They each portray the key scene differently. Zeffirelli shows the fight as an accident and comedic. He chose a hot mid-day and set the fight in the market where the previous fight we saw took place. We know that it is hot because Mercutio is in a cold trough cooling down. Mercutio and Tybalt begin the fight and it becomes clear that there are many obstacles to contend with as they use weapons, such as the chairs, hay stacks and others objects. The key thing with this scene is that the fight is an accident, we are shown an example of this when Tybalt has the chance to kill Mercutio. This moment is made light hearted when Mercutio whistles and Tybalt covers up and pretends to not realise what Mercutio is doing. It is shown as a joke or a mock fight. The audience are aware that characters in the crowd are joking and laughing and not looking intensely or trying to hinder the fight.
Luhrman shows the fight as more violent, contrasting with the previous fight scene. The fight scene is extremely aggressive to demonstrate the emotion and resentment of both of the men. The scene also shows the audience that this scene was a fundamental part of the play, and this grabs the attention of the audience. The audience would notice that Mercutio is trying to shoot fish in the modern film, showing his frustration. This is showing a new side to him, a more dangerous side, the audience have seen this before when they saw him give a speech previously in the play in which he had a premonition about Queen Mab. He was restless and impatient however, he did not hurt anyone whilst he was like this. This proves his name correct as he is a Mercurial and dangerous character. This is also reflected in the weather when it changes to cloudy and dark, this is the director using pathetic fallacy. Another example of this is the hot weather reflecting in the characters behaviour.
The previous scene set at the petrol station is shown as comedic as there are several key points that make the audience find this early scene humorous, this makes us contrast it with the more violent Act III Scene i. The way in which the director plays with time speeding up and slowing the shots makes the audience find the shots funny. Also Luhrman uses the angles of the camera to make the audience laugh. He creates funny camera shots with the angles by emphasising things that the audience would not expect. One of the best ways in the petrol station of seeing this is where all the characters interact with each other for example the lady with the handbag makes the audience laugh as she has an amusing face when she realises what is happening. Another example is when he emphasises Tybalt’s shoes.
In all of the plays Tybalt makes an extravagant entrance but these fluctuate slightly. The audience are reminiscing about the party when Tybalt is infuriated about Romeo being at the party. In Zeffirelli’s version Tybalt enters with an army of servants and his friends. He opens with words to aggravate Romeo more than he already was by saying “Romeo, the love I bear for thee can afford so better term that this: thou art a villain.” This makes the audience sit on the edge of their seat as the tension builds up. The audience sense that is a major part.
Tybalt is very hesitant and wants to have his friends to support him and cheer him on. This is signalled when he says in Shakespeare’s version, “Follow me close, for I will speak to them.” This tells the audience that Tybalt wants his friends to protect him if anything serious does start. Tybalt is one of the minorities keeping the fight between the two houses alive. Zeffirelli uses this scene to make people laugh with the funny movements of the way of fighting.
Luhrman uses the arrival of Tybalt as the key part as well. People can feel that there will be something happening between Mercutio and Tybalt as the stance of the characters is showing that they feel threatened and intimidated. This is also signalled by the way in which Tybalt arrives; slowly in a car with his friends and guards by his side, he exits the car and slams the door even before any speaking takes place; the audience sees that Tybalt is infuriated. The director uses this as the basis of the entire scene; he makes sure that some of the audience remember this part of the scene when they have finished viewing the entire film making it a memorable scene.
Dramatic irony makes up a substantial amount of this play. This is when then the audience know something that most of the main characters do not.
Zeffirelli uses dramatic irony throughout the entire play even up until the end. An example of this is at the end of the play when Juliet has taken the sleeping potion and the audience know that she is asleep and Romeo enters. He enters the tomb and sees her lying there and kills himself, this example shows the power of the audience and their status in the play which is called Dramatic Irony in which Shakespeare uses to affect the play. He uses this in many films.
Luhrman also uses a lot of dramatic irony to make the audience become involved in the play; this encourages them to feel for the characters. An example of this is during the key scene when Romeo says,
“Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting.” This is Romeo saying that he loves Tybalt but he cannot say why he loves him. The audience think about why Romeo loves Tybalt and remember the marriage scene that we saw previously.
Both directors use the way that Tybalt’s speaking from the start of the play to show that this influences the future. This would have been similar to the audience’s lives and make the play more credible to them. This was another common occurrence in Shakespeare’s plays where he uses the current ideas, for example the views on fate to influence and change his plays.
Romeo is the main character in this play. His emotions change in all the versions of the play. He changes from a calm and collected person to an aggressive violent person willing to do anything for love.
Zeffirelli shows Romeo as calm when the audience first see him, he is a gentle person who keeps his life private. Then at the pivotal scene he changes to an antagonistic and violent character, shown when he kills Tybalt. This shows the audience how love and emotions can change the future and fate, connecting the audience of the 11th century. This also relates to the fact how Romeo had premonitions about his death also relating to the 11th century beliefs on fate and how people’s lives were mapped out before birth.
Luhrman uses Romeo to show the changes love can create for people and how fate plays a big part in the play. The premonitions are not emphasised enough as he does not feel them relevant to the time period it is shown to be in. Romeo is still show in the classical way of true love and concerned about his love with Juliet but he has other worries in this portrayal such as his gang that he hangs around with. This shows the similarities between the two plays and how they decided on the way to portray Romeo as an accomplished and excellent idea. Both directors show Romeo as a careful and calm character, who changes into an aggressive person. This never changes in the two films we analysed. (However, the difference is that Luhrman decided to show less thought on showing other characters with less importance and more emphasis on the changes in Act III scene i to significant characters.)
Both directors change the way in which characters react.
The list below shows you how Zeffirelli and Luhrman direct the main characters in much of the same way.
Tybalt changes to a guilty person after the unintentional murder of Mercutio.
Mercutio does not really change, however he becomes more violent and more aggressive male. He also becomes threatened more easily if he or his friends are insulted.
Romeo turns to a murderous person who was willing to kill anyone for love.
Lord Capulet is a hesitant character that changed his mind numerous times about his daughter marrying. He changes from a protector to a tyrant.
Lord Montague is not seen much during the play but toward the end he becomes involved in the uniting of the two families.
Benvolio changes and becomes more involved with the events that are occurring with other main characters.
Friar Lawrence changes very late in the play. He becomes deceitful and betrays the two families which were key to his existence as a priest. He lies about the wedding between Romeo and Juliet and agrees to marry Paris and Juliet.
The Nurse betrays Juliet’s trust and agrees with her master about the wedding between Juliet and Paris which goes against her former character when she formed a strong relationship with Juliet.
Juliet she becomes deeply engrossed in her lust and love for Romeo. She changes and phoney death of herself and becomes private only confessing to Friar Lawrence about this. She changes her trust of the nurse.
Finally Shakespeare’s plays can be pivotal at Act III Scene i. One of the main reasons for this is that Shakespeare usually wrote his plays with vii acts in them and vi scenes per act, therefore to change the play will be easier half way through as the audience will be understanding and will have seen some of the play. Another reason for this to be the changing point is that the characters all change their behaviour in many ways even if they changed slightly. It changes the whole plays future relating again to the 11th and 17th century beliefs on fate. This highlights the importance of this key scene and the way in which both directors show it and also the way in which the play was written.
In conclusion both directors portray the pivotal scene with similar characteristics, for example clothing and characteristics of certain key characters. However, they are set in very different time periods, one in 17th century and one in modern day-. The fight and the way it is portrayed are fundamental to the events that follow.
One of the reasons is that the play is peaceful up until this point with no main characters killed. Romeo is anti-violent.
Another reason that this point is pivotal is because the play is looking good up to this point. Romeo is in love and Juliet is in love creating a romantic feel to the play.
Finally this scene is pivotal because Shakespeare has written the play to show many different possibilities and routes which can occur.
