Romeo and Juliet Throughout the Years.

Montecchi and the Cappelletti

1289

Dante tells the tale of two feuding factions in his Purgatorio where two young lovers banned from seeing each other. It is likely that Dante based this story off real events near his home in Northern Italy.

Giulietta e Romeo

1530

Luigi da Porto modifies Dante's story, changing the names to Romeo and Juliet (when translated to English). He also changes the political factions into neighboring families.

Romeus and Juliet

1562

Written by Arthur Brooke, translating the Italian works to English while also adding much to the story. Examples include the lovers' suicides, the secret marriage, and many other things.

Romeo and Juliet

1595

Shakespeare writes Romeo and Juliet, drawing influence from either Brooke's version or da Porto's version of the tale. Many parts of the story were taken directly from Brooke's poem, like select characters, the ill fate for the lovers, their meeting, and many other aspects.

Marius and Lavinia

1679

Thomas Ottoway rewrites Shakespeare play, changing the name of the lovers and setting the story in ancient Rome, no longer Verona.

Romeo and Juliet Hit it Big.

1748

David Garrick modifies Shakespeare's play, removing gawdy joks and many sexual references that Shakespeare had kept.

West Side Story

1961

Leonard Bernstein updates the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet, updating the setting to 1950s' New York City.

Gnomeo and Juliet

2011

Sets a childish theme to a very old tale, turning all the characters into garden gnomes and adding a happy ever after ending.