Romeo and Juliet is the tragic story of ""star-crossed lovers"" from feuding families. Complete with a masquerade ball, a duel, a secret marriage, a sleeping potion, and pushy parents, the play packs a lot of action and emotion into five days of passion, romance, duplicity, and tragedy. Now you can end your Shakespearian woes with this modern translation and aids that make understanding the play quick and painless:

• A brief synopsis of the plot and action
• A comprehensive character list that describes the characteristics, motivations, and actions of each major player
• A visual character map that shows the relationships of major characters
• A cycle-of-death graphic that pinpoints the sequence of deaths and includes who dies, how they die, and why
• Reflective questions that help you understand the themes of the play