But because the story was becoming more and more popular then another Italian writer called Bandello in 1554 produced another version. In his story the lovers are Romeo and Julietta and the character of the nurse as well as Paris were introduced.
Because of its extreme popularity the French became fascinated with Bandello’s version. It was translated into French in 1559, but after this event, a gentleman called Arthur Brooke translated the French version into English in 1562. This was a poem, which was 3000 lines long. Shakespeare probably had this in front of him when writing his own version.
As he wanted to put his own trademark on his story, he changed the plot and the style of language. He modernised it by only using rhyming couplets vaguely throughout the whole play and also changing the spelling of most words to bring it up to date. For example emotions and expressions are changed to make the play more intriguing and enjoyable to watch. Most importantly though, he created the whole story to be complex and so the audience could be anxious of the future in the play. Involving the character Tybalt more frequently in the play did this. In Brooke’s version he was only introduced once so Shakespeare wanted to make the character more developed. He also changed the characters appearances and statuses, for example Juliet’s age was change to fourteen from Arthur Brooke’s sixteen.
Once Shakespeare had found his sources and had got all of his ideas from different versions of the story. Then he could set to work using his own exceptional mind and imagination. Brooke’s version of his 3000 line poem was two-dimensional compared to what Shakespeare wanted to achieve. Arthur Brooke’s poem didn’t show much emotion extravagancy or exaggeration. Shakespeare wanted to make his story more complex than Brooke’s wooden like version. The complexity of his ideas would make it more enjoyable and worth while to view.
Shakespeare makes his version very real and believable. Unlike Brooke’s poem the audience can imagine the characters because literally they are brought to life in his play. The audience are informed more about the happenings in the play so they can associate to it and become more involved. This is exactly what makes the whole sense and complexity of the play come to life and extremely more powerful.
Act 1 Scene 5 is the audience’s first experience of the two characters actually together. Before Romeo enters the Ball at the Capulets house he has a powerful sense of foreboding about what will happen when he goes into the Capulets house. “I fear too early; for my mind misgives, some consequence, yet hanging in the stars.”
Though Romeo doesn’t know that something extraordinary was going to happen he did sense it. Because this happens it suggests the idea of supernatural forces at work to show that the love between them is immense and real. This is evidence that Romeo could love Juliet more than his rival, Paris. Paris treats Juliet almost as a possession instead of someone who he really loves. Maybe this suggests that he just wants to marry Juliet because of her great beauty instead of what she is really like deep down inside, not just from her appearance and outer shell. To show that Romeo does feel deeply fond of Juliet in many different ways, not just one then he says things to Juliet telling her that she is loved by him and always will be. “O she doth teach the torches to burn bright!” Not just this but he also emphasises her beauty and extremely good looks. “Like a rich jewel…” This has an enormous impact on the audience as they are informed and persuaded that Romeo is the one for Juliet
