Tension is apparent at the beginning of Act I Scene 1. It starts off with two servants (Sampson and Gregory of the Montague household walking down a street. Their conversation is of a violent nature, which also contains humour ‘they shall feel while I am able to stand: and 'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh’. When a servant of the opposing household (Abraham, Abra in the film) appears, Sampson ‘bites’ his thumb. This is an old Italian insult (the modern day equivalent is sticking your middle finger up). When Benvolio enters he try’s to act as the peacemaker, ‘Part, fools! Put up your swords; you know not what you do’, which then leads into a fight. When Tybalt enters, the theme of conflict rises because he was saying words like, ‘heartless’, ‘death’ and a phrase ‘peace? I hate the word’. The Prince’s role in Shakespeare’s version is to govern and ‘police’ Verona; he was the 16th century version of a Police Chief. He enters during the fight, not long after Capulet and Montague arrive, he breaks it up and then talks about disturbing the quiet of the streets of Verona and explains his anger by using the word ‘movéd’. There is a sudden contrast in the scene when Romeo makes his appearance. There is a lot of language used that is linked with love, though it is in a way of being out of love, ‘out of her favour where I am in love’. This means that he is in love with someone but that someone is not in love with him. Romeo’s parents are worried about him. Because of the love problem, he is creating ‘an artificial night’ whilst his confusion is apparent with the use of oxymoron’s, ‘a mistress that is passing fair’.
Lurhmann portrays Sampson and Gregory as people who have no care for society and the people around them. The first part of the scene is set in a gas station. As in the play Sampson bites his thumb, and with that when Abra and the other two exchange their words, it is very fast, to create tension and there is a drum beat in the background which represents the heartbeat as tension rises. When we see Tybalt for the first time, he lights a cigar at the gas station, which shows that he is a risk taker as there could be a risk with the gas station bursting into flames. The fight starts which is in the Spaghetti Western style. To portray the ‘heat’ of the conflict and Tybalt’s flamboyant characteristic, he sets the gas station on fire. This then leads to the appearance of the Prince who is a Police Chief in the film (both the 16th century Prince and the 20th century police chief share the same roles) As in the play there is a sudden contrast of the scene when the fight ends. When Romeo and Benvolio talk about Romeo being out of love, on a chalkboard the name of his love, Rosaline, is written with a love heart underneath, with Cupid’s arrow through it suggesting Romeo’s love for Rosaline as she is not present in the play or film so this is the representation of her.
In Act I Scene 5, language is used strongly to create the imagery which is needed in this scene and to emphasise the love of Romeo and Juliet. With the meeting of Romeo and Juliet, their love is immediately emphasised with a sonnet (the strongest form of love poetry). The sonnet is spoken by both Romeo and Juliet (a sonnet was normally spoken by a man to a woman). There is a lot of religious words in the sonnet, for example ‘saint’, ‘sin’, ‘holy’ and ‘prayer’. Tybalt is also in this scene. His words are in the theme of conflict. He speaks of wanting to kill Romeo but due to Capulet being there he has to hold back, but he does say, ‘I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall’. This means that he will seek revenge due to the intrusion by Romeo. There is a contrast between Romeo and Juliet when they find out they are from opposing families. Juliet says, ‘My only love sprung from my only hate!’ this means that her love is with the person she should hate.
In the film, at the party people are wearing make-up while Romeo isn’t, this is portraying his purity. When he is at the fish tank, the music is of the love genre. He spots Juliet on the other side of the tank. The tank symbolises a barrier between them, but because their love is so strong they can break the barrier to be together. Juliet is dressed as an angel, a pure and light being (Shakespeare used language to create this image of Juliet), while Romeo is dressed as a knight in shining armour, someone who would wisk their love away to a life of love and happiness. Tybalt is dressed as the Devil, which portrays his evilness which is again another aspect of the original play. The sonnet that is in the play is also in the film. When Romeo and Juliet enter the lift, there is a lot of white light, to symbolise purity, and it goes up, as if up to heaven. There is love music playing in the background again to set the mood. As Romeo and Juliet both discover that they are of opposing families, the music in the background changes to sad and shocked. Romeo and Juliet also changes from happy and shocked.
In Act III Scene 1, tension is present at the beginning of the scene. This is shown by Benvolio saying, ‘The day is hot, the Capels are abroad, and if we meet we shall not scape a brawl’. This means that tensions are high; the Capulet’s are around and if they meet a fight will break out. Benvolio is acting as the peacemaker again. Mercutio is a character made up by Shakespeare to add comedy to the play ‘Thou art like one of those fellows that when he
enters the confines of a tavern claps me his sword upon the table and says 'God send me no need of thee!' and by the operation of the second cup draws it on the drawer, when indeed there is no need’. Here we have Mercutio joking about Benvolio as a peacemaker. When Tybalt is seen by the audience, he is always angry. Shakespeare shows this by using words of conflict, especially in this scene. Romeo is passive at one moment,’ Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage To such a greeting: villain am I none; Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not’, but is suddenly filled with rage, ‘Alive, in triumph! and Mercutio slain! Away to heaven, respective lenity,
And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!’, when Tybalt starts fighting with him and kills Mercutio, as if Tybalt is channelling his rage to Romeo. When Mercutio dies this is when the comedy ends and the seriousness starts in the play. The comedy element of the place was included in order to entertain the Shakespearean audience while the humour heightens the seriousness of the conflict that follows.
In the film version the scene starts out on the beach at late afternoon. When Benvolio says, ‘The Capels are abroad’, the Capulet’s car drives past to signify their presence. Mercutio is agitated when Tybalt mentions Romeo. Benvolio acts as the peacemaker by trying to restrain Mercutio and Tybalt taunts him. When Romeo arrives, dramatic irony is present because the audience know the reason why Romeo can’t fight but the other characters are unaware. When Mercutio is stabbed with a piece of glass, the wind starts to pick up. This is Lurhmann using Pathetic Fallacy. Even though Mercutio is dying he still uses a pun, ‘Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch’, which is showing that the seriousness has not left yet. As Mercutio dies and makes his curse upon the houses, the wind becomes strong and dark clouds appear. This portrays the loss of humour and that darkness will follow. After Romeo shoots Tybalt, it starts raining heavily. The rain represents the tears of Romeo, Tybalt’s family and friends. Therefore Lurhmann has interpreted Shakespeare’s ideas of anger ‘mad blood stirring’ and sorrow ‘O, I am fortune’s fool!’ by using the weather
After analyzing three scenes of the play Romeo and Juliet, the themes of Conflict and Love can indeed lead to tragedy. Shakespeare presents these themes using language to create imagery while Lurhmann presents the themes visually with lighting, sound and Pathetic Fallacy. I feel that the film version is the most effective way of communicating Love & Tragedy because you can see what is happening and Pathetic Fallacy can be used to a great extent to show the feelings and moods of the characters.
