Romeo and Juliet (1594)

2016 Re-Read: Just wanted to note that a lot of people here on Goodreads seem to be horribly misinterpreting this work. It's categorized as a "tragedy" not a "romance". True, the two leads fall in love pretty easily, but they are, after all, teenagers. The story is about that heady, impetuous period in all our lives and just how dangerous it can be. It is not meant to be the love story to end all love stories and was never intended to be. Neither is it a satire, making fun of teenage longing. Shakespeare wouldn't have given some of the most beautiful and stirring speeches ever written expounding on love to his two leads if that were the case. Instead, the central focus here is on the hatred between the two families that keeps these lovers apart. Shakespeare's play warns us about the horrible alchemy caused when the passion of the teenage years converges with adult hatred and bigotry. Sadly, it's a lesson the world still has not fully learned.

2011 Re-Read: I've read this so many times throughout high school and college and it never gets old. How could you not give R&J five stars? It's pretty much a pinnacle of world literature. ( )

This was my sister's book, but it stayed in the top drawer of my dresser for many years. I read it, I liked it. I was a kid, I probably liked the picture on the cover more than anything. But keeping it in my drawer made me feel very smart. ( )

These are an enjoyable series. I love the adaptation of the classic Romeo and Juliet tale. I think if Shakespeare was around today he would appreciate this faithful adaptation of his classic tale of two lovers in fair Verona. Really do recommend this series. ( )

The definitive edition of this play for 21st century academics. Weis is an intelligent editor who shows an objective viewpoint when looking at textual cruxes, and really provides a decent overview of the scholarship on the text. Perhaps the introduction doesn't cover the text in a literary analysis sense, but I suppose there are more highschool-oriented texts out there for that. Very good, and - while not perhaps in my Top 5 of the current Arden series - an example of what the Arden editions aspire to be. ( )

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