Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is a play generally accepted as having been written by William Shakespeare around 1594 or 1595. It first appeared in print in 1597. Even before the Shakespeare play though, this story of two "star-crossed lovers" was widely popular in Europe. It is said that Shakespeare borrowed much of his artistic rendering of the tale from a poem by Arthur Brooke entitled The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet. Brooke in turn based his poem on the works of writers previous to him.

Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are the main characters who come from feuding households. They meet at a Capulet party and fall in love almost immediately. But their love is forbidden to be because of the family feud. So sets the basis for the plot and, ultimately, the tragedy. The story takes these two through twists of drama and pain as they struggle to find peace in a world where there is only hate.