About the Play:

Love at first sight. Forbidden love. Two young people who fall deeply in love, in spite of the bitter feud that divides their families. The story of Romeo and Juliet has been captivating audiences for centuries because it moves and inspires us even though it breaks our hearts.

This book contains the complete text of Shakespeare's classic tragedy Romeo and Juliet. This 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.

This edition of Romeo and Juliet includes:
• Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play
• Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play
• Scene-by-scene plot summaries
• A key to famous lines and phrases
• An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language
• An essay by an outstanding scholar providing a modern perspective on the play
• Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe.

About the Editors:

Barbara A. Mowat is the Director of Research Emerita at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Consulting Editor of Shakespeare Quarterly, and Editor (with Paul Werstine) of the Folger Shakespeare Library editions of Shakespeare's works.

Paul Werstine is Professor of English at King’s University College at the University of Western Ontario, a member of the Graduate Faculty at the University and Editor (with Barbara A. Mowat) of the Folger Shakespeare Library editions of Shakespeare's works.