Romeo and Juliet is a popular play written by Shakespeare. In this story set in medieval Italy, there are two families in the city of Verona who have a long enmity between them, the Montagues and the Capulets. However, one day, Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, see each other and instantly fall in love. They marry in secret and plan to secretly meet each other without their parents ever knowing, as if they did they would punish them. However, one day, Tybalt of the Capulet house starts a fight, and kills Romeo’s friend, whom Romeo then avenges. Because Romeo has killed Tybalt, even though he did it because Tybalt killed someone else first, the prince of the city banishes him. Romeo and Juliet are greatly saddened, and attempt to find a plan to meet each other. Will they find a successful plan, or will they never again be able to see each other?
I found this play very interesting! The plot is very well developed and contrasts from regular storylines in that it doesn’t have a very happy ending. There is suspense throughout the play with multiple close calls between the couple almost being able to live together, until disaster strikes and they are separated again, hooking the audience. However, there are some points in the play where the characters ramble on for a long time about seemingly random things, making it seem less realistic. Although this might have been normal for a story in the 1500s, in the modern day it doesn’t hook the audience as much. Because of all this, I give this a four out of five.