Personally, I enjoyed reading the play very much, especially since we were able to read some scenes in class. Even though at one point the Shakespearian language may be difficult to read at first, I thoroughly appreciated the language later. The grammar of the Elizabethan English was kind of confusing, but eventually it made sense. (My class called it “Yoda talk” because of the different orderings of phrases for the verbs and subjects)

Another way I was able to view the play was through the lens of West Side Story. I watched the 1950’s version, and I thought it was amazing how the ideas and themes of Shakespeare’s stories can be just as applicable in different times and settings. Through the dynamics between Maria and Tony, so many parallels can be made between the movie and the play.

Overall I would rate Romeo and Juliet a 8.5/10 for its amazing storytelling and descriptions and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a good story, and also push themselves with this challenging piece of literature. When watching the whole play. One point about the writing that I really enjoyed was the extended metaphors, and also Shakespeare’s wit in how he included double meanings in many of the things he writes, for both comedic and dramatic purposes.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.