La sfortunata morte di dui infelicissimi amanti, 1564

Translated from Italian to French by Pierre Boaistuau (Published in Paris)

RB/2798

Purchased March 2016

William Shakespeare's skill as a playwright and wordsmith was built upon his ability to adapt well-known historical events and fictional tales. 

Bandello's stories are believed to have circulated in England, with an early version of Romeo and Juliet performed by an Italian company in London. English author Arthur Brooke published a narrative poem based on this story titled The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet. It is widely accepted that Shakespeare used Brooke's poem as the foundation of his adaptation.