeo but is stopped by Juliet’s father who doesn’t want to ruin the ball.Īfter the ball, Romeo sneaks to meet Juliet and they admit their love for each other. Juliet’s cousin Tybalt is angry when he discovers that Romeo has snuck into the ball. The play is over 400 years old and it is still one of the most popular plays in the world.During the ball, Romeo ends up falling in love with Juliet. It perfectly alternated between comedy and tragedy which is a style Shakespeare is known for. This story was written early in Shakespeare’s career between the years 1591-1596 and made its debut in 1596.

During the ball, Romeo ends up falling in love with Juliet.

Juliet and romeo book