Romeo and Juliet

a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It was first published surreptitiously in 1597, and had been written probably several years before, perhaps as early as 1591. The story is of two noble Italian families, the Capulets and Montagues, who

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny.

Juliet, the daughter of Capulet, and Romeo, son of Montague, meet and fall in love. Their secret marriage, the command of Juliet's parents that she wed another, her plot to escape, the tragic death of both lovers leading to the reconciliation of the two families, are the events which follow one another in rapid succession. The plot is an old one. It has been used by many authors and playwrights and has been chosen often for operatic purposes. Shakespeare's version, however, is and will remain the most celebrated.