Capulet

/ˈkæpjələt/ noun

Definition

One of the two feuding families in Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet,' representing one side of an ancient family feud.

Etymology

From Shakespeare's play 'Romeo and Juliet' (1594-1596), possibly derived from Italian 'Cappelletti,' an actual feuding family from Verona, Italy, though the names may be Shakespeare's literary creation.

Kelly Says

The real Montague and Capulet feuds in 13th-century Verona were actually quite tame compared to other Italian family wars, but Shakespeare turned them into literature's most famous tragic romance—showing how a writer's imagination can outlast actual history.

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