Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

Romeo and Juliet

Credits

Readability Age Range

Publisher

Awards

Year Published

Book Review

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine.

Plot Summary

An early fight scene introduces readers to the Capulet and Montague families and their long-standing feud. Romeo, son of Lord Montague, believes he’s in love with a girl named Rosaline until he and Juliet (a Capulet) lock eyes at a party and determine they must be together. The lovers marry in secret, with the help of Juliet’s nurse and Friar Lawrence — but all hope for their happiness seems lost when Romeo is banished for killing Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt. Juliet, who is being forced by her father to marry Paris, drinks a concoction that will put her in a coma so she appears dead. She’s entombed and Friar Lawrence promises to let Romeo know of the plot so he can come wake her. The plan goes awry and Romeo, thinking Juliet is really dead, kills himself in her presence. She wakes to find him lifeless and stabs herself with his dagger.

Christian Beliefs

Friar Lawrence marries Romeo and Juliet and plots to help them stay together. While his actions may seem well-intentioned, his scheming, deception and knowledge of mystical elements (such as the sleeping potion Juliet drinks) render him a holy man of questionable character.

Other Belief Systems

Even the earliest lines of the play, which state that Romeo and Juliet are “star-crossed lovers,” indicate that cosmic destiny, not God, will guide the actions in this story. The tragic events that follow, culminating in the death of the young lovers, are attributed to fate. “Love” itself becomes a religion for Romeo and Juliet: Their passion causes them to reject nearly all of the people, values and laws they once held dear. After they first meet, Juliet even refers to Romeo as “the god of my idolatry.”

Authority Roles

Lord and Lady Capulet push for Juliet’s marriage to Paris, believing it is in her best interest. Lord Capulet’s temper flares when Juliet protests. Juliet’s nurse essentially raises her, even breastfeeding her as an infant. She serves as Juliet’s confidante and messenger, helping the lovers execute their secret romantic schemes and putting Juliet’s happiness above her loyalty to her employers. Romeo’s parents demonstrate concern about his depression, and his mother dies of grief when he’s banished from Verona. Prince Escalus demands peace in Verona at all costs.

Profanity & Violence

God’s name is used in vain several times. The bulk of the profanity in this play appears in the off-color innuendos and double-entendres for which Shakespeare is famous. Mercutio and other minor characters often jest about sex and the intimate parts of male and female anatomy. As far as violence, there is swordplay, and the main characters’ suicides are emphasized.

Sexual Content

Romeo and Juliet kiss. The first time is on the night they meet. A few days later (though no explicit detail appears in the script) they consummate their marriage. Veiled sexual humor appears throughout.

Discussion Topics

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books.

Additional Comments

You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected].

Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.