Romeo and Juliet / Romeo and Juliet
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Autor:
William Shakespeare
Country:
Italy (IT)
Book Theme:
European writers “without borders”
Publisher:
Garzanti Editori
Publishing Year:
1991
William Shakespeare is considered the greatest playwright of English literature. He was born in Stratford upon Avon in 1564. In Stratford he probably attended the free Grammar School where he learnt some Latin and the classics. In 1584 he married Anne Hathaway who bore him three children. Shakespeare established in London as an actor and dramatist. From 1593 to 1594 theatres were closed because of a plague inLondon, and during those years Shakespeare composed his poems and many of his sonnets dedicated to the Earl of Southampton.In 1594 he joined the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, one of the most important companies of actors. Later he became a shareholder in the Globe theatre, in 1597 he purchased New Place in Stratford, where he retired in 1611. He died on April 23, 1616.
National Award for Children’s and Young People’s
Abstract
The play is divided into two parts: the romantic comedy in the first two acts and the tragedy in the last three acts. It opens with a Prologue spoken by a Chorus in the form of a 14-line Shakespearean sonnet which introduces the subject of the tragedy. Set in Verona Romeo and Juliet deals with the love relationship between two young people who are contrasted by the rival and feuding family the Montagues and Capulets, whose members often quarrel in the streets. Romeo, a Montague, secretly attends a masked ball at the Capulet house, where he meets Juliet. They fall in love and the next afternoon are secretely married by Friar Lawrence who hopes that their marriage will bring peace between the two families. On the same day, Romeo is caught up in a street fight where his friend Mercutio is killed by Juliet’s cousin Tybald who is killed in turn by Romeo, so is banished from Verona. Before leaving the town for Mantua, Romeo spends the night with his new brid who has been betrothed to Paris by her parent. Juliet visits Friar Lawrence for help, and he gives her a sleeping potion that will make her look apparently dead for twenty-two hours, during wich a messenger will be sent to inform Romeo of the plan, so that he can rejoin her when she awakens. But the messenger fails to reach Romeo who, informed of Juliet’s death, buys some poison and goes to the Capulet crypt.There, he meets and Kills Paris, drinks the poison and dies besides Juliet who, when she awakens, overcome with grief stabs herself with Romeo’s dagger.The tragedy ends with the feunding families reunited before their children and agree reconciled.
