The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet: Commentary

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was a part of a tradition of tragic romances, originally based on an Italian tale, which was translated into verse as The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet by Arthur Brooke and later translated into prose in Palace of Pleasure by William Painter. Shakespeare built off these two works but added supporting roles and subplots—an early mark of his dramatic skill. The play focuses on the forbidden relationship between Romeo and Juliet—young lovers from feuding families. In addition to being one of Shakespeare’s most frequently performed and adapted plays, one of the measures of the play’s success is the archetypal use of its title characters in the romance literature that has followed.