The Signet Classics edition of William Shakespeare's timeless story of star-crossed lovers. One of the Bard's most popular plays, this is both the quintessential story of young love and a cautionary tale of the tragedy that can occur when the forces of passion and familial pride are at odds. This title in the Signet Classics Shakespeare series includes: • An overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater • A special introduction to the play by the editor, J.A. Bryant, Jr. • The source from which Shakespeare derived Romeo and Juliet , Arthur Brooke's The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet • Dramatic criticism from Samuel Johnson, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Michael Goldman, and others • A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions of Romeo and Juliet • Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable format • Recommended readings