When you hear the words “Romeo and Juliet,” what comes to mind? For most people, the mention of these names conjures up images of young people declaring their love from balconies and defying fate to be together. Romeo and Juliet is certainly a young love story. However, the novice reader will often miss the underlying ideas that the writer only hints at throughout this piece. To fail to understand the subtle political and social themes of the plot is to fail to understand the author's full intentions. Shakespeare uses complex characterizations and ubiquitous symbols to describe life in the Victorian era. Romeo and Juliet, written in 1597 by William Shakespeare, tells the story of two young people, Romeo and Juliet, who fall in love despite the social restrictions of the 16th century. Verona (New York University Libraries). An unknown feud has sowed discord between the Capulets and the Montagues, two prominent families, and servants and family members engage in a public brawl, interrupted only when the Prince of Verona threatens death to anyone who disturbs the peace of the city. Shakespeare then introduces us to the two main characters. Romeo Montague is lovesick because the woman he loves, Rosaline, has sworn never to marry. Romeo's friends convince him to go to a party that night to look at other girls. Juliet Capulet's parents want her to marry Count Paris, when she is only thirteen years old. At the party that evening, Romeo and Juliet meet and immediately fall in love. After the party, Romeo leaves his friends in search of Juliet. He finds his balcony, and the two exchange words of love and express their desire to get married as soon as possible. Romeo goes to his mentor, Brother Lawrence, ...... middle of paper ...... intensive character dubbing in Romeo and Juliet. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. “The Nurse.” Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. January 11, 2014. Paster, Gail Kern. “Romeo and Juliet: A Modern Perspective.” Romeo and Juliet. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992. Porter, Joseph A. “The Speech and Space of Mercutio.” Romeo and Juliet. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2005. Spurgeon, Caroline FE “Shakespeare’s Iterative Imagery.” Aspects of Shakespeare. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1933. Wu, Titus. “Poison in Romeo and Juliet.” Literature, mathematics, science, etc. : the place of philosophy. January 10, 2014. .Gill, Jeff. “Romeo and Juliet: character analyses.” January 10 2014. .