Romeo (23) and Juliet (24)

Rank 23rd and 24th on The Fictional 100

The following books and films will introduce you to Romeo and Juliet, who said these words in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (Act II, scene ii). To order a book or film, or for more information, follow the title links to Amazon.com, then return home to browse other characters.

• Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet (New Folger Shakespeare Library). New York: Washington Square Press, 1992.
  • An authoritative paperback edition of Shakespeare's first tragedy, written in 1596 when he was 30. Includes explanatory notes.
    
• William Shakespeare: The Complete Works. Clarendon, 1988.
  • The Alexander edition of the complete plays and sonnets, introduced by Anthony Burgess. Glossary.
    
• Martone, V. and Martone, R. L. (Eds. and trans.). Renaissance Comic Tales of Love, Treachery, and Revenge. New York: Italica Press, 1994.
  • Includes "Montanina's Deception (1424) by Gentile Sermini, a forerunner of the Romeo and Juliet story, which uses the device of a false burial to reunite separated lovers. A delightful collection of stories from the period when these characters were developing.
    
• Romeo and Juliet: Original Text of Masuccio Salernitano, Luigi da Porto, Matteo Bandello, William Shakespeare (Intro. by A. Caso). Boston: Dante University Press of America, 1992.
  • Shows the evolution of the Romeo and Juliet story before Shakespeare gave it its most memorable treatment. Most of the plot details can be traced to a 1476 novella by Salernitano. Da Porto set the story in Verona and called the lovers Romeo Montecchi and Giuletta Cappelletti (a.k.a. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet). Shakespeare probably encountered them in another story by Bandello and in a play by the Englishman, Arthur Brooke.
    
• Andrews, John F. (Ed.). Romeo and Juliet: Critical Essays. New York: Garland, 1993.
  • Much interesting material, including chapters on West Side Story and Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet featuring Olivia Hussey as a luminous and fervent Juliet.
    
• Romeo & Juliet (1968) [DVD]. Starring Olivia Hussey, Leonard Whiting. Paramount, 2000.
  • Franco Zeffirelli's lush production was fortunate in its star: Teenage Olivia Hussey is a luminous, heartbreaking Juliet.
• William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (1996) [DVD]. Starring Claire Danes, Leonardo DiCaprio. 20th Century Fox, 2003.
  • Director Baz Luhrmann's souped-up production set in Verona Beach, California, has the considerable talents of Danes and DiCaprio, who bring sincere modern readings of the roles, along with their star power.

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