Birthday of Juliet

Although as of the date of events described in the tragedy «Romeo and Juliet» the main heroine hasn't been fourteen years old, up to now in Verona the letters are sent subscribed to Juliet with requests to give advice or parting words in difficult love stories. Girls from the club of Juliet established in 1972 by Julio Tamassia write back. Every year in club, nearly 5000 letters arrive, including electronic messages. Any message is left unanswered.

In honor of Juliet Capulet's birthday, festive events are held, such as performances, festivals, carnivals. This day the literary award for professional writers «Scrivere per amore» is given, and film representations of the most painful story ever cinematizing are arranged.

To define the accurate day that Juliet was born on, historians put together all events of the tragedy. According to Shakespeare, the ruler of Verona was the duke Escal – seignior Bartolomeo Della Scala. It was a real person who governed the city in 1301-1304. In talk with Ledi Capulet the foster-nurse mentioned the birth of her fosterling in a day of harvest holiday: «Even or odd, of all days in the year, Come Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen». It was translated into Russian language by Pasternak as: «She will be fourteen on Peter day, do not hesitate, I remember it well». Herewith, translation - «Peter day» is not accurate, perhaps, it was used for easier perception of the text, nothing more. In the text of tragedy Easter is also mentioned, that, according to astronomical calendar, happened in 1302. Basing on these facts doctor Giuseppe Viviani and found out the accurate date of Juliet’s birth – the 16-th of September, 1284.