The production that I selected to critically review is Baz Luhrmann's William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. Luhrmann's version of forbidden love and the eventual suicide deaths of young Juliet and Romeo is translated with a unique integration of modern setting and language without losing the original texture and meaning of Shakespeare's work. 1996's William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet is evidently intended for a younger demographic of viewers, partially due to quick paced and choppy editing, modern cultural allusions, as well as star power consisting of a cast featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the title roles. Luhrmann intertwines the language of Shakespeare's time and the more modern uses of the same of American society beautifully and effectively, avoiding the tendency for the viewer to become bogged down in Shakespearean terminology. This shows itself to be the most successful element of the film along with the ultra modern setting is appealing to the '90's "sound- bite" mentality.
The opening credits introduce the characters, setting and main story line in quick images and gives the un-knowledgeable viewer the basis of the movie in the simplest of terms while tense gothic music is played over the visual stimulation to increase the feeling of drama and quicken the senses. A notable difference in this play from Shakespeare's original work is the obvious modernization of the surroundings. The opening chorus is replaced by a news woman on T.V. reporting on Shakespeare's "star- crossed lovers" (6), and again repeated in segments, voiced by the priest, while in split second intervals the characters are introduced and the action summed up. A noticeable transformation occurring early in the action is the updated weaponry, gone is Benvolio's simple sword, to be replaced by the "Sword 9 mm Series S"(scene 1) automatic weapon and Montague's long- sword has been revamped as a "Longsword pump shotgun" (scene 1).
Paris seems to keep everything Romeo and Juliet does very hasty as he wishes to marry Juliet in two days. ... He never allows Juliet to marry Romeo, because Romeo is a Montague. ... Mercutio contributes slightly to Romeo and Juliet's untimely end. ... Romeo and Juliet also contribute to their own death. Romeo is a lot more to blame than Juliet. ...
Paris seems to keep everything Romeo and Juliet does very hasty as he wishes to marry Juliet in two days. ... He never allows Juliet to marry Romeo, because Romeo is a Montague. ... Mercutio contributes slightly to Romeo and Juliet's untimely end. ... Romeo and Juliet also contribute to their own death. Romeo is a lot more to blame than Juliet. ...
Romeo and Juliet speak briefly together and immediately fall in love. ... Juliet's nurse finds Romeo and he tells her that he and Juliet are going to get married that afternoon at Friar Laurence's. ... Scene 2---- The nurse tells Juliet that Romeo has killed Tybalt. ... Friar Laurence hoping that Romeo will be allowed back to Verona some day, sends Romeo to Juliet. ... Scene 5--- Romeo and Juliet separate at daybreak. ...
Romeo and Juliet "Discuss how Shakespeare represents Romeo and Juliet as a pair of "star crossed lovers" during the course of the play" During the course of Romeo and Juliet, one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies, Shakespeare portrays Romeo and Juliet as a pair of "star crossed lovers", which means literally against the stars and the lovers incapability to change their tragic fate, which can be expressed as the inevitable events predestined by a supposed force. ... Many instances in the play reveal that the love of Romeo and Juliet would end in death. ... This prefigures that ...
In the play, Romeo and Juliet demonstrate different personality. ... Juliet stays optimistic about the whole conflict involving Romeo's banishment whereas Romeo himself clings to the pessimistic attitude. ... In addition, Juliet also thinks about Romeo and tries to console him when Romeo considers their love to have come to end. ... Whereas Romeo is independent, Juliet depends on others. ... Juliet remains optimistic about the tragic situation involving Romeo while Romeo keeps only the pessimistic ideas. ...
For instance, Juliet decides to marry Romeo even though their families are enemies. ... To explain, during the balcony scene, Juliet hurries Romeo into marriage. ... Not long after Juliet meets Romeo, her mother calls her. ... After Juliet meets Romeo, many of her opinions and interests begin to change. ... While in the beginning of the play, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, J...
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet are victims of bad luck and fate. Romeo and Juliet is about two families that have been in a long and bitter feud for many years. ... Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, recognizes Romeo's voice and is ready to fight. ... Juliet, too, falls for Romeo, but falls into despair when her Nurse informs her Romeo is a Montague, as does Romeo when he learns Juliet is a Capulet. ... Juliet's nurse and servant Peter appear and Romeo tells her to tell Juliet to go to the Friar's cell that afternoon to be married. ...
In the balcony scene, when Juliet says, "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" ... In modern times Juliet would be expected to say something like, "Romeo, Romeo, where are you, Romeo?" ... While Juliet is stunned by the boldness that Romeo uses. ... Both Romeo and Juliet appear to be more mature in this version. ... The viewer is able to imagine himself or herself as Romeo or Juliet. ...
ESSAY: Romeo and Juliet Romeo is too sensitive and reacts too quickly to the events in the play. ... Romeo meets Juliet the night of the Lord Capulet's Party. ... Romeo heart is an open book as he exudes his feelings for Juliet. ... And Romeo and Juliet's love is just that, fast, passionate love. ... Romeo wishes to join Juliet, "Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight." ...
Romeo and Juliet barely met whenever they tell each other that they are in love. ... These two, Romeo and Juliet, are in puppy love. ... Romeo sees Juliet dead and then Romeo and Paris fight. ... Romeo then kills himself, just before Juliet awakens. ... Juliet and Romeo also put others futures in danger, just to please themselves. ...
