Provides a fresh analysis of one of Shakespeare's most famous and enduring works,The introduction examines in particular the play's performance history and presents a new interpretation that veers away from its perception as a core text of heterosexual love,Hannah August challenges Romeo and Juliet's catergorisation as a heteronormative, archetypical "love story" by studying gender identities within the play and the queer history of its performance, from the sixteenth century to today,Combines fresh, new scholarship from leading researchers with authoritative texts and comprehensive notes in order to offer readers a complete guide to Shakespeare,Uses the text from the landmark The New Oxford Shakespeare: Modern Critical Edition collated from all surviving original versions of Shakespeare's work,Presented in modern spelling and punctuation with accessible critical apparatus to best aid understanding of the plays and poems