Dramas & Plays
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Romeo and Juliet (The Pelican Shakespeare)
The acclaimed Pelican Shakespeare series, now in a dazzling new series design
Winner of the 2016 AIGA + Design Observer 50 Books | 50 Covers competition
Gold Medal Winner of the 3x3 Illustration Annual No. 14
This edition of Romeo and Juliet is edited with an introduction by Peter Holland and was recently repackaged with cover art by Manuja Waldia. Waldia received a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators for the Pelican Shakespeare series.
The legendary Pelican Shakespeare series features authoritative and meticulously researched texts paired with scholarship by renowned Shakespeareans. Each book includes an essay on the theatrical world of Shakespeare's time, an introduction to the individual play, and a detailed note on the text used. Updated by general editors Stephen Orgel and A. R. Braunmuller, these easy-to-read editions incorporate over thirty years of Shakespeare scholarship undertaken since the original series, edited by Alfred Harbage, appeared between 1956 and 1967. With stunning new covers, definitive texts, and illuminating essays, the Pelican Shakespeare will remain a valued resource for students, teachers, and theater professionals for many years to come.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Winner of the 2016 AIGA + Design Observer 50 Books | 50 Covers competition
Gold Medal Winner of the 3x3 Illustration Annual No. 14
This edition of Romeo and Juliet is edited with an introduction by Peter Holland and was recently repackaged with cover art by Manuja Waldia. Waldia received a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators for the Pelican Shakespeare series.
The legendary Pelican Shakespeare series features authoritative and meticulously researched texts paired with scholarship by renowned Shakespeareans. Each book includes an essay on the theatrical world of Shakespeare's time, an introduction to the individual play, and a detailed note on the text used. Updated by general editors Stephen Orgel and A. R. Braunmuller, these easy-to-read editions incorporate over thirty years of Shakespeare scholarship undertaken since the original series, edited by Alfred Harbage, appeared between 1956 and 1967. With stunning new covers, definitive texts, and illuminating essays, the Pelican Shakespeare will remain a valued resource for students, teachers, and theater professionals for many years to come.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Editorial Reviews
"Gorgeous new Shakespeare paperbacks."
-Marlon James, author of A Brief History of Seven Killings
"I have been using the Pelican Shakespeare for years in my lecture course--it's invaluable, the best individual-volume series available for students."
-Marjorie Garber, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of English and Visual and Environmental Studies, Harvard University
-Marlon James, author of A Brief History of Seven Killings
"I have been using the Pelican Shakespeare for years in my lecture course--it's invaluable, the best individual-volume series available for students."
-Marjorie Garber, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of English and Visual and Environmental Studies, Harvard University
Readers Top Reviews
SoniaSomer Boykin
I've been trying to complete my twilight collection since 2009 so when I saw this available on amazon I was stoked! Of course Romeo & Juliet is a classic but if im being honest I only bought it to look pretty on my shelf with the rest of my twilight collection.
Reinold F.salSoni
Film, comic TV series adaptations multiply the story of Romeo and Juliet. I have enjoyed many of its mirrors as the version with Leonardo DiCaprio in Miami, the kung fu version with Jet Li, the black and white classic with Cantinflas ("London! I mean... Paris!"xD), or Juleo and Rumiet by Chespirito, among many others. But just now I dared to read the original and it was jaw-dropping... Shakespeare is invisible. He creates a world where he is not seen and all is doomed to fit or crash by its own accord. The first scenes indirectly set the following drama. In a world where Romeo and Juliet are not meant to be, they violently and inevitably fall in love with each other. There is Rosaline, whom Romeo loved with juvenile passion to her idealized shape. She is there and she is not there to make a contrast with the feelings toward Juliet. Juliet for her part has to clad her tears of love with the disguise of mourning for her cousin Tybalt; she utters words of revenge against Romeo because the world is against her love. Similar to the end of Don Quixote, when he awakes from madness to the tiredness of reality, Romeo also, at his end, has no romance but solitary longing; one that awakes him into a conscious lucidity of his "world-weary flesh" of man. The moment in which he is alone with himself after losing everything at hands of death... is not Hamlet that descends into madness, is Romeo that now seems to understand everything. Rather than romance Romeo and Juliet is about the struggle of small humanity against destiny, to do anything despite to have the whole universe plotting against you. As so this story is a triumph. Borges said that secretly the national book of Englishmen is the bible, not Shakespeare's works; and that Shakespeare's works was secretly the national book of Germany, not Goethe's works. I love so much the diverse authors of the United Kingdom, especially those at the end of 19th century and beginning of 20th century. But I have to concord that Shakespeare seems different. Clearly universal, not for the location of his plays, but because the human nature is common to each man and woman; a quality that Romanticism, in its insistence for exotic objects to clad the fellow citizens instead to get to to the heart of the exotic cultures, failed to accomplish (although in fairness perhaps that wasn't its goal). Maybe indeed Shakespeare is more akin to the Germanic and Nordic old sagas, those that have a wise understanding of men and women, with characters that deeply say far more in their actions or in subtle words. About the AmazonClassics Edition it has a minimal of X-Ray to indicate the allegiance of each character to the Capulet or Montague families. Beyond that there are not footnotes nor prologues; and I am happy for that because Shakespeare is better discovered without intermediaries.
Laura McDanielsAl
I bought this book to help me with my school work that is done online and I also read the book online as well
Short Excerpt Teaser
Act One
SCENE ONE
Verona. A Public Place. Enter Sampson and Gregory, armed with swords and bucklers
sampson. Gregory, o' my word, we 'll not carry coals.
gregory. No, for then we should be colliers.
sampson. I mean, an we be in choler, we 'll draw.
gregory. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.
sampson. I strike quickly, being moved.
gregory. But thou art not quickly moved to strike.
sampson. A dog of the house of Montague moves me.
gregory. To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand; therefore, if thou art moved, thou runnest away.
sampson. A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's.
gregory. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall.
sampson. 'Tis true; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall.
gregory. The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.
sampson. 'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids; I will cut off their heads.
gregory. The heads of the maids?
sampson. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maiden-heads; take it in what sense thou wilt.
gregory. They must take it in sense that feel it.
sampson. Me they shall feel while I am able to stand; and 'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.
gregory. 'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor John. Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of the Montagues.
Enter Abraham and Balthasar
sampson. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back thee.
gregory. How! turn thy back and run?
sampson. Fear me not.
gregory. No, marry; I fear thee!
sampson. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.
gregory. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list.
sampson. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.
abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
sampson. I do bite my thumb, sir.
abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
sampson. (Aside to Gregory) Is the law of our side if I say ay?
gregory. (Aside to Sampson) No.
sampson. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir.
gregory. Do you quarrel, sir?
abraham. Quarrel, sir! no, sir.
sampson. If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you.
abraham. No better.
sampson. Well, sir.
gregory. (Aside to Sampson) Say "better"; here comes one of my master's kinsmen.
sampson. Yes, better, sir.
abraham. You lie.
sampson. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. They fight
Enter Benvolio
benvolio. Part, fools! Put up your swords; you know not what you do.Beats down their swords
Enter Tybalt
tybalt. What! art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.
benvolio. I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these men with me.
tybalt. What! drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Have at thee, coward!They fight
Enter several persons of both houses, who join the fray; then enter Citizens, with clubs and partisans
citizens. Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down! Down with the Capulets! down with Montagues!
Enter Capulet in his gown, and Lady Capulet
capulet. What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!
lady capulet. A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?
capulet. My sword, I say! Old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in spite of me.
Enter Montague and Lady Montague
montague. Thou villain Capulet! Hold me not; let me go.
lady montague. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe.
Enter Prince with his Train
prince. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel,- Will they not hear? What ho! you men, you beasts, That quench the fire of your pernicious rage With purple fountains issuing from your veins, On pain of torture, from those bloody hands Throw your mis-temper'd weapons to the ground, And hear the sentence of your moved prince. Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets, And made Verona's ancient citizens Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, To wield old partisans, in hands as old, Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate. If ever you...
SCENE ONE
Verona. A Public Place. Enter Sampson and Gregory, armed with swords and bucklers
sampson. Gregory, o' my word, we 'll not carry coals.
gregory. No, for then we should be colliers.
sampson. I mean, an we be in choler, we 'll draw.
gregory. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar.
sampson. I strike quickly, being moved.
gregory. But thou art not quickly moved to strike.
sampson. A dog of the house of Montague moves me.
gregory. To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand; therefore, if thou art moved, thou runnest away.
sampson. A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's.
gregory. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall.
sampson. 'Tis true; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall.
gregory. The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.
sampson. 'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids; I will cut off their heads.
gregory. The heads of the maids?
sampson. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maiden-heads; take it in what sense thou wilt.
gregory. They must take it in sense that feel it.
sampson. Me they shall feel while I am able to stand; and 'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.
gregory. 'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor John. Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of the Montagues.
Enter Abraham and Balthasar
sampson. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back thee.
gregory. How! turn thy back and run?
sampson. Fear me not.
gregory. No, marry; I fear thee!
sampson. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.
gregory. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list.
sampson. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.
abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
sampson. I do bite my thumb, sir.
abraham. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
sampson. (Aside to Gregory) Is the law of our side if I say ay?
gregory. (Aside to Sampson) No.
sampson. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir.
gregory. Do you quarrel, sir?
abraham. Quarrel, sir! no, sir.
sampson. If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you.
abraham. No better.
sampson. Well, sir.
gregory. (Aside to Sampson) Say "better"; here comes one of my master's kinsmen.
sampson. Yes, better, sir.
abraham. You lie.
sampson. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. They fight
Enter Benvolio
benvolio. Part, fools! Put up your swords; you know not what you do.Beats down their swords
Enter Tybalt
tybalt. What! art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.
benvolio. I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these men with me.
tybalt. What! drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Have at thee, coward!They fight
Enter several persons of both houses, who join the fray; then enter Citizens, with clubs and partisans
citizens. Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down! Down with the Capulets! down with Montagues!
Enter Capulet in his gown, and Lady Capulet
capulet. What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!
lady capulet. A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?
capulet. My sword, I say! Old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in spite of me.
Enter Montague and Lady Montague
montague. Thou villain Capulet! Hold me not; let me go.
lady montague. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe.
Enter Prince with his Train
prince. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel,- Will they not hear? What ho! you men, you beasts, That quench the fire of your pernicious rage With purple fountains issuing from your veins, On pain of torture, from those bloody hands Throw your mis-temper'd weapons to the ground, And hear the sentence of your moved prince. Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets, And made Verona's ancient citizens Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, To wield old partisans, in hands as old, Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate. If ever you...
