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    Romeo and Juliet
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    Romeo and Juliet
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    Romeo and Juliet
    Audiobook (abridged)2 hours

    Romeo and Juliet

    Written by William Shakespeare and Dame Edith Evans

    Narrated by Claire Bloom and Albert Finney

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    About this audiobook

    Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young "star-cross'd lovers" whose untimely deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. Read by an all star cast that include Albert Finney and Claire Bloom this audio recording is a fantastic piece of literature to ass to your collection.

    The tragic feud between "Two households, both alike in dignity/In fair Verona", the Montagues and Capulets, which ultimately kills the two young "star-crossed lovers" and their "death-marked love" creates issues which have fascinated subsequent generations. The play deals with issues of intergenerational and familial conflict, as well as the power of language and the compelling relationship between sex and death, all of which makes it an incredibly modern play. It is also an early example of Shakespeare fusing poetry with dramatic action, as he moves from Romeo's lyrical account of Juliet–"she doth teach the torches to burn bright!" to the bustle and action of a 16th-century household (the play containsmore scenes of ordinary working people than any of Shakespeare's other works). It also represents an experimental attempt to fuse comedy with tragedy. Up to the third act, the play proceeds along the lines of a classic romantic comedy. The turning point comes with the death of one of one Shakespeare’s finest early dramatic creations - Romeo’s sexually ambivalent friend Mercutio whose “plague o’both your houses” begins the play’s descent into tragedy. “For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo”.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins Publishers
    Release dateAug 17, 2009
    ISBN9780007327379
    Author

    William Shakespeare

    William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest playwright the world has seen. He produced an astonishing amount of work; 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 5 poems. He died on 23rd April 1616, aged 52, and was buried in the Holy Trinity Church, Stratford.

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    Reviews for Romeo and Juliet

    4/5

    79 ratings79 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Classic... what else is there to say?
    • 5/5
      Romeo and Juliet has to be the greatest love story of all time. The comic and dramatic words of Shakespeare are simply breath taking. I loved the irony and always knowing what was going to happen at the end, but hoping, somehow some way their fate would not be true. This book gave me chills on almost every page. I think that the characters are very interesting and you can picture each one as you read. Reading the book as a script was also enjoyable because I was able to hear each character's voice in my head. This was a phenomenal book, and I would recommend it to anyone up for the challenging word plays, because it is well worth it.
    • 5/5
      Didn't like the ending.
    • 4/5
      This is not my favorite of the tragedies...perhaps too much memory of Ninth Grade English cramming comparisons of it and West Side Story down my throat. Seriously though, while I've reread it twice and can love the language, I can't overlook the essential silliness of the whole situation.Recommended because there's no Shakespeare I've yet read that I wouldn't recommend, I don't think it's the most enjoyable thing he's written.
    • 2/5
      I love Shakespeare. I simply detest this play.
    • 4/5
      "Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou, Romeo?"

      *rolls eyes*

      I've seen way too many skits/parodies for this, and I perfected the plot even before I read the unabridged manuscript. The 1968 movie version (which we were all forced to watch for English Class *cringe*) did feature two very good-looking leads, but basically, I didn't have any respect for two shockingly young idiots who killed themselves for [puppy] love.

      Until...

      We were forced to make a play for this. I wasn't a happy camper, especially since I was pushed into making our script. Why should we make a play for this, when we already know what's going to happen? Talk about milking it. I don’t think there’s a person who has never heard of Romeo and Juliet. Granted, we were given freedom to change the ending, but aside from that, there is no element of surprise.

      What I didn't count on was that the element of surprise, was my new-found respect for Will Shakespeare.

      I have to hand it to Shakespeare: he’s a brilliant writer, not only because of the things he writes of, but because of the way he writes them. The words flow wonderfully. It was then that I understood why we had to learn Shakespeare in school: reading his works is a celebration of words.

      Taken out of context, Romeo falling in love with Juliet just after he was dumped by Rosaline, induces one to roll one’s eyes. But damn, did you read what Romeo says about Juliet?
      “Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.”

      A lot of people dissent: This is a romantic story; No, it is not. Whatever it may be, I do believe that Romeo and Juliet’s passion is touching, and in the first few acts, enviable. There are way too many lines between them that I love!

      I also believe that it is a cautionary tale. That it was intended to be a tragedy, for R & J to act stupidly because we act stupidly in love, too. And so enter Friar Lawrence to deliver us a most important speech:
      These violent delights have violent ends
      And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
      Which, as they kiss, consume. The sweetest honey
      Is loathsome in his own deliciousness
      And in the taste confounds the appetite.
      Therefore love moderately. Long love doth so.
      Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.

      Thank God for sparknotes, seriously, for this interpretation: These sudden joys have sudden endings. They burn up in victory like fire and gunpowder. When they meet, as in a kiss, they explode. Too much honey is delicious, but it makes you sick to your stomach. Therefore, love each other in moderation. That is the key to long-lasting love. Too fast is as bad as too slow.


      Romeo and Juliet made me look at Shakespeare in a whole new light. It made me realize that Shakespeare really is a writing genius. I have a long way into fully appreciating him, since R & J is the only play I’ve read. I do think there will come a time when I will finally muster up the motivation to read through another Shakespeare again.
    • 1/5
      This is proof that Shakespeare plays should be experienced not read. As a piece of literature, this does not work. As a drama, this is exceptional. Conclusion...watch the movie.
    • 4/5
      This frayed beauty of a long ago created book has the most grieved, nut stunning end of all time.
    • 5/5
      This is a great romantic tragedy, which I had to read for my Intro. to Drama class. This is one of those works of Shakespeare that has been done in a multitude of forms and variations, so it is quite likely that everyone has a rough idea of the story. Still, you really cannot replace the original. There is a lot of unbelievable story to it, which can overdo it to the point of being distracting, but overall the language and story are so supremely memorable that it automatically qualifies as a must-read. As to the edition itself, I found it to be greatly helpful in understanding the action in the play. It has a layout which places each page of the play opposite a page of notes, definitions, explanations, and other things needed to understand that page more thoroughly. While I didn't always need it, I was certainly glad to have it whenever I ran into a turn of language that was unfamiliar, and I definitely appreciated the scene-by-scene summaries. Really, if you want to or need to read Shakespeare, an edition such as this is really the way to go, especially until you get more accustomed to it.
    • 5/5
      It maybe a cliche but I love this play.
    • 3/5
      It's a classic, but not really a favorite of mine.
    • 5/5
      The classic play. Some of the finest dialogue in the English language. This is a student edition with additional materials and illustrations.
    • 4/5
      this is a love story, and it is a tragedy.Remeo and Juliet's families are enemy. but in this story is told us if you are falling in love, everything will be possible, and you will be brave.
    • 5/5
      Romeo and Juliet is fairly far down on my list of Shakespeare's plays (compared, say, with The Tempest, Macbeth, and Twelfth Night at the top), so my five***** rating of this book (ISBN 978-0786447480) is not for the play itself but for the editorial work. I snagged Demitra Papadinis's "Frankly Annotated First Folio Edition" as an Early Reviewer, and after browsing it I've definitely wish-listed her similar edition of As You Like It (ISBN 978-0786449651, which I didn't win as an Early Reviewer) as well as her pre-order edition of Macbeth (ISBN 978-0786464791).I was particularly curious to see how Papadinis's "Frankly Annotated" editions would stack up versus the Norton Critical Editions (generically, that is, because there is no NCE of Romeo and Juliet to the best of my knowledge). There is simply no comparison between the two, and I say this in praise of both Papadinis and NCE. The strength of NCE is in its supplementary materials, which are completely lacking to Papadinis, while the strength of Papadinis is in her highly detailed line-by-line annotation. Papadinis and NCE, in other words, complement rather than compete with each other.Papadinis's annotation is highly detailed and presented in facing-page format, with the play's text on the left-hand page and the corresponding annotation on the right. What this means is that some left-hand text pages may contain only four or five lines while a corresponding right-hand annotation page will be completely filled, so that Papadinis's "Frankly Annotated" editions are not for a newcomer or casual reader, who will most likely find the design cumbersome and the trade paperback edition's price higher than a beginner would like. (Leaving out introduction and bibliography, both quite short, Papadinis's text/annotations for Romeo and Juliet run from pages 28 through 447 inclusive.)Another Early Reviewer has expressed some objection that these annotations represent a "tendentious study of the vulgar in Shakespeare's play." In reality, though, Romeo and Juliet (like Twelfth Night) in fact is one of Shakespeare's most bawdy plays, so I have to object to such a criticism. On the other hand, I also have to admit that I have not studied Papadinis's annotations that comprehensively, considering the time limit in posting an Early Review. In fact, this is not the kind of book that you are likely to read cover-to-cover, but rather one that you'll browse through, maybe just a scene (or even a few lines) at a time to savor the wealth of annotation that Papadinis provides. For that matter, I'm not such a Shakespeare specialist that I'd necessarily pick up on small annotational glitches anyway, so here's hoping some other ER can comment with more specificity on this subject.Papadinis's "Frankly Annotated" editions are available in both trade paperback and Kindle, but this does not seem like the kind of text that could be properly formatted for eBook reading, given the need for facing-page capability. I did download a Kindle sample, but it was too short (it included only some of the introduction, with none of the facing-page text/annotation) to be sure of this, but I'd definitely recommend the trade paperback edition. It's a bit pricey but worth it, though not recommended for a first-timer to the play.
    • 4/5
      William Shakespeare's epic tale of comedy, tragedy, and love is a staple for romantic literature. When two adolescents from feuding families fall in love, their destinys' suddenly become intertwined, with neither able to live without the other.
    • 4/5
      Found this very easy to use and understand. I think my family is tired of me quoting the play then explaining it according to the book. As a theater major I found this book fascinating.
    • 4/5
      What a sorrowful tale this was, all toldeth
      which tooketh me so long to finally beholdeth.
      Enjoying much am I, traveling through the Bard's w'rks
      the linquistics, the grammar, the sentence-y quirks.
      Fresh eyes, with which, I cometh as observer
      and eateth up the words, with generous fervor
      What ho! what a tome of impending doom,
      which buries the heart in grief's wretched gloom.
      But a lesson is learn'd from the reading, plain it be
      that through the preponderances of history:
      Great is that trait, the undercurrent to see
      peace, love, hope, and tranquility.
      But soft, much there are stories of woe,
      like that of our Juliet and Romeo.
    • 4/5
      It makes for a more interesting read if you choose to interpret it as a Trainwreck, instead of a love story against which all others should be measured. If ~anyone~ in the entire play had enough sense to tell them "Hey, slow down, you knew each other for under a day when you decided to get married, let's just be rational," things wouldn't have turned out as they did. Shakespeare's very very impressive in how lifelike his characters are, and how engaging his plays are (compared to many other dull dull plays of the time), but...Romeo and Juliet really pushes the boundaries of credibility for me
    • 4/5
      Romeo and Juliet is very famous story all over the world. I have known this title too, but not known this story well. Needless to say, this story is a story of the tragedy. An old tradition and manners of Italy tore their love. I think that you should read this book once.
    • 3/5
      I'm giving Romeo and Juliet 3 stars because the writing was brilliant. I must admit, Shakespeare was a master in this aspect; in others, not so much. Oh how much I loathe the characters of Romeo and Juliet. But Mercutio was pretty awesome.
    • 4/5
      Underage, star-crossed lovers, gangs and drugs. What more can you ask for? I read Romeo and Juliet as an 11-year-old and fell in love with the aforementioned themes.
    • 4/5
      What can I say about Romeo and Juliet that hasn't already been said? Nothing...but I'll still tell you what you've already heard. Romeo and Juliet is one of the most tragic love stories ever written. The love between Romeo and Juliet is so beautiful because it is immediate and forbidden. Isn't that intriguing? Yes. We all want what is forbidden and we all want a love that doesn't ask why, it just is. Unfortunately, the tragic part must be there too because if this love were to last longer than it had, those questions why would have popped up and ended this great love affair. Romeo and Juliet is the classic love story because its timing is right on mark. The love is immediate in two young characters, that love is only experienced for a short period of time and the death comes before any one or any thing can make them no longer be in love.
    • 4/5
      The play, set in Verona, begins with a street brawl between Montagues and Capulets who are sworn enemies. The Prince of Verona intervenes and declares that further breach of the peace will be punishable by death. Later, Count Paris talks to Capulet about marrying his daughter, but Capulet is wary of the request because Juliet is only thirteen. Capulet asks Paris to wait another two years and invites him to attend a planned Capulet ball. Lady Capulet and Juliet's nurse try to persuade Juliet to accept Paris's courtship.

      Meanwhile, Benvolio talks with his cousin Romeo, Lord Montague's son, about Romeo's recent depression. Benvolio discovers that it stems from unrequited infatuation for a girl named Rosaline, one of Capulet's nieces. Persuaded by Benvolio and Mercutio, Romeo attends the ball at the Capulet house. However, Romeo instead meets and falls in love with Juliet. After the ball, in what is now called the "balcony scene", Romeo sneaks into the Capulet courtyard and overhears Juliet on her balcony vowing her love to him in spite of her family's hatred of the Montagues. Romeo makes himself known to her and they agree to be married. With the help of Friar Laurence, who hopes to reconcile the two families through their children's union, they are secretly married the next day.

      Juliet's cousin Tybalt, incensed that Romeo had sneaked into the Capulet ball, challenges him to a duel. Romeo, now considering Tybalt his kinsman, refuses to fight. Mercutio is offended by Tybalt's insolence, as well as Romeo's "vile submission," and accepts the duel on Romeo's behalf. Mercutio is fatally wounded when Romeo attempts to break up the fight. Grief-stricken and wracked with guilt, Romeo confronts and slays Tybalt.

      Montague argues that Romeo has justly executed Tybalt for the murder of Mercutio. The Prince, now having lost a kinsman in the warring families' feud, exiles Romeo from Verona and declares that if Romeo returns, "that hour is his last." Romeo secretly spends the night in Juliet's chamber, where they consummate their marriage. Capulet, misinterpreting Juliet's grief, agrees to marry her to Count Paris and threatens to disown her when she refuses to become Paris's "joyful bride." When she then pleads for the marriage to be delayed, her mother rejects her.

      Juliet visits Friar Laurence for help, and he offers her a drug that will put her into a death-like coma for "two and forty hours." The Friar promises to send a messenger to inform Romeo of the plan, so that he can rejoin her when she awakens. On the night before the wedding, she takes the drug and, when discovered apparently dead, she is laid in the family crypt.

      The messenger, however, does not reach Romeo and, instead, he learns of Juliet's apparent death from his servant Balthasar. Heartbroken, Romeo buys poison from an apothecary and goes to the Capulet crypt. He encounters Paris who has come to mourn Juliet privately. Believing Romeo to be a vandal, Paris confronts him and, in the ensuing battle, Romeo kills Paris. Still believing Juliet to be dead, he drinks the poison. Juliet then awakens and, finding Romeo dead, stabs herself with his dagger. The feuding families and the Prince meet at the tomb to find all three dead. Friar Laurence recounts the story of the two "star-cross'd lovers". The families are reconciled by their children's deaths and agree to end their violent feud. The play ends with the Prince's elegy for the lovers: "For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."
    • 1/5
      I am not a Shakespeare fan. I have never gotten why people think his writing is so great. I'm just not cut out for this kind of reading. I hate it, I really do. Being forced to read him in high school had a lot to do with creating this extreme dislike I have for almost all of his work.
    • 5/5
      This review is for the Frankly Annotated First Folio Edition, with annotations by Demitra Papadinis.The layout of the book is fantastic, making it easy to keep your place in the play when checking on the notes. The notes themselves are fantastic, going in depth and not leaving out the dirty jokes. A thoroughly enjoyable and educational edition!
    • 4/5
      Reflects Shakespeare's innocence at this stage of his career. I believe he was a starry-eyed dreamer. His poetry and his romantic vision reflect that. Rough in spots, this is still a classic story. The cleverness of the lines is at its strongest. The balcony scene and the scene in which Romeo and Juliet part after their union are still some of the most romantic words I've ever read.
    • 4/5
      Classic story of love and loss. ;) It's Shakespeare, and it's beautiful.
    • 5/5
      11/04/11Romeo & Juliet is a dramatic play and a beautiful story written by William Shakespeare. It is a tragic love story between two households that held a grudge against each other and is set in Verona, Italy, Elizabethan times. When Romeo saw Juliet, he fell in love with her instantly. Even though Juliet was a Capulet, Romeo took his chances and confessed his love for her. Like all love stories, she felt the same way about him, but this love was forbidden by both households. Juliet's cousin Tybalt, finds out the forbidden love between Romeo and Juliet. He kills Romeo's best friend Mercutio, and Romeo kills Tybalt out of rage. Because of such violence, Romeo is forced out of Verona's boundaries. Juliet is forced into a marriage with Paris, the Prince's friend. Knowing that, Juliet takes a sleeping potion that lasts for a few hours. Everyone grieved, thinking she was dead. Sadly, the message did not get to Romeo. Having Romeo thinking Juliet's dead, he takes a trip to the Apothecary, purchasing a tube of poison. He enters Juliet's room, and just as she wakes up, he drinks the poison and dies. Seeing Romeo dead, Juliet takes Romeo's dagger and stabs herself and dies. The death of the son and daughter of two families ended their grudge and from then on, the Montagues and Capulets were friends, not enemies.The Character that interested me the most was Romeo, as his personality and features changed throughout the story, and that is what makes me like him the most. At first, when he is introduced into the story, he is gloomy and lovesick about a girl named Rosalyn, but as time flashes, he sees Juliet and falls for her. This is when he changed and made a big effect on me as he suddenly forgot about Rosalyn and cared about nothing but Juliet. He started becoming more hasty in his actions as he slays Tybalt, and gets forced out of Verona. Another incident that made a big impression on me was when he found out that Juliet was dead, he did not check for himself, and instead he hastily purchased a vile of poison and drank it seeing Juliet lying unconscious. Although he was hasty and impatient, he was truly brave and his courage made him my favourite character throughout the story.The main theme of this story taught us about love and how it can affect a person's life, how it can change a person's characteristics. It also gives us a message not to be too hasty in our actions as we may regret it later on in life. It tells us not to give in on life because of one thing, as more good things will come. Letting one bad thing past is always better than stopping all the good things that are to come, this is the most important theme. It is conveyed through the language throughout the whole story. It is easily understandable if the reader is paying attention to every scene. Shakespeare's purpose of this text was to share some experiences he had in life, so that everyone that read his stories could understand him more and live life to the fullest.
    • 5/5
      While designing a board game based in Verona, Italy in the 1400's, I ended up reading the play 14 times. It stands up very well. If you're looking for a brilliant treatment in a film, the Francesco Zefferelli version is near perfect. Try to get a version that doesn't edit the Tibault/Mercutio sword-fight, a magnificent dramatic sequence. But for reading aloud in an evening, this is a great experience as well. Should I tell you that the male brain isn't fully matured until the age of 26? It is germane to the plot.
    • 4/5
      The more I read Romeo and Juliet the more I enjoy it. And I've had to read it many times -- for acting classes and teaching it to freshmen. I love the romantic poetry, but even more than that I love the fact that it's got some rather raunchy comedy to it. I mean, really, sexual refferences, booze, violence -- how can you go wrong?