Romeo and Juliet is one of the most famous plays written by playwright William Shakespeare. It tells the story of two feuding families and the ups and downs of a love struck couple.

Romeo And Juliet Essay

The story takes place in the quiet city of Verona, Italy. The two feuding families are known as the Capulets and the Montagues. The two families are filled with hate for each other and have been for some time. Regardless at the feuding, somehow two people, one from each family, fall deeply in love: one, a Capulet, Juliet, and the other a Montague, Romeo.

They first meet at a masked ball being held by the Capulet’s in their big house. The Montague’s were strictly not invited. Thanks to the party being a ‘masked ball’ the Romeo and his friends, despite being un-invited, decide to visit the party regardless of the families’ feuds. Romeo uses a cat like mask to disguise his identity. In the later version of the play directed by Baz Luhrmann, he cleverly changes the theme of the party to a fancy dress party. Again, this would enable people to sneak in being un-recognised. In this version Romeo dresses as a knight showing him as a ‘knight in shining armour’. Romeo and Juliet meet and it’s here where the story really begins. They understand that they cannot go on seeing each other, as their name is ‘their greatest enemy’. Despite saying this they secretly marry with the help of Friar Lawrence and Juliet’s nurse.

On the day of the marriage, Romeo is challenged by a cousin of Juliet’s, Tybalt, to a fight ‘turn and draw’ in the streets of Verona. Tybalt is angry ‘this shall not the excuse the injuries that thou hast done me’ at the fact of Romeo and his followers turning up at the Capulet’s party uninvited. Romeo declines the fight ‘and so, good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as mine own, be satisfied’ full of happy thoughts after marrying the one he loves.

Meanwhile, an argument breaks out between Mercutio and Tybalt. Mercutio is not happy with the goings on and says: ‘O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!’ Mercutio starts his own fight with Tybalt ‘Tybalt you rat catcher, will you walk?’ Meaning step aside. Despite Romeo trying to split the pair up ‘forbear this outrage’, Mercutio ends up dead. Romeo looks down at Mercutio, dead and becomes angry himself ‘this but begins the woe others must end’. He challenges Tybalt to a fight, which yet again ends in disaster. Tybalt falls to the floor and is pronounced dead. Romeo is told to ‘be gone! The citizens are up and Tybalt slain’ by another one of his friends, Benvolio. Romeo flees the street of Verona. Romeo is banished by the Prince and the people of Verona are told that if Romeo were to return ‘he would in that hour be dead’

The fight scene is one of the most symbolic and influential scenes in this play. It is the turning point from bad to good, all seems well until this scene. It symbolises the hate between the Capulets and the Montagues. It shows quiet clearly that there is enough hate between the two families to think that fighting to the death is their last resort. In the original Shakespeare text, Mercutio exits the streets of Verona to die within the company of Benvolio, but in the two film versions this differs.

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Not only does William Shakespeare make his characters’ emotions clear during this play but he also uses clever names for them. The names of some of the characters give a huge impression as to what the character is like. You do not recognise this straight away, but after reading the text and looking back you begin to understand why they have been called the names they have been given. For example: Mercutio. This name comes from the word ‘mercury’ which is an ever-changing metal expanding in hot conditions and shrinking in cold. This applies to Mercutio. His personality is forever changing during the play. One minute he will be joking around, the next he wants to kill someone. He is a typical reckless teenager merely looking for a laugh, which usually ends in trouble. Not only is he a troublemaker but also permanently playing the fool and being stupid. Even just before he dies he is still keeping up his jocular self and making one last crack.

Tybalt is another name that is relevant to his character. Tybalt refers to the word ‘tyrant’. Tybalt is a very hot headed, antagonistic character looking for a fight from the very start of the play. As the main fight scene begins, firstly we believe that Tybalt is merely asking to talk to one of the Montague’s. We have no doubt in our mind that a fight is about to break lose, But, as the scene moves on, Tybalt begins to stand up for himself as insults are thrown at him. He becomes angry and in result ends up fighting.

Benvolio, derived from the Latin ‘bene’ meaning ‘good’ is a very caring person. He is Romeo’s cousin and a very caring companion. He simply doesn’t want to get into trouble. He remembers that the prince has forbidden fighting within the streets of Verona. He tries constantly to split Mercutio and Tybalt up at the slightest sight of a fight. Benvolio is not the only one to be a peacemaker at the beginning of the fight scene, Romeo is also; ‘Hold Tybalt! Good Mercutio’. He tries to split the two up many times but doesn’t think that the fight is that serious.

Franco Zeffirellis version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was made in 1968. He sets his version of the script in a typical Italian market town. The town of Verona certainly has an Italian feel to it with its narrow streets and stone buildings. It is set towards the late 1500’s early 1600’s. The clothes that are worn are also relevant to this era. The Capulets dress slightly different from the Montague’s. They wear bright colours such as red and yellow and their costumes almost look jesterish. The Montagues are somewhat different. They wear dark colours, browns and blacks. I feel that the Montagues costumes are more suited to this era. They wear tights and big padded jackets.

The language and the way in which the script is spoken do not refer to the country it is set in. You would usually expect people living in Verona, Italy to speak with an Italian accent. Zefirelli does however keep to the traditional Shakespeare text with changing as little as possible. Music plays a vital part throughout the Zefirelli version of this play. The music is quiet and mellow during love scenes and loud and dramatic during serious scenes. The music during the fight scene is very serious and to show this, the musician uses stringed instruments to show sombre, sorrowful feelings. This style of music is played specifically when Mercutio dies. It is also played when Romeo is chasing through the streets looking for Tybalt. Romeo is angry at the time because of Mercutio’s death so the music fits in with his feelings. Once Romeo finds Tybalt, the music comes to an abrupt ending with a high note.

During the fight scene, many props are used. The fight begins with both Mercutio and Tybalt fighting with swords that they are carrying. As we move on into the scene, Tybalt drops his sword, which Mercutio gains. Tybalt looks around for an alternative weapon and finds a pitchfork, which is leaning against a wagon full of hay. Tybalt begins to fight with this. At this point, Mercutio heads towards Tybalt with both swords clashing together. The director Franco Zefirelli does a close up camera shot on Mercutio’s face as he heads towards Tybalt. This is very effective; it makes us see just how scary the situation is. Other props include a water butt in which Mercutio bathes in at the beginning of the scene and daggers. Many more extras are used during this scene. Friends of both Tybalt and Romeo are on the scene during the fight. More extras are used when the fight proceeds to the town square. People rush over to see what’s happening.

During this scene, there seems to be a lot of verbal abuse compared to the 1995 version of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ where physical force is used. Zefirelli uses many different camera angles and shots throughout the scene. This give the audience a better understanding as to what is happening. Close up shots are used quiet frequently and the blurring of shots are also used. The shot blurs when Mercutio has been stabbed, he looks at Romeo. Zefirelli is almost giving us the exact sight that Mercutio would be seeing, not being able to control his sight as he is feeling sick and dizzy after being stabbed. A lot of dust is being kicked up during the scene, which suggests the dryness of the setting and the heat. He also uses high angle shots and low angle shots. High angle shots to seem as though you are the person looking down on them and low angle shots to seem as though you’re looking up. This shows at the end of the scene where the Prince speaks before the people of Verona about what has happened. It’s as thought the people are looking up at their prince.

Director Baz Luhrmann created the later film version of this script. Many things differ in this version compared to the 1968 film directed by Franco Zefirelli. For instance, Zefirelli sets his in a typical Italian setting. In the more up to date version, Luhrmann decides to take a totally different look towards the script. He sets it in the built up city of California. The scenes vary from being in the city centre with tall office blocks and apartments surrounding them to being on the beach with beach huts and caravans. It is set in the present time of the 20th century. We know this because of the props used, music and costume. For instance, Benvolio has bright pink hair. Instead of swords being used to fight guns are used, and the horseback form of transport has been changed to speedy cars.

At the beginning of the fight scene we see Mercutio and Benvolio at the foot of the sea. Mercutio is shooting blanks into the sea while Benvolio is persuading him to leave with him ‘I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire’. He goes on to explain that the ‘Capel are abroad’ meaning he senses that the Capulets are on their way. He fears that ‘if we meet’ with the Capulets ‘we shall not ‘’scape a brawl’ Benvolio feels that there is a fight on the way. This generates tension and foreboding in the audience.

After this we see Mercutio, Benvolio and many more of their friends socialising on the beach. They seem to be more laid back compared to the Capulets. They wear bright colourful clothes and have wild hairstyles. This is a main difference between the two versions. In Zefirelli’s version, the Montague’s are wearing dull clothes and the Capulet’s the bright. This is the opposite way round in Luhrmann’s version.

When the Capulets do arrive, only three step out of the car that has parked up beside the beach. They walk over towards the Montague’s in a traditional cowboy walk looking like ‘cool cats’. This makes them look ‘hard’ and gives us the impression that they are not to be messed with! They make themselves out to be very self-conscious by the way they dress, in designer clothes, and the way their hair is styled.

The language in this version differs very slightly from the Zefirelli version. This time the people are speaking the accent in which the film is set, American, although the Capulet’s do have a ring of Spanish/Italian in their accent. Luhrmann doesn’t seem to be as strict as Zefirelli was when picking out which bits to include in the movie. I feel he may have shortened the fight scene’s down a bit, which may give them more effect. In the 1968 version the fight scenes seem to drag on a bit that I think may make the viewer a little bored. Luhrmann has obviously taken note of this and cut them down. This makes the story seem to be more dangerous. Even though the fight scene has been cut down it still comes across as a very tense part of the film.

Music is also a vital addition to the film as was the music in Zefirelli’s adaptation. It changes at different times to reflect the mood of the story. When the Capulet’s arrive into the fight scene, Western music is played demonstrating a sort of cowboy show down. The music is fast and pulsing during the first part of the fight scene this relates to the tension. When Romeo arrives into the scene the music suddenly changes to slow and calming music. As the tension build up yet again the music changes into stringed instruments to show the seriousness of the fight. Zefirelli also used this technique. At the point of Mercutio’s death, the music changes to gospel style to symbolise church after him dying. The music also relates to the weather. When a storm begins, the music fastens in its pace and becomes a lot more abrupt, rather like a thunderstorm.

One of the main props used in this adaptation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is water. After watching the film for the first time I saw nothing of it but after thinking about it it does have a remote significance towards the story. The first time we see water in the fight scene is right at the start. Mercutio is standing in the sea shooting his gun into the calm waves. At the start of the scene the water seems to be symbolising the mood. As the scene moves on and the Capulets arrive the water becomes more aggressive and ferocious. This again symbolises the mood. After the death of Mercutio, Romeo races off in his car to confront Tybalt about the death of his beloved friend. They exit their cars and head towards each other. Romeo is put at gunpoint but somehow escapes from it. He gains the gun and shoots Tybalt. Tybalt falls into a pool of water in what looks like the city centre. Again… water is used. Then, the rain starts and thunder begins. It’s almost as though Luhrmann is trying to suggest that water will not wash away the pain and anger that the characters are suffering.

As mentioned before, the swords are exchanged for guns in this version. This emphasises the modern interpretation of the movie.

The fight scene itself takes place on the beach. Part of it is on a huge makeshift stage. It’s almost as though the whole fight was intended to be a play that has been forgotten and in result is now real.

Religion is also a strong and vital part to Baz Luhrmann’s version. Most people are seen to be wearing crosses around their necks. Many parts in the scene are taken by using a high angle shot that may suggest that god is looking down on the fight. At the end of the fight scene Romeo begs for justice to help overcome the pain he has done to himself. Romeo flees.

Conclusion

Out of both of the two adaptations of the script originally written by ‘William Shakespeare’ I preferred the 1995 version by Baz Luhrmann. I feel that this version of the play fits in more with today’s society and our general look on life. We wouldn’t expect to see a fight using swords anymore and certainly wouldn’t expect to see people using horseback as their main source of transportation. This is my view as a teenager; older people may feel differently and in result prefer the 1968 version. I also think that having the setting in the 20th century makes the play a lot easier to understand. Although the text remains the same, the viewer some how becomes distracted from this but still gains a great understanding of the story.

As for effect I think the 1968 one worked best. If reading the original Shakespeare text was all I could go by I would imagine it being set in the setting of Zefirelli’s, not in a Californian city.