Publisher's Synopsis
"Romeo and Juliet of the Village" is a novella by Gottfried Keller that was published in 1856. The story is part of Keller's novella cycle, "The People of Seldwyla," and thematises the power of external appearances and social prejudices. The story is a tragic love story inspired by Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", but set in a rural Swiss environment.The plot begins with the introduction of two farming families, the Martis and the Manz, who were once good neighbours and friends. However, a small land dispute quickly develops into deep enmity between the two families. In the midst of this tense atmosphere, the children of the feuding families grow up. As teenagers, they meet by chance in the fields and immediately fall in love. Their love grows in secret, as they know that their families will never agree to a union. Gottfried Keller uses the love story of Vrenchen and Sali to raise questions about responsibility towards the next generation and the devastating effects of unyielding pride and hatred.
