Romeo and Juliet

Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet, written between 1594 and 1596, saw its initial publication in an illegal quarto in 1597. In 1599, a much lengthier and more credible quarto edition was published by the authorizing authorities. The 1623 First Folio was produced from a third quarto based on the second. Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet has inspired several artistic interpretations in other forms, including music, dance, and theater. The teenage hero and heroine, whose families, the Montagues and the Capulets, are mortal foes, have become the archetypal star-crossed lovers in the popular imagination.