Romeo and Juliet

Two households both alike in dignity

in fair Verona, where we lay our scene

from ancient grudge break to new mutiny

where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes,

a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life

whose misadventured piteous overthrow

do with their dead bury their parents’ strife

• Two households: Montague and Capulet, mortal enemies in the past, have their enmity renewed recently, with bloody feuds.
• The two lovers were of course Romeo (a Montague) and Juliet (a Capulet)
• In fair Verona where there is a false balcony of Romeo and Juliet.
• "Star-crossed" or "star-crossed lovers" is a phrase describing a pair of lovers whose relationship is often thwarted by outside forces. The term encompasses other meanings, but originally means the pairing is being "thwarted by a malign star" or that the stars are working against the relationship. The phrase is astrological in origin, stemming from the belief that the positions of the stars ruled over people's fate

It’s the triumph of love over hate. It’s a brutal, powerful emotion that catapults the lovers against their world and against themselves.

It portrays the chaos and passion of being in love

Love and death are interconnected. If their love is impossible, they prefer death: so profound it is. Their fate takes them to their death.

The romantic teenage love that knows no boundaries

Love prevails over everything; including family loyalties (deny thy father and refuse thy name).

The forcefulness of love

Romeo and Juliet has been adapted numerous times for stage, film, musical and opera. See West Side Story. My favourite Juliet is Olivia Hussey, 15 years old at the time in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film. There is a Romeo and Juliet suite by Prokofiev.

Phrases of the Play have been incorporated to everyday English

But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. 

…

 It is my lady, O, it is my love!
 Oh, that she knew she were!
 She speaks yet she says nothing; what of that? 

As you’ll probably know Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet’s love story takes place in Verona. This city is the perfect place for this story to take place, for its middle age ambient. There are also some real references in Verona. The house you’re seeing is the "real" home of Juliet’s family (the Capuleti). The building dates from the 13th century and as you can see, it’s a major tourist attraction.

…

What's in a name? That which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet; 

Here Juliet tells Romeo that a name is an artificial and meaningless convention, and that she loves the person who is called "Montague", not the Montague name and not the Montague family. Romeo, out of his passion for Juliet, rejects his family name and vows, as Juliet asks, to "deny (his) father" and instead be "new baptized" as Juliet's lover. This one short line encapsulates the central struggle and tragedy of the play.

…

My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. 

…

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! 

…

Oh, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon

swear by thy gracious self

Final

Juliet

Sweet good night

And I wish you sweet good night too with these chocolates.