Overview

"Romeo and Juliet is about the rebellion of the heart," Writes Simon Palfrey. "It taps into the desire, cherished by all of us, for a life less afraid, less timid, less, in a very basic way, predicted. Despite it's fame, Shakespeare's great play about doomed young love has attracted less serious critical attention than it deserves. In this brilliant, provocaticve and entertaining new book, Palrey, a leading Shakespearean scholar, seeks to put this right. He shows us why the play is such an extraordinary work of art, why Juliet is such an unusual and captivating heroine, and what Shakespeare is really saying about her hopeless passion for Romeo - and about the nature of love itself.