Penelope Dyan
The tragic play, Romeo and Juliet ,was written early in the career of William Shakespeare. It is the tale of two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths finally unite their feuding families. It was one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays. The story takes place in Verona where you can go and see for yourself where Juliet and her family lived, and just a short walk away from Juliet’s house is the house where Romeo lived with his family . The people of Verona will tell you they aren’t sure if the story of Romeo and Juliet is true, but they are quite sure the families existed; and that there was indeed a feud between them. It is sad to think the two young lovers had to die to bring the families together and to stop the feud, but it is a tale that has withstood time; and there is definitely a lesson to be learned in it. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet plot is actually based on an Italian tale, translated into verse, 'The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet' by Arthur Brooke, written in 1562, and retold in prose in William Painter’s 'Palace of Pleasure' in 1582. Since this is a tale of antiquity, there is a likelihood there is an element of truth in it. This is why John D. Weigand and Penelope Dyan traveled all the way to Verona. . . to decide for themselves if the tale was true. What did they decide? They decided to let you decide. So walk through the beautiful streets of Verona, Italy with them and see what you think. One thing is certain, the lesson in the tale is timeless. Use this book to introduce your child to both Verona and Shakespeare and feel confident in its purpose, as Dyan is a former K-12 , teacher, an attorney and an award winning author who really understands kids!
