Customer Reviews
Well, it's Shakespeare, what can I say? - By: , 12 Jun 1999 
This play is great. Not at all overrated. Beautiful, passionate, affecting, etc.
Sex sells; so does violence - By: , 31 May 1999 
We human beings haven't changed much since we discovered the written word. There's a reason they call it "the oldest profession"; sex sells, & we all know it. And there's just something too fascinating about blood that keeps us from turning away; why else would we slow down to stare at the car wreck?
Watch Hollywood today, & tell me that sex & violence don't sell. And don't tell me that "Romeo & Juliet" is about romance; young teens rarely understand what romantic love is & all too frequently mistake lust for love. Shakespeare needed dough, & "Romeo & Juliet" provided it for him. Some of his other pieces are also primarily fluff, but they were fluffin a more cerebral fashion. "Romeo & Juliet" simply panders to the lowest common denominator.
It'sin this vein that Shakespeare wrote this spurious piece. There's nothing here that tells us anything about the human condition other than what we already know & acknowledge as some of our worst traits: that we can be impulsive, gullible, stubborn, hateful, & murderous.
As far as I'm concerned, the only good thing about "Romeo & Juliet" is that it spawned the plot for "West Side Story," which, although laden with cheese, does highlight some of the more noble facets of the human character (along the less noble) & features some wonderful music. "Romeo & Juliet" will, however, simply annoy anyone with half a brain.
=P
Young love, and the hatred of 2 families!! - By: , 19 Jan 1997 I have always loved the story of Romeo & Juliet. This book brings hope & sorrow, laughter & tears. It is a must to read & I highly recommend it to all.
