No Fear Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet

 

"No Fear Shakespeare" is a series of books that provide modern English translations side-by-side with the original text of William Shakespeare's plays. The translations are designed to help readers better understand the language and meaning of Shakespeare's works.

In the case of "Romeo and Juliet," the "No Fear Shakespeare" version presents the original text on the left-hand side of the page and a modern English translation on the right-hand side. This can be helpful for readers who may struggle with Shakespeare's language or who want to better understand the meaning of certain phrases or words.

For example, in Act 2, Scene 2, when Romeo is speaking to Juliet on her balcony, the original text reads:

"O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;

Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,

And I'll no longer be a Capulet."

The "No Fear Shakespeare" translation for this passage is:

"O Romeo, Romeo, why do you have to be Romeo? Forget about your father and change your name. Or else, if you won't change your name, just swear your love to me and I'll give up being a Capulet."

As you can see, the modern English translation makes the language more accessible and easier to understand, while still retaining the essence and beauty of Shakespeare's original text.

Play Summary

No Fear Shakespeare is a series of translations of Shakespearean plays into modern English, making it easier for contemporary readers to understand and enjoy the works of Shakespeare.

The play "Romeo and Juliet" is a tragic love story about two young lovers from feuding families in Verona, Italy. The play begins with a brawl between the servants of the Capulet and Montague families. The Prince of Verona declares that any further fighting will result in punishment.

Romeo Montague attends a party at the Capulet's house in disguise and falls in love with Juliet Capulet. They exchange vows of love and plan to marry, despite their families' hatred for each other.

Romeo kills Juliet's cousin Tybalt in a fit of anger after Tybalt kills Romeo's friend Mercutio. Romeo is banished from Verona and forced to leave Juliet behind.

Juliet's father, unaware of her love for Romeo, arranges for her to marry Count Paris. To avoid this, Juliet fakes her own death with the help of a potion given to her by Friar Laurence, who also plans to send a letter to Romeo explaining the plan.

 However, Romeo never receives the letter and, believing Juliet to be dead, he buys poison and returns to Verona to die beside her. When Juliet wakes up and finds Romeo dead, she stabs herself with his dagger.

The families of the two lovers are moved by the tragic ending and vow to end their feud. The play ends with the Prince of Verona lamenting the loss of Romeo and Juliet, and hoping that their families will learn to live in peace.

 No Fear Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet Characters Analysis 

Here's a brief character analysis of some of the key characters in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet":

Romeo: 

The young protagonist of the play, Romeo is impulsive and passionate, and falls deeply in love with Juliet. He is a romantic at heart, and tends to act on his emotions rather than his reason, which ultimately leads to his tragic end.

Juliet: 

The female protagonist, Juliet is intelligent, headstrong, and also very passionate. She falls in love with Romeo despite their families' feud, and is willing to risk everything to be with him. She is also a skilled and persuasive communicator, which allows her to manipulate situations to her advantage.

Friar Lawrence: 

A wise and compassionate priest, Friar Lawrence is a mentor figure to Romeo and Juliet. He secretly marries the young couple in hopes of bringing an end to the feud between their families, but his plan ultimately backfires.

Tybalt: 

Juliet's hot-headed cousin, Tybalt is fiercely loyal to his family and quick to pick a fight. He sees Romeo's presence at the Capulet party as a provocation and seeks revenge, leading to a tragic chain of events.

Mercutio: 

Romeo's witty and charismatic friend, Mercutio is a foil to Romeo in many ways. He is cynical about love and more interested in mocking and joking around than being serious. His death at the hands of Tybalt is a turning point in the play, setting off a series of tragic events.

These are just a few of the key characters in the play, but there are many others who play important roles in the story as well.