In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses Arthur Brooke's Romeus and Juliet as a source, where he changes details, such as the role of the prince, to add more meaning at work through the depiction of an ideal monarch. Prince Escalus in Romeo and Juliet is the ruler of Verona, which is the setting of the play. He is based on the prince from Romeus and Juliet. When Shakespeare took his character, he changed his characteristics, slightly but importantly. The prince is first mentioned as ruler of the city of Verona in Romeus and Juliet. In Romeo and Juliet, the prince is first seen stopping a street fight between the families and servants. From the beginning, the prince is seen as a strict but fair ruler. The street fight isn't in Romeus and Juliet, but Brooke uses a description of the town and the fight to set the scene. In Romeo and Juliet, the street fight is used to introduce characters such as the Prince. It establishes laws and acts on behalf of citizens. Shakespeare begins by showing the ideal sovereign, the one with the people inside ...