Romeo and Juliet (Romeo und Julia)

German translation by Thomas Brasch

"I defy you, stars!"

We all know the story: two teenagers from feuding families are madly in love, become ensnared in their families’ dispute and kill themselves. Romeo and Juliet know from the start that their love is impossible and anticipate their tragedy: “My mind misgives/Some consequence yet hanging in the stars/Shall bitterly begin his fearful date/With this night’s revels, and expire the term/Of a despised life closed in my breast/By some vile forfeit of untimely death,” are Romeo’s words shortly before he meets Juliet for the first time. Yet still they choose to be with one another. Like Romeo and Juliet, we know that love stories this intense rarely end well – whether in the theatre or real life – and yet we still long for them. Wherefore this longing?