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Romeo And Juliet (Paperback)
by William Shakespeare
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Litreature, Classic, Play |
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Romeo And Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies, written in 1595. The play is about love and passion between two young people. It is also about the fate of the two “star-crossed lovers,” who eventually take their own lives because of misunderstandings. |
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Author: William Shakespeare
Publisher: Bantam Classics
Pub. in: January, 1988
ISBN: 0553213059
Pages: 336
Measurements: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BA00800
Other information: ISBN-13: 978-0553213058
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- Awards & Credential -
"We can more easily decide between Shakespear and any other author, than between him and himself. Shall we quote any more passages to shew his genius or the beauty of Romeo and Juliet? At that rate, we might quote the whole."
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- MSL Picks -
The enduring quality of the play is rooted in its treatment of love as a compelling, engaging, yet little understood, human experience. On one level, the love presented in Romeo and Juliet is one that is immature, based, as it is, on essentially physical attraction. The simplicity - one could argue, the child-like quality - of it may, ironically, intensify the passionate nature of the story. The romance is also short-lived and experienced within a small interval of time. The meaning of the play is more likely to be found, however, between the lines, extracted from the rich tapestry of images and references for which Shakespeare is renowned. These observation raise the question about the nature of passion. Here is one to consider: How does passion (and love as an instance of it) relate to the fundamental nature of human longing, quest, and need; in this context, what are the characteristics of the human self, the individual, and its relation to something other than self? Does passion of necessity by virtue of its basis in the self, have a physical dimension, always? Nietzsche always played with the Dionysian vs. Appolonian. Passion may be a necessary ingredient for creative achievement; a purely rational disposition does not produce it. We are raw stuff and that is what greatness is made of. One last question, extreme behavior (e.g. suicide) is observable in the real world, not only on stage; hence the development in Romeo and Juliet may not be so implausible - does passion of necessity entail an irrational dimension? Should it? Well, the only way to really ponder this is to engage in the process of reading Shakespeare and to take from the tapestry that which is cathartic, that which is beneficial or simply that which is beautiful - the rest I leave to Shakespeare.
(Quoting from Miguel Llora, USA)
Target readers:
Any readers who love Shakespear and classic literatures.
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William Sakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. In London, Shakespeare became the principal playwright and shareholder of the successful acting troupe the Lord Chamberlin's men (later, under James I, called the King's men) which built and occupied the Globe theater. In 1616, he died in Stratford after having written 37 plays, sonnets, and other poetry which would become crucial to the cannon of English literature.
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The magnificent, timeless drama is the world's most famous tale of "star-crossed lovers." The young, unshakable love of Juliet and Romeo defies the feud that divides their families - the Capulets and Montagues—as their desperate need to be together, their secret meetings, and finally their concealed marriage drive them toward tragedy. A masterwork that has long captured the hearts of audiences, this romantic tragedy has become part of the literary heritage of all peoples in all nations.
(MSL quoted from The Publisher)
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Act One
SCENE ONE
Verona. A Public Place. Enter Sampson and Gregory, armed with swords and bucklers
sampson. Gregory, o’ my word, we ’ll not carry coals.
gregory. No, for then we should be colliers.
sampson. I mean, an we be in choler, we ’ll draw.
gregory. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o’ the collar.
sampson. I strike quickly, being moved.
gregory. But thou art not quickly moved to strike.
sampson. A dog of the house of Montague moves me.
gregory. To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand; therefore, if thou art moved, thou runnest away.
sampson. A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague’s.
gregory. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall.
sampson. ’Tis true; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague’s men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall.
gregory. The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.
sampson. ’Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids; I will cut off their heads.
gregory. The heads of the maids?
sampson. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maiden-heads; take it in what sense thou wilt.
gregory. They must take it in sense that feel it.
sampson. Me they shall feel while I am able to stand; and ’tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.
gregory. ’Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor John. Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of the Montagues.
Enter Abraham and Balthasar
sampson. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back thee.
gregory. How! turn thy back and run?
sampson. Fear me not.
gregory. No, marry; I fear thee!
sampson. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.
gregory. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list.
sampson. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.
abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
sampson. I do bite my thumb, sir.
abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
sampson. (Aside to Gregory) Is the law of our side if I say ay?
gregory. (Aside to Sampson) No.
sampson. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir.
gregory. Do you quarrel, sir?
abraham. Quarrel, sir! no, sir.
sampson. If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you.
abraham. No better.
sampson. Well, sir.
gregory. (Aside to Sampson) Say “better”; here comes one of my master’s kinsmen.
sampson. Yes, better, sir.
abraham. You lie.
sampson. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. They fight
Enter Benvolio
benvolio. Part, fools! Put up your swords; you know not what you do.Beats down their swords
Enter Tybalt
tybalt. What! art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.
benvolio. I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these men with me.
tybalt. What! drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Have at thee, coward!They fight
Enter several persons of both houses, who join the fray; then enter Citizens, with clubs and partisans
citizens. Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down! Down with the Capulets! down with Montagues!
Enter Capulet in his gown, and Lady Capulet
capulet. What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!
lady capulet. A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?
capulet. My sword, I say! Old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in spite of me.
Enter Montague and Lady Montague
montague. Thou villain Capulet! Hold me not; let me go.
lady montague. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe.
Enter Prince with his Train
prince. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel,— Will they not hear? What ho! you men, you beasts, That quench the fire of your pernicious rage With purple fountains issuing from your veins, On pain of torture, from those bloody hands Throw your mis-temper’d weapons to the ground, And hear the sentence of your moved prince. Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturb’d the quiet of our streets, And made Verona’s ancient citizens Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, To wield old partisans, in hands as old, Canker’d with peace, to part your canker’d hate. If ever you disturb our streets again Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. For this time, all the rest depart away: You, Capulet, shall go along with me; And, Montague, come you this afternoon To know our further pleasure in this case, To old Free-town, our common judgment-place. Once more, on pain of death, all men depart. Exeunt all but Montague, Lady Montague, and Benvolio
montague. Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach? Speak, nephew, were you by when it began?
benvolio. Here were the servants of your adversary And yours close fighting ere I did approach: I drew to part them; in the instant came The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepar’d, Which, as he breath’d defiance to my ears, He swung about his head, and cut the winds, Who, nothing hurt withal, hiss’d him in scorn. While we were interchanging thrusts and blows, Came more and more, and fought on part and part, Till the prince came, who parted either part.
lady montague. O! where is Romeo? saw you him to-day? Right glad I am he was not at this fray.
benvolio. Madam, an hour before the worshipp’d sun Peer’d forth the golden window of the east, A troubled mind drave me to walk abroad; Where, underneath the grove of sycamore That westward rooteth from the city’s side, So early walking did I see your son: Towards him I made; but he was ware of me, And stole into the covert of the wood: I, measuring his affections by my own, That most are busied when they ’re most alone, Pursu’d my humour not pursuing his, And gladly shunn’d who gladly fled from me.
montague. Many a morning hath he there been seen, With tears augmenting the fresh morning’s dew, Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs: But all so soon as the all-cheering sun Should in the furthest east begin to draw The shady curtains from Aurora’s bed, Away from light steals home my heavy son, And private in his chamber pens himself, Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out, And makes himself an artificial night. Black and portentous must this humour prove Unless good counsel may the cause remove.
benvolio. My noble uncle, do you know the cause?
montague. I neither know it nor can learn of him.
benvolio. Have you importun’d him by any means?
montague. Both by myself and many other friends: But he, his own affections’ counsellor, Is to himself, I will not say how true, But to himself so secret and so close, So far from sounding and discovery, As is the bud bit with an envious worm, Ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the air, Or dedicate his beauty to the sun. Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow, We would as willingly give cure as know.
benvolio. See where he comes: so please you, step aside; I’ll know his grievance, or be much denied.
montague. I would thou wert so happy by thy stay, To hear true shrift. Come, madam, let’s away.Exeunt Montague and Lady
Enter Romeo
benvolio. Good-morrow, cousin.
romeo.Is the day so young?
benvolio. But new struck nine.
romeo.Ay me! sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast?
benvolio. It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?
romeo. Not having that, which having, makes them short. benvolio. In love? romeo. Out—
benvolio. Of love?
romeo. Out of her favour, where I am in love.
benvolio. Alas! that love, so gentle in his view, Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof.
romeo. Alas! that love, whose view is muffled still, Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will. Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love. Why then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O any thing! of nothing first create. O heavy lightness! serious vanity! Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! This love feel I, that feel no love in this. Dost thou not laugh?
benvolio.No, coz, I rather weep.
romeo. Good heart, at what?
benvolio. At thy good heart’s oppression.
romeo. Why, such is love’s transgression. Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast, Which thou wilt propagate to have it press’d With more of thine: this love that thou hast shown Doth add more grief to too much of mine own. Love is a smoke rais’d with the fume of sighs; Being purg’d, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes; Being vex’d, a sea nourish’d with lovers’ tears: What is it else? a madness most discreet, A choking gall, and a preserving sweet. Farewell, my coz.Going
benvolio.Soft, I will go along; An if you leave me so, you do me wrong.
romeo. Tut! I have lost myself; I am not here; This is not Romeo, he’s some other where.
benvolio. Tell me in sadness, who is that you love.
romeo. What! shall I groan and tell thee?
benvolio.Groan! why, no; But sadly tell me who.
romeo. Bid a sick man in sadness make his will; Ah! word ill urg’d to one that is so ill. In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.
benvolio. I aim’d so...
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Guillermo Maynez (MSL quote), USA
<2007-03-13 00:00>
I won't summarize the plot, as it is one of the best-known tales in all literature, and deservedly so. Being a classic, it can be read from different perspectives and standpoints. For me, it is a study on passion, of instantaneous, immediate and eternal passion of love; absolute and without doubts; pure and immaculate. The lovers never have to discover the realities of living together. Their love stays in an absolute state of pureness. So, it is a vision of love in its most extreme state.
Shakespeare's true genius can be observed in the fact that all of his plays, especially this one, can and have been adapted to a wide array of ages, places and circumstances. The story is universal because so is the passion it examines.
The characters are unbelievably strong and accurate. The environment is wonderful Middle Ages Italy. The plot is twisted yet simple, and the Bard's sentences are pure poetry of the highest kind. No one should die without having read "Romeo and Juliet".
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Karina Suarez (MSL quote), USA
<2007-03-13 00:00>
At least that's what I feel should have been a worthy epitaph for these two ill-fated lovers. I read this classic work of fiction because I've never read anything by Shakespeare before. Being a romantic, I found it appealed to me as one unfathomable story of doomed love, and may I say the ending could not have been any other, even if it hadn't been a fictitious story. I agree with Ms. Paster, who in this edition gives a final, parallel account of the story in comparison to modern times; when she says that Romeo and Juliet's only way out to consumate their love was through death, because they had trespassed socially acceptable conventions of the era, and not just due to a family feud. This is true especially of Juliet, who, because she was a woman, had the least advantages and the most pressures to be married to someone previously chosen and approved by her father. She defies the world - literally - and runs to the arms of her Romeo to be married in secret. I cannot imagine the terrible strain and fear a woman would have gone through in the 1500's should she choose to follow her heart in such a way. I find Juliet, in this sense, a true pioneer of women's rights. She definitely risks it all, defying even her own father (the man who would "owned" her until she got married). The passage where he confronts her about her arranged marriage to Count Paris has to be one of the cruelest speeches in classic literature. She certainly would have to make use of a humongous supply of nerve to defy convention.
Romeo, on his behalf, is truly besotted with Juliet. He admires her beauty more than her courage and, like most men when in love, shows himself a pathetic spectacle. However, he loves her and cannot live without her. He only has eyes and, what's really important, heart for her. That is why, when he receives news of her death, he decides to go to her tomb and kill himself there. The ill-fated destiny plays these lovers a bad hand when Romeo does not get a letter in time explaining his beloved's circumstances for her death.
I enjoyed Shakespeare's language the most during the first half of the book. When Romeo climbs to Juliet's window and stays with her for a few hours in the night (the only time the young lovers have for each other throughout the play). He expresses his love with unforgettable lines. He wishes he would be someone else, so that he could love her freely: "Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized." (2.2.54)
This edition by the Folger Library has new comments and offers historical background on the life of William Shakespeare as well his times and his theatre. Dimensions of The Globe and explanations on how the plays were acted are shown in detail; together with illustrations of engravings of the period. It all helps to give a good understanding of the play. If, like me, you are new to Shakespeare, you will find the left pages in the book an invaluable resource since they are like a mini-dictionary clarifying words, idiomatic expressions of the era and even full verses. Above all, fear not; and dare to dive into this torrent of love.
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-03-13 00:00>
I had to read this book in school and at first I thought: "I believe in love and all, but how will I understand it?" Well, luckily, we had an updated version that put it in words we knew. And I must say, it really does deserve all the tv references it's gotten over the decades. Not only did I feel my heart break when Romeo died with tears running abundantly down his cheek, and when Juliet awoke hoping to be reunited with her love and instead finding his body on the floor, but I also felt crushed when Mercutio died. He was the one character I felt most similar to. Shakespeare knew how to break your heart right open. Each time I go back to that paragraph where Mercutio refers to Queen Mab and the way she makes dreams and when he talks about reputations being the determining factor of someone's character instead of personalities, I feel even more attached to Mercutio. I'm sure everyone can find someone with similar personality traits if they read Shakespeare. But this truly is one of the greatest love stories and anyone who's lonely and finds themselves wishing for love should read this. Romeo was that same sort of person until he met Juliet. But one has to wonder, was it simply an intense infatuation? This question has been posed before and I'm not so sure it's a wrong question. But perhaps it really was love. Only Shakespeare knows... And he took secrets like those to his grave... I also recommend this to people who have already found love as it is a chilling reminder that love can surpass anything and anyone in love should do anything in their power to make sure that the flame never goes out, even if it means death.
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Renato (MSL quote), USA
<2007-03-13 00:00>
This book is a story tells a story about true love. The characters Romeo and juliet has been a role model for many people in their love life.This story includes all the elements to prove that love that Romeo and Juliet had was true love. William Shakespeare uses tragedy,love, hate, pride, and irony.
Romeo, from house the house of Montagues,is best described as a love. He does things for Juliet even though it risks his life. But no matter the consequences, he went with hs feelings. Juliet, from house of Capulets, is a lover at will. She had never loved a man as much a Romeo. But though they were from opposing families, she finds a way to marry him.
There were many tragedies. Two being Mercutio and Tybalts death. There were many more tragedies that happened and one main reason why they happened which was the fact that the two house were against each other. This caused all the tragedies because if they were not, both lovers would live happily. One thing that kept the family against each other was the pride in their name. If it were not for the name then all would not end in tragedy.
One ironic part in this story was when the two lovers got married. Getting married usually makes life better but in this marraige, it made thing worse and turned the story into a different direction.
This story must have been the best story I have ever read. It is love story that makes me think of how far I would go for a girl. Though it is hard to read, I enjoyed it very much and I suggest the book to all the lovers out there but could be enjoyed by all.
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