Romeo and Juliet is an instantly recognizeable tragedy of two "star-crossed lovers" that has been told over and again since its creation by the brilliant William Shakespeare. Romeo, a Montague, meets and falls in love with Juliet, a Capulet; their families are steeped in hatred, and it seems impossible for them to be together. In the end, that becomes a truth. In the end, hate drives love to its wit's end, and the reader finds that love in fact does not conquer all. William Shakespeare has a wealth of things to teach writers in this masterpiece. Although the story is simplistic at its bare bones, Shakespeare weaves breath and life into them to create a timeless piece of art. His use of iambic pentameter is subtle but definite. The language he uses, though flowery and very poetic, is accessible to readers and fitting with the content of the story and the context of the times. Shakespeare had the great ability of writing a play that came to life in both simple reading and stage acting. I learned so much from his form - he turns poetic language and use of meter into a solid work of prose. He also uses a fairly large cast of characters, but is sure that none of them get lost as the story progresses. He does not glorify either side in this story; the Capulets and Montagues are equally to blame for the tragic deaths of their loved ones. I also learned that tragedy, many times, is more powerful than comedy. There is so much gravity in Romeo in Juliet when the families find out that their hatred for one another has killed the young couple - something that could not be repaired without a great tragedy to show them the horrors of their ways. Shakespeare shows the reader that you can have a moral without turning it into a simple child's story. He is an unmatched manipulator of language, poetry, and prose, to not only entertain but comment on society in a beautiful and poignant way.