Heinemann Shakespeare. Diese Reihe umfasst Lektüren im Original. Die Geschichten sind ungekürzt und bieten unterhaltsames Material für alle Englischlerner. Zum Inhalt: It is not known when Romeo and Juliet was written. 1595 is the date usually assigned to it on the grounds of similarities of style between it and other plays of Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Love's Labour's Lost, and A Midsummer Night's Dream, which are believed to have been written between 1594 and 1596. Some consider that it was written earlier, again on grounds of style, and also claim that the Nurse's dating of Juliet's weaning, 'Tis since the earthquake now eleven years' refers to the earthquake felt in England on 6 April, 1580. But as has recently been pointed out there was another 'terrible earthquake' felt in England on 1 March 1584. Although there is no record of particular performances before 1662, the play was extremely popular. It was acted with 'great applause' the First Quarto (1597) declares, and Digges' memorial lines in the First Folio assert that it is impossible for 'some new strain't out-do Passions of Juliet and her Romeo'. It is indeed on of the best loved of Shakespeare's plays.