The opening to Baz Luhrmann's 'Romeo and Juliet' seems a dramatic contrast to that of Franco Zeffirelli's.
The opening to Baz Luhrmann's 'Romeo and Juliet' seems a dramatic contrast to that of Franco Zeffirelli's. The two films being set in different periods is the first thing that produces the known difference right away. Both films right at the start have something in common, they don't show a full screen view straight away. Franco Zeffirelli's opens with the usual titles, in a somewhat medival font, these titles are shown over a view of what is thought to be the town of Verona. The view is made up of yellows and golds this adds to the calmness and solem voice of the voiceover-. The voiceover is reading the introduction to the play - he speaks slowly like the story of a great tradedy is about to be told, which it is. The language used is pure Shakespeare, spoke in the proper way. The scene starts in a market, a bright place where things seem to be colourful and busy, primary colour are used. The characters are dressed in tight trousers and hats, and going about their business in a mischevious way. It is obvious that this film is not set in the present day as the costumes are those of a different period. Camera shots tend not to vary, things go along at a steady pace and doesn't show much of the town Verona itself. When the two houses meet in the market place, there is a tension which immediately shows the rivalry among the two houses, some banter commences which is very
Show Romeo's changes throughout the play and how Shakespeare's language is used to show this.
The name Romeo, in popular culture, has become synonymous with "lover". Romeo Montague, in William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' does indeed experience a love of such purity and passion which drives him to death, when he believes the object of his love, Juliet Capulet, has died. Emotions and changes are conveyed in Romeo's use of language and his gestured. It is the scenes in which Romeo and Juliet are together that I shall study in the following essay to show Romeo's changes and how Shakespeare's language is used to show this. At the beginning of the play, Romeo pines for Rosaline, proclaiming her to be the paragon of all women and despairing at her indifference towards him. Romeo's Rosaline-induced histronics seem rather juvenile. Romeo is a great reader of love poetry and the portrayal of his love for Rosaline suggests he is trying to re-create feelings about which he has read. He is the epitome of the Elizabethan courtly lover who wallows in self-pity. After first kissing Juliet, she tells him "You kiss by th' book" , meaning that he kisses according to the rules, and implying while proficient, his kissing lacks originality. (I.V.107). In reference to Rosaline. It seems Romeo loves by the book. It is love which causes Romeo to change his beliefs and his actions. In Romeo and Juliet, love is at first portrayed as a violent ecstatic overpowering force which
Compare interpretations of character in a film version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet with your own views after you have studied the text.
Shakespeare Language and Literature Unit Task: Compare interpretations of character in a film version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet with your own views after you have studied the text. In my essay I will explore character interpretation of Baz Luhrmanns' modern adaption of the playwright "Romeo + Juliet" by William Shakespeare. Just from the title the modernisation of the play can be given away quite successfully, with the "+" sign in between the Romeo and Juliet; this indicates that the title is a "trendy" adoption of its definition, a slang recognition, which teenagers [the target audience] use a lot. To begin with the prologue in the film shows immediately that the story is modernised and everything has changed to today's way of life [for the benefit of younger audiences]. The prologue begins with a TV screen at a distance with a the TV screen beginning fuzzy without a signal and then picks up a news report taking place, the prologue is read out by a news reporter with the TV screen zooming in closer to the screen gradually, the prologue automatically gives you a sense of a tragedy in the making with words including "death", "death-marked", "rage", "fatal", "blood", "foes" and "grudge", from this point onwards the introduction begins. Parts of the opening scene on the video are extremely fast moving with flickers of the surroundings including the two houses -
What techniques does Baz Luhrman the director of the 1997 film "Romeo And Juliet" use to make the opening scene effective
What techniques does Baz Luhrman the director of the 1997 film "Romeo And Juliet" use to make the opening scene effective ? Baz Luhrman's 1997 version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, was modernised and aimed at a young modern day audience. Luhrman has followed in the footsteps of Franco Zeffirelli, who made this movie in 1968. The 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet had won four Oscars. Luhrman used the original language of Shakespeare just like Zeffirelli but, made it modern he used a fictional city called, Verona Beach mirroring Los Angeles. He used infamous actors Claire Danes and Leonardo Dicaprio, therefore they weren't associated with other roles. Luhrman used modern music to make it more contempary, and to attract the audience. Luhrman used a black TV presenter to show it's modern day. Luhrman's use of fire is very effective especially, to support the raging families at war. At the beginning of the movie when the family tree is burnt, this shows both families losing Romeo and Juliet, as a result of this both families are falling apart . The fire also shows the hatred between the two families. When the petrol station is on fire there's a poster burning which says "The 2nd brawl breaks between...." this shows that there is a lot of vendetta between the families. Luhrman's use of religion is to support the ancient grudge between the two families. At the very
What events in Juliet's life shape this change in her personality, and how does her language reflect this change?
Hollie Calton What events in Juliet's life shape this change in her personality, and how does her language reflect this change? At the age of fourteen Juliet was a young and naïve innocent girl. However, during the play she matures emotionally and broadens her ideas and her way of thinking. This vast and rapid change was a consequence of her relationship with Romeo and there are many ideas in the play which illustrate these points but it is through her language that we can see these changes. The prologue gives an outline of what is yet to come and explores these ideas using metaphors and many linguistic devices. "From ancient grudge break new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean." This shows the audience the basis of the story. Each line skips to a different event such as " And the continuance of their parent's rage, which but their children's end nought could remove." This suggests that each event happens quickly through-out the play, showing changing events happen in a short period of time. The use of the word "children" suggests that Romeo and Juliet are very young and irresponsible, thus requiring the events to be fast to emphasise some of the irrational decisions. The secrets of the play are revealed in the prologue yet it also gives many hidden depths. "The which if you with patient ears attend, what here shall miss, our toil shall strive to
Romeo and Juliet - An exploration into the language of love.
Romeo and Juliet An exploration into the language of love I am studying Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. For my coursework I will have to describe and look at three scenes within Shakespeare's masterpiece Romeo and Juliet. The three scenes are the party scene, balcony scene and the parting. While looking at these scenes I will be describing the language of love for example referring to religion and contrasts between light and dark as another example. In the party scene (act 1 scene 3) when Romeo first lays eyes upon Juliet he is instantly attracted to her and taken in by her breath taking beauty. The first words he speaks are "O she doth teach the torches to burn bright". If you look at this quotation the first word Romeo speaks is 'O' this is as though he is taken away by her immense beauty. Also when he says burn bright it means she stands out as a burning light would. What you must remember is that Romeo and Juliet are at a party which means there is a lot of people and he only notices her as she is so beautiful hence the 'burn bright'. This is what we call the language of love. Throughout this wonderful play thee are many more examples of this. "So shows a snowy white dove trooping with crows". This is similar to the first example as it uses a contrast between light and dark. Snowy dove being the beautiful, graceful Juliet and the crows being all the other less
Monologue of Juliet.
Monologue of Juliet I met him at the Capulet party; it was love at first sight. His kisses were by the book, totally perfect, I love him. When the nurse entered, calling me to my mother, I could not take my eyes of Romeo, he was the content of my mind, and there was nothing more important. As Romeo left, I tried to get the nurse's opinion, without directly telling her that I loved Romeo. I would never ask my mother such questions, because the nurse is like my mother, as I grew up knowing her, and having little contact with my mother. I began to return to reality, I had only just met this man, and I did not even know his name. When the nurse informed me that he was a Montague, my heart dropped, I knew how badly our families hated each other. I felt devastated; I did not know whether I would ever be able to see him again. On Sunday night, I met Romeo again in our (the Capulet's) orchard. I could tell he was in a flutter about love, the same way as I was. I was delighted when Romeo greeted me with the words, 'It is my lady, O it is my love'. His words were so sweet, and gentle, I was annoyed, angry and frustrated that he was a Montague, and that he being there that night was strictly forbidden. I thought I could change from being a Capulet, so that we could be together. I tried to define the meaning of 'Montague', it meant nothing, it was just a name, Romeo was who I loved,
How does Baz Luhrman attract a teenage audience right from the start of Romeo and Juliet?
Lauren Cook How does Baz Luhrman attract a teenage audience right from the start of Romeo and Juliet? Teenagers can relate to the issues of Romeo and Juliet but the way it is performed does not appeal to the younger audience. This is because of the Elizabethan language which is hard to understand, the dress which teenagers are not familiar with and the religious element which is not a large part of society any more. To attract a teenage audience Baz Luhrman changes some of these features; he uses modern dress instead of the typical Elizabethan style, a modern soundtrack and attractive and well known actors/actresses. This makes the production more familiar to teenagers because it uses some elements from their everyday life. The opening is a long shot of a television with a black background it is medium teenagers can relate to thus making it even more familiar. The credits are white on a black background and uses the genre of the news. The news uses certain codes and conventions such as the layout of the screen, the icon in the corner and the typical "BBC" language so we recognise it immediately. This news is an everyday occurrence so teenagers would find it very familiar. The news shot zooms in which draws the attention of the audience and a black, female news reader reading the prologue shows it is a product of a multi-cultural society. "Star cross'd lovers" was written
Looking closely at the characters and language in Romeo and Juliet, analyse the dramatic effectiveness in Act 3, Scene 5
Sarah~ Jane Beck 11W "Romeo and Juliet" Looking closely at the characters and language in Romeo and Juliet, analyse the dramatic effectiveness in Act 3, Scene 5 William Shakespeare wrote "Romeo and Juliet" in 1954, although the basic plot can be traced back as early as the third century. In the play, Shakespeare relies heavily on the poem "The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet" by Arthur Brooke. Most of the people in the Elizabethan era were perceptive enough to concentrate on how the play was being performed and engaged themselves in the language the characters were using. Shakespeare's audiences had different expectations towards his play, as many of them recognised the story already, they were settled enough to watch it providing the dramatist's interpretation proved to be unique and original. I have been looking closely at Act 3, Scene 5 where Romeo and Juliet have just been secretly married. The scene opens with the two lovers having to part quickly after the Nurse informs Juliet her mother is swiftly approaching. Already a dramatic atmosphere is created, the audience is almost waiting for Romeo and Juliet to be caught out, this they know can simply not happen. Juliet is understandably tearful; Romeo is sympathetic towards her, showing he really cares for her: "I will omit no opportunity That will convey my greetings, love, to thee" All this is in
Comment on how Romeo and Juliet use language to communicate their feelings about love until Act II, scene ii of the play
Comment on how Romeo and Juliet use language to communicate their feelings about love until Act II, scene ii of the play. 'Romeo and Juliet' is the tragic story of two lovers separated by their feuding families. The origins of 'Romeo and Juliet' originate before Shakespeare and so the story has been made familiar to audiences and readers of previous generations. Many historians believe he got his inspiration from literature dating back to the sixteenth century such as the poem by Arthur Brooke called 'The Tragicall Historye Of Romeus and Iuliet', written in 1562. Shakespeare adapted this story in order for it to appeal to the Elizabethan audience. The male protagonist of the play is Romeo Montague. He is approximately seventeen or eighteen years old. Romeo is a stereotypical adolescent boy, who emotions are fickle and based on lust. He constantly spends time thinking about love and his desire to be in love. He is spurned by the lady he adores Rosaline. Romeo follows the conventions of 'courtly love' with diligence. In contrast the female protagonist Juliet Capulet is of a younger age; barely into her teenage years. Juliet is the opposite to Romeo as she is not stereotypical. Juliet does not comprehend or desire marriage, which is unusual of a girl her age. However, it is surprising Juliet breaches the rules of 'courtly love' by accepting the proposal of marriage as soon
