Episode 162
In today’s episode I look at Shakespeare’s early tragedy and one of his enduringly popular plays ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
The dating of the play
The early printings of the play in quarto editions
The origins of the story and Shakespeare’s direct sources
The opening chorus
Violence and the hand of fate underlying the action
The opening brawl and the threat of violence to women
The calming voice of women in the play
Romeo as a Petrarchan hero
Juliet as an innovative character who drives the plot
Romeo and Juliet’s shared sonnet
The motivations of Friar Lawrence and Juliet’s nurse
A brief performance history of the play
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