William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is the quintessential love story, about "a pair of star-crossed lovers," who can never be together because of an ancient grudge between their two families. The story is a romantic tragedy, and the play itself was written during the late sixteenth century, yet it still has the power to move modern audiences. Shakespeare made this play effective through its ingenious characterisation, timeless setting and engaging plot. Oppositions and contrasts between both people and themes are common throughout, as is the use of dramatic irony and foreshadowing which is created particularly through the Prologue. The composer also explores a number of ideas, including love, hate and fate. The language of the play is contrasting and varied, a mixture of poetry and prose, depending on the character and their particular situation. West Side Story, a musical modernized adaptation of the play, shows how powerful the...