Romeus and Juliet- Brooke

THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF ROMEUS AND JULIET
Arthur Brooke (pubd. 1562)

Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet dramatizes the story of two young lovers who die as a result of misunderstandings amidst a family feud. This tale of ill-fated love was well known at Shakespeare’s time. There were many versions, but Shakespeare’s primary source was Arthur Brooke’s narrative poem, "The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet." This particular excerpt from Brooke’s poem, in which Romeus and Juliet meet at her window and confess their love, inspired the famous balcony scene in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. (StudySync)

The glorious triumph of the continent man upon the lusts of wanton flesh, encourageth men to honest restraint of wild affections; the shameful and wretched ends of such as have yielded their liberty thrall to foul desires teach men to withhold themselves from the headlong fall of loose dishonesty. So, to like effect, by sundry means the good man's example biddeth men to be good, and the evil man's mischief warneth men not to be evil. To this good end serve all ill ends of ill beginnings. And to this end, good Reader, is this tragical matter written, to describe unto thee a couple of unfortunate lovers, thralling themselves to unhonest desire; neglecting the authority and advice of parents and friends; conferring their principal counsels with drunken gossips and superstitious friars (the naturally fit instruments of unchastity); attempting all adventures of peril for th' attaining of their wished lust; using auricular confession the key of whoredom and treason, for furtherance of their purpose; abusing the honourable name of lawful marriage to cloak the shame of stolen contracts; finally by all means of unhonest life hasting to most unhappy death. (Brooke, Intro)

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