The Legend of Romeo and Juliet

Olin H. Moore

 

1950

167 pp.


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“The long and complicated history of the plot of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has fascinated numerous scholars. . . . After more than a century of progress, some of our leading investigators seem convinced that the end of the road has been reached. . . . I shall try to show that present studies of the sources of Romeo and Juliet require revision all along the line, but especially in the final and decisive stage—the transition from Brooke to Shakespeare. Indicative of the amount of work which remains to be done at this point is the frequency with which scholars, in need of an x to solve baffling problems, fall back upon the lost play mentioned by Brooke. We have also much to learn yet regarding the origins of the Montecchi (Montagues), the sources of Masuccio and even of Luigi da Porto, and the relations between Clizia and Bandello, not to mention certain curious features of Lope de Vega’s version of the legend.

“The general plan followed is chronological, and only summary notice is taken of the numerous and oft-cited legends vaguely resembling the Romeo and Juliet plot, but not demonstrably connected with it.” —from the introduction

Olin H. Moore was professor of romance languages at The Ohio State University.