Romeo and Juliet - Why is Act 3 Scene 1 a successful and dramatic scene? Describe also how it has been converted into a film by Franco Zeffireli (1968) and Baz Luhrman (1998).

Romeo and Juliet Essay:

Analysis on Drama (Act 3 Scene 1)

Why is Act 3 Scene 1 a successful and dramatic scene? Describe also how it has been converted into a film by Franco Zeffireli (1968) and Baz Luhrman (1998).

Introduction

To analyse what makes this particular scene so dramatic, I first have to look at what makes drama in a scene. Arguments, threats and conflict all play a major role in creating drama, but the main ingredients that is used many times throughout this scene is anticipation in the audience. Act 3 Scene 1, is written so cleverly that there is even conflict in the way it is written down (i.e. sentences). I believe this scene is a very successful scene in that there is tension, verbal and physical conflict and yet all mixed with comedy.

There are many events leading up to the drama in this scene – all resulting in hated conflict. The key events are the arguments at the beginning of the play between the Capulets (Juliet's family) and the Montagues (Romeo’s family). This sets the scene for the remainder of the play - the jarring of the two families. The street in Verona, a public place, is where the prejudice starts between the two families. In Act 1 Scene 1, Sampson and Gregory servants for the Capulets, insulted the Montagues servants Balthasar and Abraham by biting his thumb at him. This leads to a fight, which involves the Lord’s of both families and the Prince. “I hate the word / As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee”. These are strong words from Tybalt, revealing the strength of the hatred and the seriousness of the feud. No death occurred, but the families’ attitudes against each other are worse then before. This causes a lot of prejudice between the families that lead to violence. Shakespeare presents us with a society that is dominated by hatred - the leaders of the Capulet and Montague families, but this has spread through the families and even as far as their friends and servants.

The Capulets hold a fancy-dress party and Romeo and friends get hold of some invitations. At this party, Romeo sees Juliet for the very first time and they instantly fall in love. Although this is one of the most beautiful parts in the play, the drama has already become apparent to the audience. On first seeing Juliet, Romeo exclaims,

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of the night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear;
Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
She shows snowy dove trooping with crows,
As yonder lady o’er her fellows shows.

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Romeo describes Juliet's beauty in terms of dark and light. "She doth teach the torches to burn bright!” means both that her beauty is brighter than the blaze of any torch and that her presence makes the whole room light up. The bright blaze of Juliet's beauty is made even brighter by the contrasts with the blackness of an "Ethiope" and the blackness of crows. This language is showing conflict by the use of contrast with dark and light. Conflict and argument can be foreseen within the play from this early point. Throughout the play we learn that Romeo and Juliet are always connected to passion, whether that passion is love or hate. Tybalt (of the Capulets) sees Romeo at the party and is livid. He is only prevented from fighting by Lord Capulet.
Romeo and Juliet then meet after the party to declare their love for one another. All the while stirring up conflict between the two families. Romeo goes to the priest and asks him to marry them. The priest agrees, but only with the idea in mind that it will stop the two families feuding. This is a kind of ‘dramatic irony’ as the audience knows that no good will come of the marriage after hearing the chorus at the beginning of the play. It states that ‘The fearful passage of their death-marked love / And the continuance of their parents’ rage / Which but their children’s end, naught could remove’ providing an insight into the play at which point both Romeo and Juliet die. This is personified drama as both the main characters are to die at the end of the play. From this chorus we can see that there will be no clichéd happy ending.

In Act 3 Scene 1, another duel between the two feuding families starts up again in a street of Verona. Mercutio and Benvolio (friends of Romeo), are confronted by Tybalt, who is still prejudice against the Montagues. The hot summer's day increases the tension in this opening; we know something is going to happen - like the calm before a storm, something is about to break. Tybalt thinks that they crashed the Capulets ball and now he wants revenge. Mercutio and Tybalt fight between each other. Now Romeo arrives trying to stop the arguments. Tybalt draws his sword and challenges Romeo. Romeo refuses to fight and Mercutio steps in to meet Tybalts’ challenge. Romeo's shows inability to respond to Tybalt. This is mainly because he has recently married into Tybalts side of the family. We have seen him marry Juliet in private/secret. Because the audience is aware of this secret, we are in a privileged position and feel more involved in the action as a consequence. Romeo again, steps in to stop the fighting, but Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arm. Mercutio from this action dies from his injury and this causes disruption between the families, which again leads to more prejudice. This death is clearly important as it develops the action. Mercutio dies so early on in the play to show the widespread effect of the hatred between the Montagues and Capulets - that people who are only on the fringe of the feud are dragged into the tragedy and die needlessly. The theme of conflict is affected by the use of swordplay throughout the play. This dramatic effect keeps reminding the audience of the theme. In the very first scene swords are drawn in order to bring the audience into the plot. Gregory tells Sampson, “Draw thy tool. Here comes of / the house of Montagues”. The feud is therefore renewed. The flash of their swords and the deaths associated with the swordplay again portray the theme of conflict to the audience.

In modern film versions of the play, guns replace swords. But however the violence is shown, deadly fighting is a dramatic effect that lets the audience know that conflict is a theme.

I find it hard to imagine the director of either film casting overweight, unattractive actors in the roles of Romeo and Juliet. In reading the play it gives an idea of what the two must look like. They are obsessed after seeing one another at the Capulet’s ball. In the scene, Romeo refers to Juliet as he sees her across the room, “What lady’s that which doth enrich the hand / Of yonder knight?” He continues to refer to her beauty, “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it sight! / For I ne’re saw true beauty till this night”. As with Romeo, Juliet is in love upon first sight. She says to her nurse, “What is yond gentleman . . .? If he be married, / My grave is like to be my wedding bed”. Without speaking to him, and without knowing anything about him other than what he looks like, Juliet signs herself to the grave if she cannot be his lover.

Physical appearance is very important for dramatic effect and this is shown in both films, therefore Romeo must be handsome.

In the latest film version of the play, director Baz Luhrmann cast Leonardo DiCaprio as Romeo. DiCaprio was known as a ‘heartthrob’ after his appearance in films like “The Man in the Iron Mask.” After his performance in “Romeo and Juliet” he broke the hearts of millions of would-be-Juliets as Jack Dawson in “Titanic.” DiCaprio is basically a very good-looking young man whose appearance is perfect for Romeo. The audience has no difficulty believing that the immature Juliet would be taken with him. Without an actor like this, the role in the film would not work as well.

Luhrmann cast Clair Danes as Juliet in the film. Danes achieved star status as the very down to earth, affectionate, and pretty character of a television series called “My So Called Life.” The intended audience for Luhrmann’s “Romeo and Juliet” would be familiar with her as she had been type cast as a young woman yearning for love.

Like many recent films, this is a modern take on of a classic story. However, what sets it apart from many reproductions of films is the fact that Baz Luhrmann has not rejected Shakespeare’s script in favour of a modern translation; he has remained faithful to the original text. The film is set in the not-too-distant future of Verona Beach in Los Angeles and there is plenty of edgy camera work to reinforce this futuristic feel. There is a strong contrast between scenes of despair and emptiness and scenes of extreme colour and vibrancy. The film uses Lurhmann's innovative technique of quite edgy and jerky camera work, which manages to successfully reflect the fast paced action of the story without losing anything in the change of style. The old English dialogue works surprisingly well in the modern film. The actors are all fantastic at conveying the meaning of the words so there is no need to puzzle over what they are saying.

So much thought was put into the costumes of the modern version of the play. Each character's costume, especially at the costume party, reflects the personality of the wearer (e.g. Juliet is dressed as an angel, Mercutio is dressed as a drag queen showing his flamboyant nature, and Romeo is wearing a suit of armour, reflecting the fact that he feels he has 'a soul of lead').

This updated film version of Romeo and Juliet is suitable for people aging from teenagers to adults. It tells the story in a uniquely different method. It uses the original script by Shakespeare but all the scenes appear in a present day. Instead of the original riding in chariots, the actors riding in convertibles. Gone are the spears and arrows to make way for the updated knives and guns.