Title characterThe title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of the work might consist solely of the title character's name – such as Michael Collins or Othello – or be a longer phrase or sentence – such as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland or The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
MercutioMercutio ( mur-KEW-shee-oh; Italian: Mercuzio [merˈkuttsjo]) is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's 1597 tragedy Romeo and Juliet. He is a close friend to Romeo and a blood relative to Prince Escalus and Count Paris. As such, Mercutio is one of the few characters in the play who can mingle with people from both of the feuding Montague and Capulet families. The invitation to Lord Capulet's party states that he has a brother named Valentine.
Matteo BandelloMatteo Bandello (c. 1480–1562) was an Italian writer, soldier, Dominican friar and bishop, best known for his novellas. His collection of 214 novellas made him the most popular short-story writer of his day.
Shakespearean tragedyShakespearean tragedy is the designation given to most of William Shakespeare's tragedies. Many of his history plays share the qualifiers of a Shakespearean tragedy, but because they are based on real figures throughout the history of England, they were classified as "histories" in the First Folio.
RomanceLove focused on feelingsRomeo and Juliet, by Frank Dicksee, considered to be the archetypal romantic couple, depicting the play's iconic balcony scene
The Tragical History of Romeus and JulietThe Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet is an English language narrative poem by Arthur Brooke, first published in 1562 by Richard Tottel, which was a key source for William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It is a translation and adaptation of a French story by Pierre Boaistuau, itself derived from an Italian novella by Matteo Bandello. Little is known about Arthur Brooke.Arthur Brooke (poet)Arthur Brooke (died 19 March 1563) was an English poet who wrote and created various works including The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet (1562), considered to be William Shakespeare's chief source for his tragedy Romeo and Juliet (published in 1597).
HamletTragedy by William ShakespeareThe Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often shortened to Hamlet (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play depicts Prince Hamlet and his attempts to exact revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet's mother.
ArchetypeThe concept of an archetype ( ) appears in areas relating to behavior, historical psychology, philosophy and literary analysis. An archetype can be any of the following: a statement, pattern of behavior, prototype, "first" form, or a main model that other statements, patterns of behavior, and objects copy, emulate, or "merge" into.
William ShakespeareEnglish playwright and poet (1564–1616)William Shakespeare (c. 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" or simply "the Bard".
Ancient historyPeriod between prehistory and the medieval era This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article may be too technical for most readers to understand. Please help improve it to make it understandable to non-experts, without removing the technical details. (July 2026) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article may be confusing or unclear to readers.William Painter (author)William Painter (or Paynter, c. 1540 – between 19 and 22 February 1595) was an English author and translator. As a clerk of the Ordnance in the Tower of London, he was accused of fraud aimed at amassing a personal fortune at public expense. He is best known for his anthology of translations, The Palace of Pleasure.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.