Romeo and Juliet

Abstract

As the Prince says at the end of the play, there’s no sadder story than Romeo and Juliet. Here are two young lives cut short; moreover, the two lovers did no obvious wrong. Even though we are led into seeing the events from the viewpoint of the lovers (we want what they want), it’s possible to imagine it all from the perspective of the parents and the Prince. This is the function of the final scene; this was a tragedy for two families as well as two people, and a whole city as well as the two families.