Author: William Shakespeare
Genre: Tragedy
First Performed: 1597
Setting: Verona, Italy

Main Characters

1. Romeo Montague: The young, passionate son of the Montague family, who falls in love with Juliet.
2. Juliet Capulet: The young, intelligent daughter of the Capulet family, who reciprocates Romeo’s love.
3. Mercutio: Romeo’s best friend, known for his wit and playful nature. Killed by Tybalt.
4. Tybalt: Juliet’s cousin, hot-headed and aggressive. Kills Mercutio, leading to his own death by Romeo.
5. Friar Laurence: A priest who secretly marries Romeo and Juliet, hoping to reconcile the feuding families.
6. Nurse: Juliet’s trusted confidante and nursemaid. Helps Juliet marry Romeo.
7. Lord and Lady Montague: Romeo’s parents.
8. Lord and Lady Capulet: Juliet’s parents.
9. Paris: The man Juliet’s parents want her to marry.
10. Benvolio: Romeo’s cousin and friend, who tries to keep peace between the families.
11. Prince Escalus: The ruler of Verona, who seeks to maintain peace in the city.

Key Themes

1. Love
   • Explores the power and intensity of young love, but also its tragic consequences. Romeo and Juliet’s love is passionate and all-consuming, yet ultimately destructive.
2. Fate
   • The idea that fate controls the characters’ destinies. The “star-crossed lovers” are doomed from the start, and their deaths are portrayed as inevitable.
3. Conflict
   • The play is centered around the feud between the Montagues and Capulets. This conflict causes the deaths of Romeo and Juliet and is symbolised through physical, emotional and societal battles.
4. Youth and Age
   • The impulsiveness and passion of youth are contrasted with the wisdom and authority of age. The older characters, like Capulet, often have different views on love and marriage. The Nurse also holds different perspectives compared to the young lovers.
5. Death
   • Death is a central theme, as the play revolves around the untimely death of several characters, including Romeo and Juliet.