Reader discussion: Romeo and Juliet

Public reader discussion about Romeo and Juliet in the WeRead Catalog by William Shakespeare.

What is the essential list of books to read for "cultural literacy?" Is there even such a thing anymore?

By shelfotter

For 2026, I keep wondering what books are basically “must reads.” I know that could mean a couple different things, but for me it’s more like: what would you need to read to get the history of literature enough to talk about it without sounding totally lost? Like, not that long ago it was kind of expected that a literate person knew the Bible and had at least heard of the main Shakespeare stuff. Now it feels way more split. On one side, people are doom-scrolling or gaming all day and just read whatever’s new and popular, or whatever they personally like. If you read some Sarah J. Maas this year, that’s probably more than most people manage. And I’m not even knocking it—I loved *The Old Man and the Sea* and *Throne of Glass*, so I get the appeal. On the other side, it’s like you’re not “really” read unless you’ve plowed through a couple hundred books that basically none of your friends have even touched (even the ones who claim they love reading). So where’s the in-between? Is there a quick, practical list—like 20 or 30 books that most people really should have read to understand the big picture? Or has everything splintered so much that we’re basically back to needing Bible-and-Shakespeare again?

How old is Romeo, if not specified what age range is he?

By patienceNeutron3

Honestly, I don’t think it’s ever spelled out. But from the stuff around it, he seems older than her—like he’s out with his friends running around and his parents don’t even seem to know where he is. Still, he acts like that “horny teenage who thinks he’s in love” kind of guy, so it doesn’t feel like he’s at the age where people are usually talking marriage yet. So I’d put him somewhere around mid to late teens. And with Juliet, people always debate it. Yeah, she’s 13, but her birthday’s like two weeks away, so some folks try to use that as a justification. But I mean… you can’t really do that. If you walked into a bar in the US and told the bartender you’re 20 but your birthday is in two weeks, you’d get nowhere. She’s 13.

How exactly does catharsis come from tragedy?

By MoonQuill2006

I’ve heard that the ancient Greeks used tragedy to kind of cleanse you—like letting out bad feelings so you end up feeling better. But I’m honestly not sure how that’s supposed to work. Every tragedy I’ve read has just left me feeling more depressed, even if I did still enjoy the stories. It’s never felt like relief, more like sitting through all the awful, pointless suffering and watching people fail. So I’m confused—how did they think that would actually lead to catharsis?

Common Interpretation of Frankenstein

By paperbackmarket2003

I’ve always felt a little confused by how people usually read Frankenstein, like the “standard” take ends up drowning out a bunch of the points the book is actually making. Every time I talk to someone about it, they’re mainly stuck on the Monster—how rejected he is by both his creator and society, and how that pain kind of drives him. I do think that part’s real. But it also feels like people stop there, and then they end up treating Victor like he’s basically pure evil. And yeah, the Monster’s choices are messed up, but I don’t really see it as some random, totally unexplained evil switch. It feels more like a painfully human reaction to being built and then instantly discarded. What bugs me too is how often I hear stuff like “Victor should’ve just given him what he wanted and it would’ve fixed everything.” That sounds pretty ironic to me, because that’s exactly the kind of “sure, it’ll work out” blind spot Victor has—like he doesn’t think through the consequences enough. To me, a lot of the real theme is closer to Victor being a tragic hero: smart and driven, but his pride/obsession takes over and he makes one irreversible mistake he can’t undo, and it basically destroys him. That’s the part that makes me think the whole “Tragic Hero” angle fits, especially with how the modern Prometheus name seems to point that way. The first time I read it was in 10th grade AP English, and I was honestly shocked that my take was so different from what people had told me. I saw it as leaning hard into Greek/Victorian tragedy—Victor trying to “challenge the gods” by creating life using science, but not fully understanding what he was unleashing, and then getting taken down by it. My teacher didn’t buy my essay idea at all. She wanted me to focus more on how unfair it was that the Monster was brought into a world with no place for him and a creator who wouldn’t accept him. I’m not saying that view is wrong, but I do think if you make it Victor = monster and Monster = victim, the whole thing gets kinda flattened and less interesting. Maybe a lot of people just don’t really get tragedy as a genre anymore. Like with Shakespeare—people always want everything to be black and white about whether the hero is “good” or “bad,” instead of getting that it’s usually “good, but fatally flawed,” and the point is watching the downfall and what you’re supposed to learn from it.

Romeo and Juliette Retellings?

By quiet_cricket

Hey everyone! I’m reading *These Violent Delights* by Chloe Gong and I basically went in without knowing anything, then I only caught on a bit later (maybe a chapter or two in) that it’s loosely based on *Romeo and Juliet*. I’m actually really liking it so far though—like, not just the main plot, but the whole retelling part too. It feels kind of original and refreshing to see that kind of Romeo/Juliet vibe handled differently. Does anyone have recs for retellings like that? I don’t mind if they’re super loose either. Honestly I’m mainly chasing that angsty, star-crossed lovers energy lol. Thanks!

books about forbidden romance that isn't romeo and juliet?

By GooseBookmark

I really love forbidden romance, but I’m kind of over seeing people throw out Romeo and Juliet as a “lol” suggestion. Does anyone have recommendations for books with that kind of trope? I don’t care if it ends happily or not, either way is fine.

Romeo and Juliet is actually a good read

By gladPlate43

This is honestly one of Shakespeare’s biggest hits and it’s everywhere, so it’s also kind of turned into a cliché over time with all the versions in movies and musicals. A lot of people just call it cheesy and miss what it’s actually doing. But no matter how many adaptations you’ve seen, and even if you spot all the pop culture nods, I feel like you still won’t really “get it” the same way. Reading it is a totally different experience—the jokes and puns are way more surprising than I expected. And yeah, it’s beautiful too. Even if it looks cheesy at first, the characters still talk really well, and it deserves more credit.

What's the healthiest romantic relationship in all of literature?

By StarSteady98

Someone asked the other day for a book you could hand to a young person about building healthy romantic relationships, and I honestly didn’t know what to suggest. I went through what I’ve read and it feels like there are a ton of stories where the romance is messy, unhealthy, or straight-up toxic. Like, Gatsby and Daisy are a disaster. Rhett and Scarlett didn’t exactly nail it. Sylvia and Ted are more tragic than inspiring. Maybe Stella and Stanley? Nah, not really. So then I started wondering who actually does it right—like, is there any couple in literature that communicates well and handles conflict like adults? Or some famous “married duo” that actually works? Is there some king’s spouse who supports things in a healthy way? Or some shady couple with an underworld friend who somehow talks things through and reaches a win-win? Basically, I’m not sure there’s a clear answer. What’s the healthiest romantic relationship in all of literature?

TIL that the 90's teen rom-com "10 Things I Hate About You" is based on Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew."

By limpsy-corner

There were a couple Easter eggs in the movie, which I liked, but I’m not totally sure why they were there. I did get the vibe that it was more about the heart than what you’re seeing, like “I don’t love you with my eyes… my heart loves what the eyes don’t,” or something along those lines.

Thug Notes - Romeo and Juliet

By openspepper

Came across this channel a long time ago and only just remembered it today. It’s been gone for a while, so I figured I’d toss it out again for anyone who loves books but also wants to tap into their darker/thuggish side 😅

TIL Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was based on a poem called Romeus and Juliet ("The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Iuliet") by Arthur Brooke written years earlier.

By memory_string7

This seems like it’s probably taken from the older Pyramus and Thisbe story.

Was Shakespeare a plagiarist?

By basil_yarn

I’ve read a bit of Shakespeare and I’ve got this book of his love poems, but lately I heard he might’ve been a plagiarist and that a bunch of his stuff came from Francis Bacon. Is that actually true? And if it is, what would it change about how his plays feel or get read today?

Are the "fantasy-books" a waste of time?

By silver_cougar4061

I read a lot of books, but I usually gravitate toward ones I can actually use in real life. I especially like true-story books because it feels like there’s always something real I can learn from them. With fantasy though, I’m not sure if I should get into it. It’s not that I hate it, it’s just that it seems hard to take what you learn from fantasy and apply it day-to-day. Maybe I’m thinking about it the wrong way? So I’m curious—why do people start reading fantasy, and do you really feel like it helps in your daily life? Like, I’m interested in things like Game of Thrones and Dune, but I don’t want to waste my time if it won’t end up making me better at all.

[Throwback] Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet Soundtrack - 1996

By folio-needle

William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet: Music from the Motion Picture (Volume 1) Spotify, Apple If you’re into those big “new soundtrack” moments, this is a cool throwback. The movie is still a classic to me—Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but modern-day and with original dialogue, which is such a unique vibe. And the cast is stacked, with Leo DiCaprio and Claire Danes leading the way, plus John Leguizamo and Pete Postlethwaite. Everyone really turns in solid performances. The soundtrack starts out way strong with “#1 Crush” by Garbage, and then it keeps going with songs like “Lovefool” by The Cardigans, “Talk Show Host” by Radiohead, “You and Me Song” by The Wannadies, and “I’m Kissing You” by Des’ree. “Little Star” with Stina Nordenstam is honestly haunting, and I love the cover of “Young Hearts Run Free” by Kym Mazelle. Plus you’ve got those great versions of Prince’s “When Doves Cry” and Rozzalla’s “Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)” featuring a 12-year-old Quindon Tarver. Also, there’s a Volume 2, which is basically the orchestral score, some dialog, and songs that weren’t on the first album. And for the tenth anniversary stuff, Baz Luhrmann apparently added his own spoken-word “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” that he put out in the late 90s—based on Mary Schmich’s “Wear Sunscreen.” Not sure how well that bit fits for everyone, but I think it’s pretty memorable. Overall, it’s one of those “movie + soundtrack” pairings that just feels timeless.

Wuthering Heights

By cipherSail937

I’ve had this book on my shelf forever, and I finally got around to finishing it today. It was honestly brutal to get through, but not because it was dull. It’s because I couldn’t stand the two main characters. I keep wondering how anyone calls the whole thing a romance between Heathcliffe and Catherine, because to me it felt more like two seriously messed-up people feeding an obsession, and then doing everything they can to wreck as many lives as possible along the way. It’s just… a lot. That said, as a book it’s really good. It stirred up such intense feelings that I actually bothered to make a post about it, and I’m usually too lazy for that.

Romeo and Juliet: A Summary

By silver_market

I’m pretty sure the fat guy is Lord Capulet, the square one is Paris, and the guy in the hat is the Friar—then I guess the others should just be the rest?

[POEM] The moment Romeo and Juliet fall in love — dialogue sonnet from William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'; act I, scene V

By figurist-green

I’m really, really glad you posted this! For ages it’s felt like the default take on *Romeo and Juliet* is basically “two teenage idiots hook up, it’s just lust, then they die,” and everyone acts like that’s some super clever, edgy hot take. But it doesn’t even feel that hot when it seems like everyone agrees. Honestly, I hate the idea that they don’t have a real love thing going on. And the way Shakespeare writes it, it’s like you can see the connection from the second they meet. Their dialogue is different from everyone else’s—like they’re naturally bouncing off each other, finishing each other’s lines, matching the rhythm. It makes it feel pretty clear they have something going that no one else in that world really gets to share.

Eleanor's theory of Romeo and Juliet

By followsCup

I was rereading *Eleanor & Park* the other day (still a good read), and Eleanor kind of drops this theory about *Romeo and Juliet*—like the irony is that Shakespeare is basically poking fun at it, especially the whole young love thing. I’d already read the play a few times, but once I saw that idea, I can’t unsee it. I started reading it more like a comedy instead of some super romantic drama and it honestly made it way better. Also, lowkey, anyone calling Shakespeare “mid” can be quiet. And I gotta add this because it’s cracking me up: “*I dreamt a dream last night*” — Romeo “*So did I*” — Mercutio “*What did you dream of?*” — Romeo “*That dreamers often lie*” — Mercutio LOL.

Insights about the classic Romeo and Juliet

By orange2001

I know people ask this all the time, but I really wanted to hear what everyone thinks about this Shakespeare classic, because I’m kind of stuck with only one takeaway. What are your thoughts on what the characters do and how the events unfold through the story? My own feeling is that it’s mainly about how important love is, but I feel like there’s something deeper there that I just can’t quite figure out. English and I don’t really get along, but I did my best to say this clearly.

William Shakespeare wrote “Romeo & _____”?

By memoryPlanet47

Not sure—can’t tell what I’m supposed to vote on.