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Romeo and Juliet by |
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William Shakespeare
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| The author |
William Shakespeare
— born April 1564; baptised April 26, 1564; died April 23, 1616 ... — has a
reputation as the greatest writer the English language has ever known. As a
playwright, he wrote not only some of the most powerful tragedies, but also
many comedies. He also wrote 154 sonnets and several major poems, some of
which readers arguably consider the most brilliant pieces of English
literature ever written. Shakespeare wrote his works between 1585 and 1613, although the
exact dates and chronology of the plays attributed to him remain relatively
uncertain in many instances. Shakespeare's influence on the English-speaking
world shows in the ready recognition afforded many
quotations from Shakespearean plays
(http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Shakespeare),
the
titles of works based on Shakespearean phrases,
and the many adaptations of his plays. Other indicators of contemporary
influence include his appearence in the top ten of the "100 Greatest Britons"
poll sponsored by the BBC, the frequent productions based on his work, such
as the BBC Television Shakespeare, and the success of the fictional account
of his life in the 1998 film
Shakespeare in Love. (From Wikipedia, The free Encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/)
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| The play | It
tells the familiar, romantic tragedy of an age-old feud between the Montague
and Capulet familes, and the love between "star-crossed" lovers, Romeo (a
Montague) and Juliet (a Capulet). After the two lovers secretly marry, the
hostility between their families escalates, driving young Romeo and Juliet
to their shared destiny of love and death. ROMEO AND JULIET is a powerful
play about the pursuit of love in a violent society. (From www.amazon.co.uk) Romeo and Juliet is a famous play by William Shakespeare concerning the fate of two young star-crossed lovers. It was probably first performed on January 29, 1595. Though the story originates through several retellings from a 1476 story of Mariotto and Gianozza by Masuccio Salernitano, Shakespeare enriched its texture through his vivid characterizations of both major and minor characters, in particular the Nurse and Mercutio. (From Wikipedia, The free Encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/)
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| The play
online
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http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/MobRome.html
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