Romeo and Juliet: Study Guides

"For many students, the greatest obstacle to writing about Shakespeare is the process of reading Shakespeare. The root of the problem for many, not surprisingly, is Shakespeare's language, which is unfamiliar at times and can seem difficult to read. Like everything else, practice, patience, and a little effort will help. In the meantime, there are some things you can do that will make Shakespeare much more accessible to you. First ... "

"When writing about Shakespeare's tragedies, ... , one way of approaching the task is to start by understanding the precise nature of ... gap, in the play or plays you are treating, between what could have been and what is. Then identify, in as much detail as you can, the reasons why the darker outcomes emerged, why the brighter possibilities were eclipsed ... "

Click through the various types of essays and parts of essays to access advice and guidance from Bloom's Literature Database. You may need the password to access this article. Click on the link below.

"The play is still widely read, a staple of high school English classes from Chattanooga to Calcutta. Why? The play's continued success may be best explained, among several factors, by its accessible and compelling storyline. Indeed, more than most Shakespeare plays, Romeo and Juliet appears to be driven by plot rather than thematic and intellectual concerns ... "

"In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare creates a world of violence and generational conflict in which two young people fall in love and die because of that love. The story is rather extraordinary in that the normal problems faced by young lovers are here so very large ... "

"For many people today, reading Shakespeare’s language can be a problem—but it is a problem that can be solved ... "

Navigate through three levels of analysis: Level 1: New to play, Level 2: More detailed information, Level 3: In-depth study and analysis

"Uniquely, this guide analyses the play's critical and performance history and recent criticism, as well as including five essays offering radically new paths for contemporary interpretation ... "

" Timeless Shakespeare-designed for the struggling reader and adapted to retain the integrity of the original play. These classic plays retold will grab a student's attention from the first page. Presented in traditional play script format, each title features simplified language, easy-to-read type, and strict adherence to the tone and integrity of the original ... "

"Each text discussion contains sections on sources, characters, performance, themes, language, and critical history, helping students identify the different ways of approaching a text..." Chapter 4 focuses on Macbeth.

"The book combines an informative guide to these interpretations of Shakespeare, discussed with critical analysis of their relative strengths. It also includes extensive interviews with directors, actors and writers involved in the projects discussed'."

"Before young William Shakespeare wrote his play about two poetry speaking, hormone-driven teenagers who defy their families' long-standing feud and risk everything to be together, love wasn't even considered a suitable subject for a "tragedy." ... "

"Back in the very late 1500s, an actor, director, and over-involved stage manager named William Shakespeare was cranking out plays left and right. His specialty was tragedies—plays where the audience could watch the main characters fall prey to fate. The most impressive part? Not only do his tragedies feature comedic moments, but they're all written in poetic iambic pentameter ... "

" ... Contrast and conflict are running themes throughout Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet — one of the Bard's most popular romantic tragedies ... "

The full play is available on this site along with summaries of each scene available at the end of each scene. At the bottom of this page, you will find a list of useful resources.

"Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Created by the original team behind SparkNotes.

"This study guide and infographic for William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet offer summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. Explore Course Hero's library of literature materials, including documents and Q&A pairs ... "