The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet is a narrative poem, first published in 1562 by Arthur Brooke, who is reported to have translated it from an Italian novella by Matteo Bandello. Romeus and Juliet was the key source for William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Little is known about Arthur Brooke, except that he drowned in 1563 by shipwreck while crossing to help Protestant forces in France.

Some adherents to the theory that Shakespeare's plays were really written by Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford consider this poem to be a youthful composition by de Vere, later expanded and revised for the stage (See: Chronology of Shakespeare's Plays - Oxfordian). Ponderous amounts of source study and comparisons can be found in the introduction in the edition listed below.

[edit] References

• Brooke, Arthur, d. 1564, Brooke’s ’Romeus and Juliet,’ being the original of Shakespeare’s ’Romeo and Juliet’ newly edited by J. J. Munro. London, Chatto and Windus; New York, Duffield and company, 1908. Reprinted in 1978.

[edit] External links

• Arthur Brooke's Romeus and Juliet
• Essay: How Romeus Became Romeo Comparing Brooke's work with Shakespeare's

v • d • e William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet Characters Romeo • Juliet • Mercutio • Tybalt • Benvolio • Friar Lawrence • Nurse • Paris • Prince Escalus • Lord Capulet • Rosaline • Full Character List Sources The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet • Pyramus and Thisbe • Palace of Pleasure • Troilus and Criseyde • Ephisaica Musical adaptations West Side Story (musical) • Roméo et Juliette (musical) • Giulietta e Romeo (musical) • Roméo et Juliette (opera) • Romeo und Julie (singspiel) • I Capuleti e i Montecchi (opera) • Romeo and Juliet (ballet) • Roméo et Juliette (Berlioz) • Romeo and Juliet (overture) On screen Romeo and Juliet (1900) • Romeo and Juliet (1908) • Romeo and Juliet (1916) • Romeo and Juliet (1936) • Romeo and Juliet (1954) • Romeo i Dzhulyetta (1955) • Romeo and Juliet (1968) • Romeo and Juliet (1978) • The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet (1982) • Romeo and Juliet (1992) • Romeo + Juliet (1996) Adaptions Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953) • Romanoff and Juliet (1960) • West Side Story (1961) • Romie-0 and Julie-8 (1979) • The Sea Prince and the Fire Child (1981) • Tromeo and Juliet (1996) • Love Is All There Is (1996) • Shakespeare in Love (1998) • Romeo Must Die (2000) • حبك نار Hobak Nar (2004) • Pizza My Heart (2005) • West Bank Story (2005) • Romeo & Juliet: Sealed with a Kiss (2006) • Romeo x Juliet (2007) • Saints & Sinners (2007 TV series)  • Romeo Loves Juliet (Philippine TV series)

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