The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet
1562 narrative poem by Arthur Brooke / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet is a narrative poem by Arthur Brooke, first published in 1562 by Richard Tottel, which was a key source for William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.[1] It is a translation and adaptation of a French story by Pierre Boaistuau, itself derived from an Italian novella by Matteo Bandello.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2022) |
The plot of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet takes place over four days while Brooke's narrative takes place over many months.
Little is known about Arthur Brooke. He was admitted as a member of Inner Temple on 18 December 1561 under the sponsorship of Thomas Sackville and Thomas Norton.[2] He drowned in 1563 in a shipwreck while crossing to help Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion.
The poem's ending differs significantly from Shakespeare's play — in the poem, the nurse is banished and the apothecary hanged for their involvement in the deception, while Friar Lawrence leaves Verona to end his days in a hermitage.