Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare's famous star-crossed lovers by
David Johnson Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers are probably the
most famous of all fictional romantic couples. The balcony scene
where they confess their love provides some of the best-known
lines in English literature, such as, "What's in a name? That
which we call a rose/By any other name would smell as sweet."
The story of young lovers seeking happiness despite opposition
from their families was well known to Elizabethan audiences. It
had appeared in various forms, including as a long, narrative
poem by Arthur Brooke. But Shakespeare's beautifully crafted
play, with its brilliant use of words and compelling characters,
gave the old story a vibrancy that soon eclipsed all other
versions. Even today, more than 400 years after it was first
presented, Romeo and Juliet symbolizes true burning love. More
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