William Shakespeare was born some time in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and died in 1616. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.
Stanley Wells is Emeritus Professor of the University of Birmingham and Honorary President of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
Adrian Poole is Reader in English and Comparative Literature and a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.
'Shakespeare invented the human as we continue to know it' Harold Bloom
Set in a city torn apart by feuds and gang warfare, Shakespeare's immortal drama tells the story of star-crossed lovers, rival dynasties and bloody revenge. Romeo and Juliet is a hymn to youth and the thrill of forbidden love, charged with sexual passion and violence, but also a warning of death: a dazzling combination of bawdy comedy and high tragedy.
Used and Recommended by the National Theatre
General Editor Stanley Wells
Edited by T. J. B. Spencer
Introduction by Adrian Poole
