Introduction to the play
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare creates a violent world, in which two young people fall in love. It is not simply that their families disapprove; the Montagues and the Capulets are engaged in a blood feud.
In this death-filled setting, the movement from love at first sight to the lovers’ final union in death seems almost inevitable. And yet, this play set in an extraordinary world has become the quintessential story of young love. In part because of its exquisite language, it is easy to respond as if it were about all young lovers.
The Folger Shakespeare
Our bestselling editions of Shakespeare's plays and poems
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun.
—Romeo
Act 2, scene 2, lines 2–3
Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet
sorrow
That I shall say “Good night” till it be morrow.
—Juliet
Act 2, scene 2, lines 199–201
From the audio edition of Romeo and Juliet
Full recording available from Simon & Schuster Audio on CD and for download.
Romeo and Juliet in our collection
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Essays and resources from The Folger Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
Learn more about the play, its language, and its history from the experts behind our edition.
About Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
An introduction to the plot, themes, and characters in the play
Reading Shakespeare’s Language
A guide for understanding Shakespeare’s words, sentences, and wordplay
An Introduction to This Text
A description of the publishing history of the play and our editors’ approach to this edition
Textual Notes
A record of the variants in the early printings of this text
A Modern Perspective
An essay by Gail Kern Paster
Further Reading
Suggestions from our experts on where to learn more
Shakespeare and his world
Learn more about Shakespeare, his theater, and his plays from the experts behind our editions.
Shakespeare’s Life
An essay about Shakespeare and the time in which he lived
Shakespeare’s Theater
An essay about what theaters were like during Shakespeare’s career
The Publication of Shakespeare’s Plays
An essay about how Shakespeare’s plays were published
Related blog posts and podcasts
Olivia Hussey: The Girl on the Balcony
Olivia Hussey was just 15 when Franco Zeffirelli cast her in Romeo and Juliet. When the film was released in 1968, it catapulted Hussey and Leonard Whiting, the young actor playing Romeo, to global stardom. For many, it’s still the definitive film adaptation of the play.
Directing Romeo and Juliet, with Sam Gold
Director Sam Gold reflects on the challenges and joys of reinterpreting a well-known story for Broadway and shares the creative process behind staging a Romeo and Juliet that feels relevant to a whole new generation of theatergoers.
Shakespeare's Most Adolescent Play
It may not surprise you to hear that Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare’s teenaged play but that might have surprised earlier readers who considered the play adolescent for other reasons.
Teaching Romeo and Juliet
Use the Folger Method to teach Romeo and Juliet. Become a Teacher Member to get exclusive access to lesson plans and professional development.
Early printed texts
Romeo and Juliet was first printed in 1597 (Q1) as a quarto that is markedly different than any subsequent early printing: it is shorter, the wedding scene is radically different, and the language widely differs in the last three acts. The play appeared as a quarto in 1599 (Q2) in a text that seems to have had a different source than the one behind Q1; this version of the play was reprinted in 1609 (Q3) and in 1623 (Q4). The play is included in the 1623 First Folio, with a text that differs from Q3 beyond what we would expect typesetters to change. Most modern editions, like the Folger, are based on Q2.
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