This play was inspired by imagining a life that Juliet might have lived, if she had rejected Romeo and gone on to greatness. Part of the fun of the play, is seeing the familiar plot inverted, with moments of misery turned to humor. Also, elements from other Shakespearean plays are woven into the story, including Shylock’s ruin in The Merchant of Venice, twin confusion in The Comedy of Errors, a battle of wits from All’s Well that Ends Well, a critical lover from The Taming of the Shrew and elements of farce from The Merry Wives of Windsor. Also woven through the plot, are allusions to Helen of Troy and the Judgment of Paris. Each age interprets them differently. The play begins rich with poetry, but the verbal style evolves towards prose as the problems facing the characters become more ominous and they grow to maturity.
The Montagues and Capulets guide sections
