Romeo and Juliet - own version

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet has been one of the most famous plays written by Shakespeare because it is enormously engaging and has many levels to study. Shakespeare uses an intriguing storyline to explore realistic tragedies which may occur in this life.

In my version of the play, the ideal person to introduce the background of the feud would be a judge. This would be appropriate to set the scene because his/her authority and status. They would ideally be positioned at the front of the stage, elevated on a courtroom bench to show a powerful yet neutral insight to the fighting.

Towards the end of the prologue, after “the which if you with patient ears…our toil shall strive to mend’, the judge could strike the gavel with the hammer. This is a sign of the consequences of the feud. As said before, I would place the judge (prologue reader) at the front of the stage, set in a courtroom. This is because a courtroom signifies that there is going to be punishment and pain in the play.

There are many revealing words in the prologue. For example, “alike” and “both” represent two rivalling families who are very competitive and are equal in status in Verona. Other words such as “grudge”, “foes” “rage” and “mutiny” represent the fact that the feud has built over time and bitterness arisen. Words such as “blood”, “death” and “end” obviously indicate that death will lead to the end of the feud. Key groups of words give clear impressions as to how and why the grudges are being held.

The prologue blatantly reveals the outcome of the play in order to emphasise that the play is not just about what, but about why and how these things occur which is more important. It also gives us an insight into the Elizabethan fear of a lawless society, full of hatred and fear. The hidden message behind the prologue is that a chaotic society will inevitably destroy the most precious things in life. In this play, children and the future are being overtaken by violence as time goes on.

In my version of the play, I would have a family of traditional Italian Americans rivalling a family of modern Italian-Americans. I have chosen this because there are many differences between the two families but they are also very similar. I imagine the traditional Italian-Americans dressed in designer suits, involved with the Mafia and Pizza restaurants. In contrast, the modern Italian-Americans are involved with drugs and fashion. Most importantly of all, both families are obsessed with power.

I would not reveal the actual city in which the play is set. I would do this to show that violence and jealousy can happen in any culture. However, I have chosen the urban setting of an American-style city. I would set one family on the West side of town and one on the East side of Town. To represent this on stage, the traditional Italian-Americans could perform most of the acting on the left of the stage (west), and the modern Italian-Americans on the right hand side of the stage (east). I would emphasise the fact that the setting of the play is ubiquitous: the play is about human nature and contrasts of wealth and poverty. In the middle of the stage, innocent people could be caught up in the violence and destruction. This also shows that the two families are more concerned with their power and status rather than human lives. The setting will need to have a hectic, chaotic and overcrowded atmosphere to add to the intense mood of the play.

The two families’ lifestyles will have to be similar to the Montagues and the Capulets in order to be realistic to the play. So, both the traditional and modern Italian-Americans families are driven by money and power. They also have very exclusive lifestyles. This means they only mix with people of similar wealth or popularity. They seem protected and isolated from reality.

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Both the traditional and modern Italian-Americans families will live a life full of fear, not only fear of being killed by one an other, but also a fear if bankruptcy and loss of pride. This reduces everything to survival of the fittest- or in this case, survival of the most ruthless. Even though both families are isolated from normal life, they still abuse and mistreat the right of poorer people in their community.

This idea of the traditional and modern Italian-Americans families’ rivalry will play well to a modern audience because it is easy to relate to. This type of competition-driven feud happens in many different cultures, wealthy and poor. The themes in the play can be exaggerated by the setting to show intolerance, inequality and prejudice. I would also accentuate the universal image of the Western-world: high-tech but at times very alienating. The culture in America compared to a Verona theme is very relevant and topical: similar in many ways that goes beyond history and geographical location.

Romeo and Juliet, said to be one of the most famous love stories of all time, is a play anchored on time and fate. Some actions are believed to occur by chance or by destiny. Shakespeare’s time period marked a time where marriage was an important aspect of people’s lives. The ways in which people were matched and married was very evident in many of his works as he strove to depict love and the relationships that developed between men and women. The tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet has a long history. From the early poetry about Romeo and Juliet including Arthur Brooke’s “Tragical History of Romeus and Juliets” in 1562 through “Romeo and Juliet” written by William Shakespeare in 1593.

There are many aspects of the first fight scene in Romeo and Juliet. In a public place of Verona, we first see two servants of the Capulet family armed with swords, ready to fight with any "dog of the house of Montague." They express the enmity toward Montague in vulgar terms tinged with sexual innuendoes. The provocative gesture by Sampson is actually quite cowardly and sly: “Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?...No, sir, I do not bit my thumb at you sir, but I bite my thumb, sir.” This hesitation, waiting for a reaction, is intended to increase the tension and force the other side to make the first move.

Just then, two servants of the Montague household enter and the two sides begin to fight.

The fight ends temporarily when Benvolio, a Montague and a cousin to Romeo, appears and “beats down” their swords. Immediately after this, however, a noble member of the Capulet family, Tybalt, bursts in, and begins to fight with Benvolio. The fracas attracts others, including Old Capulet and his wife, Old Montague and his wife, and the Prince of Verona, named Escalus. The Prince commands these rebellious subjects to stop breaking the civil peace, complaining that these street battles have erupted on several occasions, and threatening lives of the combatants.

As Benvolio enters the fight, it seems like the servants need to impress their master as a sign of recognition and prestige. I suppose Benvoilio instigates the violence in this scene and this shows that Verona holds a hierarchal society, divided by class.

Benvolio’s words: “fools” show his superiority and status, as well as his worried style. I think his frustration is shown here through orders and commands to his fellow family members, and enemies. His good side is still shown though; “I do but keep peace”. This indicates Benvolio, as well as showing his hate for the Capulets, does not want things to get out of hand. He seems polite and apologetic here, even though Benvolio has done no wrong.

Old Montague asks Benvolio about the cause of the argument at hand, but Lady Montague's concern is with their son, Romeo. She is glad that Romeo was not involved in the fight, but she then says that her son has been in a melancholy and depressed state of mind. Romeo enters, appearing down-cast and distracted, but he nevertheless speaks in highly affected, figurative language about the brawl, using oxymorons like "loving hate," "heavy lightness," and "serious vanity."

Romeo explains to Benvolio that he is madly in love with a woman named Rosaline (who never appears as a character in the play) who is sworn to chastity. Benvolio says that Romeo should "forget to think of her," and his friend and cousin replies that he will stop thinking about Rosaline if Benvolio can show him "a mistress that is passing fair" (l.234). As the story unfolds, a great variety of moral assumptions and explanations as to the value of love are explored. Romeo is first presented as a lover creating poetical phrases in honour of his present love, the chaste and unattainable Rosaline. As he states to his friend, Benvolio, "She'll not be hit/With Cupid's arrow. She hath Dian's wit, /and, in strong proof of chastity well armed ...” He goes on to admit: "She hath foresworn to love; and in that vow do I live dead that live to tell it now." Romeo's purity and inexperience are thus exemplified because Rosaline is not seen in any scenes of the play.

Shakespeare gives us an overview that love does not always end in peace and true romance, but sometimes in tragedy. However, Shakespeare also gives the idea that love can exist in the most straining and difficult environments and situations. Tragedy is also something inevitable in Verona society. Shakespeare also tries to show that a divided society is destructive. I think this is because in Romeo and Juliet this kills sometimes innocent people because of the division and family feuds.

In relevance to today’s society, Shakespeare’s message about love, hate, pride and intolerance are also revealed in the fighting in Northern Ireland, Cyprus and the common arguments between religious groups.

In my version of the play, I would have a very high ranking police officer to play the part of Prince Escalus. I think this would work for a modern audience because there are many police officers who could issue severe punishments in this type of situation. Where there is no government (anarchy) there are no rules and order in the society. This is of course possible in the near-future so this gives an insight to what would happen if any Government were to collapse.

During Prince Escalus’ speech: “Will they not hear? – What ho, you men, you beasts!” there are several pauses, known as Caesura. These breaks in a line emphasise Prince Escalus’ frustration and it brings out his true emotions on the fighting. In a way he becomes so frustrated with the feud that he becomes insulting to the members involved: “beasts”. Esaclus clearly shows in his speech that he feels there is an underhand plot to take-over Verona and he knows that his high-status could be discarded.

Prince Escalus first introduces his threat to the Capulets: “on pain of torture”. This shows Escalus is quickly becoming desperate to bring the feud to a halt. He is exerting his authority and he feels that his punishment may be cruel but it is necessary to bring peace and order.

“Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground” could be given an action to help the audience empathise with Prince Escalus’ mood. I think that a simple but effective move such as the loading of weapons or a sweeping gesture with a sword may force the fighters to drop their weapons instantly. This has the effect of re-exerting the Prince’s authority in Verona.

Also, with “to part your cankered hate”, the audience could emphasise with the mood by Escalus pointing to the injured, innocent bodies of civilians caught up in the feud. The Prince’s arms could also spread wide to part the Montagues and Capulets from the fighting. This has the effect of corrupting and poisoning society, which will stay on the Montagues’ and Capulets’ conscience for a long time.

The following image helps us to understand his feelings: “purple fountains issuing from your veins” because this idea of excessive bloodshed is dramatic and used deliberately for effect. “Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word” helps us to understand Escalus’ opinions as ‘airy’ shows that the feud was sparked by insignificant, petty little remarks and gestures. Although the fighting may have been caused by young adults, their attitudes towards life are very childish.

Comparing the words ‘torture’ and ‘steel’, both words try to indicate the bloodshed and callous, cruel lifestyles both families live. These words would have the effect of responding to violence with violence and use imagery to emphasise this point even further.

Escalus’ speech re-directs the mood dramatically in a short space of time. At the start of the play, the families’ gestures are comical, and then they fight and bring violence. Then, Escalus’ speech brings a sense of seriousness into the play, then finally romance towards the end of the play. The speech is a pivotal change in the play and sets the scene for Romeo and Juliet to come through the odds and find true love.

The complex but engaging storyline of Romeo and Juliet makes it not only a great play to watch but to read as well. It has many relevant thoughts and similarities to life today and situations such as fighting, romance and judgement which are all still here in the 21st Century.

By Richard Bloomer 10I