Romeo doesn’t manage to see Rosaline as he is distracted the whole night by Juliet, daughter of Lord Capulet. The two instantly fall in love. “O she doth teach the torches to burn bright. It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night like a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear; beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear” – Romeo is stunned by Juliet’s beauty and says she stands out from the crowd.
Romeo enters the church where Friar Lawrence is, and requests he conducts a marriage between him and Juliet. The Friar agrees, as he is in the same mind as Romeo, “In one respect I’ll thy assistant be, for this alliance may so happy prove, to turn your household’s rancour to pure love”, figuring it may bring the opposing families together. Though the Friar does feel he has more of a superior position, as his advice is needed by many; such as Romeo, the Nurse and Paris. Thus giving him some kind of advantage, to bring the two families together by a planned marriage. The Friar refers to Romeo proving how fickle men can be, as Romeo has suddenly forgotten Rosaline for another girl. The constant reference to Rosaline is a reminder of how different his love for Juliet is. The Friar states how Romeo was merely infatuated with Rosaline rather than in love.
In Act 2 Scene 6, the wedding takes place between Romeo and Juliet, with only the Friar and Juliet’s Nurse as witnesses. Romeo is impatient and the Friar persuades him to be wait until Juliet arrives. We see from this again that Romeo rushes into things and is too fast for the rest of the world. Friar Lawrence expresses his concerns that the secret marriage between Romeo and Juliet may actually make things worse by saying; “These violent delights have violent ends, and in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss consume” – The Friar is saying that extreme emotions such as Romeo’s love for Juliet often end violently. This also reminds us of the prologue and we can guess that the Friar is correct if the marriage is to go ahead. His fears are justified and in the very next scene, the essential scene in the play, what happens is affected by Romeo’s attitude and behaviour now that he is married to Juliet. “For by your leaves, you shall not stay alone, till holy church incorporate two in one.” – Friar Lawrence is saying that he is worried the pair may do something regretful before they are even married, so he says he will not leave them alone with each other until they are united in marriage.
All of the events which have taken place in Acts 1 and 2 come to a climax in Act 3 Scene 1. Benvolio tries to persuade Mercutio to go some place else with him as the Capulets are around and he sees trouble ahead. Mercutio retaliates and says that Benvolio is as much a troublemaker as anyone else, and presumably makes up a list of reasons Benvolio has had to pick fights with people. From the readers point of view, Benvolio is actually a good friend. He wants to do the right thing and is intimidated easily by others; some would refer to him as ‘the peacemaker’. The person Tybalt is looking for is Romeo, who then arrives straight from his wedding. “Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford. No better term than this – thou art a villain” – Tybalt is saying that the term villain is the only way to describe Romeo. Romeo refuses in a pleasant way as he is reluctant to fight now that they are family. Romeo is saying he has a reason to love Tybalt, and that he will put aside his rage and ignore the insulting name that he denies. After Tybalt accuses Romeo of harming him, Romeo replies “I do protest I never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise..”. Romeo is saying that he never harmed Tybalt, and that Tybalt wont ever understand Romeo’s love until he knows the reason. Mercutio accepts Tybalt’s challenge on Romeo’s behalf. Romeo attempts to stop them after saying “Gentleman, for shame, forbear this outrage Tybalt, Mercutio, the Prince expressly hath forbid this bandying in Verona streets..” Romeo pleads them to stop as he reminds them of the Prince’s decree, to forbid fighting in the streets of Verona. Tybalt stabs Mercutio, without meaning to cause such a fatal injury. Mercutio’s death immediately puts an end to the Friar’s plan to unite the two families. After this incident, we see that Romeo admits, love makes him weak. “O sweet Juliet, Thy beauty hath made me effeminate, and in my temper softened valor's steel!”.
Once Tybalt returns, Romeo is angry that he has killed a good man and says it’s time for rage to guide his actions. Romeo is drawn into the fight much against his will, his marriage to Juliet has triggered a desire to avoid being called a coward. “Now, Tybalt, take the “villain” back again that late thou gavest me, for Mercutio's soul is but a little way above our heads, Staying for thine to keep him company. Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.” Romeo says that either Tybalt, Romeo or both of them have to join Mercutio. Tybalt says that he is Romeo’s friend, and that Romeo shall go to heaven with him. “This shall determine that” – Are the last words Romeo says before he revengefully kills Tybalt. Romeo escapes from the scene just before the Prince arrives. As he does, Benvolio explains the whole story. Whilst Lady Montague accuses him of lying, the Prince decides that Romeo will be banished, and if he is seen in Verona he will be killed. “Immediately we do exile him hence”. The Prince is retreating from his previous speech about punishment for “civil brawls”, but the sentence of banishment on Romeo leaves possibility for a happy ending.
The 4 male characters who take part in Act 3 Scene 1 are all different from each other. Benvolio and Romeo try to act as peacemakers but Mercutio and Tybalt are “hotheads” always ready to fight. “We talk here in the public haunt of men. Either withdraw into some private place, and reason coldly of your grievances, or else depart..” – Benvolio is saying everybody can see them as they are causing a disturbance to the public, he is worried they will get into trouble if they are seen so tries to convince the men to stop fighting. We can see that he is reluctant and intimidated by others easily. Benvolio doesn’t want to get into trouble, as he reminds them they are in the eye of the public. “Draw Benvolio beat down their weapons. Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage. Tybalt, Mercutio, the Prince expressly hath forbid this bandying in Verona streets. Hold Tybalt. Good Mercutio” – Romeo also warns them of the Prince’s decree and urges them to stop fighting. Though if Romeo hadn’t have appeared at the ball, there wouldn’t be a reason for their deaths. The fight is also to blame for the action that follows in Acts 4 and 5.
The prologue states that fate is against Romeo and Juliet, their love is “death-marked,” and they have no control over what happens, they are just misfortunate that the ending of the play is so tragic. Every event up to Act 3 scene 1 brought Romeo and Juliet closer to their fates. In the prologue, they are also referred to as “star-cross’d lovers” meaning they won’t live happily ever after. Although fate ends their lives it also brings the couple together; they were a perfect match but unfortunately for them both they were from feuding families. The odd that one belonged to Montague and the other to Capulet was very slim. If the pair hadn’t met in the first place, their lives wouldn’t have ended. Supposedly, if Rosline had been at the ball and had returned Romeo’s affection, then all the future suffering between him and Juliet wouldn’t have occurred. A twist of luck ended in Romeo falling for a completely different girl, Juliet. “My mind misgives some
consequence, yet hanging in the stars, shall bitterly begin his fearful date with this night’s revels” Romeo feels that going to this ball will trigger unwanted business, that will result in his death. He ignores his premonition as he decides it is not in his hands and carries on with the plan. When insisting on marrying Juliet straight away, the friar warns Romeo that people who rush often have very destructive consequences. This reminds us that Romeo’s fate is unavoidable. Fate is responsible for other deaths in the play, as Mercutio and Tybalt are killed beforehand. Romeo happens to hold morals of a loving gentleman and Mercutio’s behaviour is fuelled by this, leading to his own death. Romeo cries “I am Fortune’s fool” after he has killed Tybalt, admitting he has bad luck. After the deaths of Mercutio and Tybalt, fate controls the way Romeo and Juliet’s lives are tragically brought to an end. A seemingly perfect plan is thought of by Friar Lawrence, that Juliet would take a potion to make her appear dead on the day of her wedding. Romeo was to be informed about the plan by sending a letter to where he had been banished. Fate prevents this from working as there was a quarantine and Romeo is unable to receive the letter. Ironically Romeo and Juliet both have premonitions of each other’s death. Juliet warns Romeo before he leaves to Mantua “as one dead in the bottom of a tomb. Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale”. This is worrying as the last premonition was in fact true. Once Friar Lawrence’s plan falls through, Balthasar as expected, mistakes Juliet for being dead and cautiously reports it to Romeo, despite his dislike to being the bearer of bad news.
Both the films of Romeo & Juliet are different from eachother. They share similarities, though Zeffirelli and Luhrmann decided to film a large majority of the film differently. Different times in life and outlook of the play affect the style of how the film is put together by two different people.
Both versions include the original prologue, but Zeffirelli’s version uses a narrator to speak it whereas the modern version presents it as a newscast. During the first fight, the films both incorporate light and darkness into the clothes of the two families, the older version represents Montagues by dressing them in darker colours. On the other hand they are wearing lighter colours in Luhrmann’s version. Luhrmann also sets the whole of the first fight at a local gas station beginning and ending with the same people. Zeffirelli starts the fight in the town market with just two Montagues and two Capulets, taking it to the town centre where many others become involved. The rivalry between the two families is more noticeable in the modern version as the two families are verbally fighting before physical action takes place. Zeffirelli starts the fight between the two families as almost friendly joking but then it becomes serious. We see them to be more civil compared to the modern version. Luhrmann’s version therefore appears more exaggerated when showing anger and opposition and Zeffirelli makes his film more traditional, keeping to the original script and using less violence than the modern film. Luhrmann’s version uses more modern weapons, replacing swords with guns and portraying the families much more like gangs by showing them in modern clothes and colours. On the other hand, the actors in the older edition wear traditional clothing of the period in which the play is set. Tragedy is a key factor in Romeo & Juliet, both films include it but in a different style. Action in Luhrmann’s version always seems to suggest people will die tragically, making it appear more obvious. Differently, the audience of Zeffirelli’s film will receive more of a surprise to see that fighting is almost playful but still ends up in some form of disaster.
In my opinion the older film is more my style as it is more traditional and to a authentic and realistic style, whereas the modern film is at some points farfetched and exaggerates the storyline of the original script. Although having said this, typically, I understand the modern version more and I find it more engaging and interesting than Zeffirelli’s reproduction. I found that I noticed the characters more by their personas and learnt the moral of the story quicker than I would’ve done watching the older version initially.
Act 3 Scene 1 is a turning point in the play because the events of Acts 1 & 2 comes to a climax in this scene. This scene involves the death of both Mercutio and Tybalt, as well as Romeo’s change of heart. Before Mercutio’s death, Romeo doesn’t want to fight, and is a caring person who wants peace now that he is married to a Capulet. His behaviour and fortune changes in this scene because of the death of Mercutio. There is no longer hope for change or peace, as we are reminded of the prologue and the punishment for fighting in the streets of Verona. After Tybalt’s death, Romeo is sent away to a place far from Juliet, which is the opposite of what he wants. The Friar needn’t have to had thought of a plan to re-unite the lovers if the events in Act 3 Scene 1 hadn’t occurred because there would be no reason for Romeo to have been separated from Juliet. Thus would have more than likely prevented the deaths of them both.
