Romeo and Juliet Background

Genre: Shakespearean Tragedy

Romeo and Juliet was written during the Elizabethan Era (1558–1603), which many historians regard as the golden age of England. The era is named after Queen Elizabeth I, the ruler of England at the time, and the period was marked by peace and prosperity. The arts, in particular, flourished during this time. Although the play can indeed be categorized as a tragedy, it doesn’t strictly follow the tenets of Shakespearian tragedy. The protagonists don’t suffer from hubris (excessive pride), and, unlike other Shakespearean tragedies, the element of hamartia (a fatal flaw) is notably missing in the play. Moreover, the first two acts of the play are structured as a comedy. It is only in the third act that the plot shifts from comedy to tragedy.

Much like his contemporaries, Shakespeare also drew from preexisting and famous storylines, and Romeo and Juliet is no exception. The plot of Romeo and Juliet is based on The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet (1562) by Arthur Brooke, which was later retold by William Painter in Palace of Pleasure (1567). The play employs a poetic dramatic structure, and is a fine example of Shakespeare’s mastery in general of the dramatic form. The juxtaposition of comedy and tragedy heightens the tension in the play, and the use of subplots and development of minor characters further add to its literary value.