How successful is Baz Luhrmann's film as an appropriation of Shakespeare's original text? Consider the differences between the different texts or Zeferelli's film, and discuss how the medium of film has been used to create a modern popular text.
(Word limit: 800-1000 words).
Romeo and Juliet is widely known as one of the artistic masterpieces of our time. Due to this the tragic love story has been adapted and remade several times. The original script was written for an audience found during the late 1500's and early 1600's. Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, however, was aimed at a typical 20th century audience- people who had completely different expectations to the people that would have been found during the 16th century. In order to make the play more accessible to the modern audience; Baz Luhrmann had to alter a considerable amount of the 'traditional' version of Romeo and Juliet. He produced Shakespeare's play as an appropriation, which meant that he moved the story four centuries into the future, adapting the key plot ideas in such a way as to remain faithful to the original plot and themes, but updating the story with modern issues that would be more relevant for this day and age. In order for the appropriation to work, many aspects of the original play had to be altered slightly. The actors and actresses that starred in the film were cast to appeal to the modern day audience's expectations. Characters have been altered, to make the storyline more believable and relevant. The setting of the scenes has also been changed to update the entire story to the 20th Century. Music has been added to great effect, both to enhance the modernistic feel to it, to allow the audience to sink deeper into the film; hearing music familiar to the 20th Century also helps make the transition through time a lot smoother. Of course, as society grows and develops, new trends, new issues that would be current within that day and age would arise.
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. ...
