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| Romeo and Juliet (Folger Shakespeare Library) | 
 enlarge | Author: William Shakespeare
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Category: Book
List Price: $5.99
Buy Used: $1.00
You Save: $4.99 (83%)
New (53) Used (75) Collectible (4) from $1.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  29 reviews
Sales Rank: 6186
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.5
ISBN: 0743477111
Dewey Decimal Number: 822.33
EAN: 9780743477116
ASIN: 0743477111
Publication Date: January 1, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Beautiful Love Story February 28, 2006
6 out of 10 found this review helpful
Romeo and Juliet is a compelling romantic tragedy which I first read at secondary school. I suppose that since the play is simple, it was a good introduction for me to the wealth of Shakespeare's genius. I thoroughly enjoyed the moving exchanges between Romeo and Juliet.
Here were two families, the Capulet and Montague that were in perpetual feud. The quarrel was going on for a long time that no one in the two families really cared to find out the root cause and if it could not be resolved. All that the two families cared about was to kill each other wherever possible.
Romeo (a Montague) falls in love with Juliet (a Capulet). However, because of the long-running feud between their families, they were married in secret by Friar Lawrence. They decide to flee Verona since Juliet was due to be married to another man. Romeo gets banished from Verona following his killing of Tybalt when he was avenging the death of his friend Mercutio.
With the dilemma that Romeo and Juliet were having, Friar Lawrence and Juliet come up with a plan for Juliet to take a poison that would make her appear dead and Romeo would come and take her when she wakes up 48 hours later. However, Romeo was not aware of the plan and when he turns up and sees Juliet apparently dead, he decides to kill himself. When eventually Juliet wakes up, she finds her lover dead so she also kills herself. When the two feuding families discover what happened, they decide to end their feud.
For those who want to start learning Shakespeare, this is a good place to start. The play is first class, simple and straightforward romantic tragedy. I love the play as it highlights the ultimate futility of all conflicts and teaches the often unfortunate and unnecessary tragic consequences of such conflicts.
 Gimmie A Break! July 30, 2005
4 out of 31 found this review helpful
Not that I don't like Shakespeare's works, but his tragedies are terrible, especially this one. I can't understand the language real well, so I have to grab one with the contemporary language so that it'll be easier to understand. I just can't understand this love tragedy at all! Here are some things that confuse me:
*How did this feud really begin?
*Why can't this story end in happily ever after?
*Why does Lady Capulet have to be so stuck up on everybody?
*Why couldn't Shakespeare have written in a language we could all understand?
*Why does everybody have to jump to conclusions?
I simply can't understand why people love this play so much. It's ridiculous! If you want a true love story, try reading "A Midsummer Night's Dream". This one absolutely SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Freaky October 2, 2005
3 out of 17 found this review helpful
We reading Romeo and Juliet at our school. It is a little freaky. I dislike the ending of the book. I do but I don't like Shakespeare's book. We are not allowed to talk about vilence at all at our school. That is what all Shakespeare's books. We just finished reading Macbeth and I also disliked the ending of that book. His books are too freaky for kids my age. They are better for 16 year olds. Here are the things that I don't really understand: does Romeo really die, Do romeo and Juliet get married? How can people this play and this book a lot? Why are shakespeare's books always really grouse and vlient?
Hate, Love and Fate June 10, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
In one of Shakespeare's most famous and beloved plays, true love is thwarted at the cruel hands of fate.
The Capulets and the Montagues have been rivals for years. However, this doesn't stop Juliet Capulet and Romeo Montague from falling in love with one another. And so the timeless and beautiful story of Romeo and Juliet begins.
Both the play and the romance of the two main characters take off almost unrealistically quickly; the play is set only over the course of a few days. But what a few days it is. Shakespeare expertly captures the naive and innocent viewpoints of the two teenagers and his language is always metaphorical and flawless.
I found this version of the play extremely helpful, as it was the first Shakespeare play I had read and I wasn't yet accustomed to the unique language of the era. On one side of the page is the actual text of the play and on the opposite side is a list of words and phrases that modern-day citizens may not be accustomed to. This greatly increased my comprehension level of the book, and is a definite asset to anyone who isn't yet "Shakespeare-savvy". Happy reading!
Romeo and Juliet February 4, 2005
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
Romeo and Juliet was one of my first Shakespearean plays, but I still love it. Each time I read it, it gets better and better. It's so poetic, and the way Shakespeare plays with words and phrasing in this play has yet to be beaten. And, of course, there's that irresistible plot...
In fair Verona, Italy, where this play takes place, two houses, alike in dignity, are feuding-the Monatagues and the Capulets. Romeo, a Monatague, attending an evening party at the Capulets in disguise (for if he went as himself he'd get killed), falls in love with the beautiful Juliet, who is a Capulet. Nevertheless, both find time to see each-other and fall even more in love. They marry in secret, but when Romeo is forced to kill the evil Tybalt, he is banished. Juliet is plunged into despair and hatches an elaborate plan to be with Romeo once again. This leads to their famed and passionate deaths, and, at last, the breaking of the feud between the family.
Many people like to make fun of this play (formerly me included) and call it a comedy, but I got so caught up in the plot that I actually cried at the end--just reading it. It's a sad story, but it's still so beautifully written and wonderful. A must on any shelf.
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