Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
About Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is a medium read in English (drama, romance). It takes about 2 h 10 min at 200 words per minute, a comfortable pace for language learners. The book is in the public domain and comes from Project Gutenberg.
When you open it, the text is downloaded once and saved in your browser, so you can keep reading offline and your progress stays on your device.
Main characters in Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet fall in love in Verona although their families, the Montagues and the Capulets, are bitter enemies. Their secret marriage and a chain of misunderstandings, killings and a faked death lead to a tragic end that finally reconciles the two houses.
Romeo
The young Montague who falls instantly in love with Juliet.
Juliet
The thirteen-year-old daughter of the Capulets, who defies her family for Romeo.
Friar Laurence
The priest who secretly marries the couple and devises the plan that goes wrong.
Mercutio
Romeo's witty friend, whose death turns the story toward tragedy.
Tybalt
Juliet's hot-tempered cousin, who hates the Montagues.
The Nurse
Juliet's talkative nurse and confidante.
Benvolio
Romeo's cousin and friend, who tries to keep the peace.
Paris
The nobleman whom the Capulets want Juliet to marry.
Questions about Romeo and Juliet
- How many words are in Romeo and Juliet?
- Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare has about 26,000 words. At 200 words per minute, a comfortable pace for language learners, it takes about 2 h 10 min to read.
- Who are the main characters in Romeo and Juliet?
- The main characters are Romeo, Juliet, Friar Laurence, Mercutio, Tybalt, The Nurse, Benvolio and Paris.
- Can I read Romeo and Juliet for free?
- Yes. Romeo and Juliet is in the public domain, and you can read it free in English on PolyglotReader with inline translation, word lookup and audio.
Romeo and Juliet is more than a book: it is a language-learning tool
Most people learn a language from lessons and word lists that have nothing to do with what they enjoy. Here you learn from a real story. You read Romeo and Juliet in English, and every step that helps you understand and remember it is one tap away. The words you meet in the book are the words you practise.
- Read
- Look up
- Listen
- Save
- Practise
- Inline translation
Stay in the original text and check the meaning only when you need to.
- Word lookup
A dictionary entry gives you ten meanings. A contextual lookup gives you the one that fits.
- Audio narration
Hear how the text sounds while your eyes follow the words.
- B1 simplification
Read the book you want now, at a level you can follow, and move up to the original later.
- Flashcards
Practise the words you actually met, in the books you actually chose.
- Word games
Test yourself on the exact sentences you just read.
- My Dictionary
One searchable list of every word you chose to keep, with the meaning you picked.
- Daily goal
A small target you meet every day beats a long session you never get round to.
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Reading shows you the words, games make you use them. Press Play in the reading toolbar and PolyglotReader builds short games from the English page you are on, so you practise the vocabulary of Romeo and Juliet itself.
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