Explore the dramatic presentation of love in Romeo and Juliet(TM)
In the Prologue of 'Romeo and Juliet' we are immediately introduced to the theme of love that runs throughout the play. "Two star-crossed lovers". Shakespeare introduces us to various types of love, portrayed through different character relationships. For instance, we see conventional love through Romeo and Rosaline and the idea of the Patrachan lover, romantic and sexual love, which is seen between Romeo and Juliet and, finally, parental love, portrayed in Capulet and Lady Capulet and Juliet. We also see love from a more cynical view, through Mercutio. In 'Romeo and Juliet' two characters primarily link love and sex. They are the Nurse and Mercutio. At the mentioning of love these two people always talk about sex. This can be seen mainly in Act 1 Scene 4, and how Mercutio thinks about love. At this point in the play Romeo is very distant and unhappy, Mercutio uses this as an opportunity to try and humour Romeo, using wit, sexual innuendo and imagery. "O'er ladies lips, whos straight on kisses dream". He uses more sexual innuendo throughout the play when the subject of love is mentioned. This is also seen when discussing Rosaline outside Capulet's mansion. He uses sexual images, for example, "Quivering thigh". This suggests a cynical attitude towards love, as he is never heard to mention non-sexual attributes when talking about a woman. The Nurse also links love and sex
What makes the opening of Romeo and Juliet so effective?
What makes the opening of Romeo and Juliet so effective? There is no dought that the opening to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is very effective in Baz Luhrmann's new film. Unlike most films we are told at the start what is going to happen, we are told it is inevitable. This works very well, as most people know what happens in Romeo and Juliet so doesn't spoil the film. Shakespeare wrote the prologue but Baz Luhrmann updates it using news media. The first thing that we see is a television in the middle of a dark room being switched on, as the camera gradually zooms in on the television we realise that it is a news broadcast. The presenter is reading Shakespeare's original prologue about a feud between two families. The camera continues to zoom in so that an image of a broken ring becomes clear in the corner of the screen. The camera then makes you feel as you are entering the news broadcast and out in to a giant city where we see flashes of opposing things between the two families. We are shown two enormous skyscrapers with the names Capulet and Montegue in large capital letters on top of them. To reinforce the conflict between the two families Baz Luhrmann starts off by putting the prologue across in numerous ways. First it is read by the news presenter using the original lines written by Shakespeare, and then secondly by a voice over while we are still watching the
How does Shakespeare create tension in Act 3 scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare: How does Shakespeare create tension in Act 3 scene 1 of 'Romeo and Juliet' Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' is a love story about a boy (Romeo) and a girl (Juliet), that fall in love even though they are forbidden because of their two families years of hatred to one another, and their journey through the highs and lows, which unfortunately ends in their deaths because they cannot be together. There are three main themes that run throughout the whole play, one of them is fate, which was strongly believed in at Shakespeare's time and is shown by Romeo when he kills Tybalt which then means he has changed the paths of his life. Another is violence vs. peace and is shown by how the conflict between the two families is set against the life of Romeo and Juliet. Love vs. hate is another theme which is shown by the two children of enemy households fall in love, but are forced to keep is a secret. In Elizabethan times, the ideas of fate, family honour -which is shown by the two families fighting for the family name- and love at first sight were strongly believed in and put into the play for the reason that the audience can then relate to the characters, however for a modern day audience this would seem far-fetched and unlikely. Shakespeare and the Elizabethan's also were strong believers of superstitions, curses and the idea that the natural world can influence your
Explain how important Juliet's isolation is in the development of the plot in Romeo and Juliet
Explain how important Juliet's isolation is in the development of the plot in Romeo and Juliet I feel that Juliet's isolation in Romeo and Juliet is one of the most important things that leads the play to end in tragedy. Throughout Romeo and Juliet, Juliet always seems to be alone and in her own world, "she'll not come down tonight". Juliet is quite young, with no one of her own age around. We also find out she is an only child, "my child, my only life," hence she would not have any siblings to talk to. If Juliet had some friends then she would have been able to compare situations with them and share her feelings instead of keeping them cooped up inside of her. I f she was able to talk to someone about her feelings she may not have fallen in love with Romeo so easily as she would not have been alone, so the play may not have ended so disastrously and Juliet could have met another man while out with her friends and someone who is a Capulet and not the her family's greatest enemy! As a result of Juliet's isolation she is blissfully ignorant of the ways of the world making her quite vulnerable to all she is put through during the play. However, as Romeo and Juliet develops and Juliet becomes the wife of Romeo, she quickly matures into a new person who can think for herself and survive alone. She openly defies the Nurse and her parents. She screams at the Nurse, "[g]o
How does Shakespeare Present the Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet?
How does Shakespeare Present the Theme of Love in Romeo and Juliet? Shakespeare presents the theme of love in different ways for each of the characters and for some, such as Romeo, Shakespeare's portrayal of this theme changes as the play progresses. Shakespeare's first portrayal of the theme of love is in the first act when Romeo is talking of his love for Rosaline with Benvolio. Here Romeo is very confused as he uses oxymorons such as 'o brawling love, o loving hate,' (line 107) which shows how he is confused by his relationship with Rosaline as she does not return his love. Romeo continues to speak about the pain of love as he says 'being vexed, a sea nourished with lovers tears.' (Line 186) This shows how Romeo feels that he is being tormented by his love and he also, in this line speaks of all the lovers who have shed tears over their love and says how this is keeping the sea levels high by saying that the tears nourish the sea. On the following line Romeo says 'A madness most discrete.' (Line 187.) This line shows love in another light - as madness. Romeo feels that he is being driven mad by his love for Rosaline. The portrayal of Romeo's love changes entirely when, at the Capulet party, Romeo meets Juliet. When Romeo sees Juliet for the first time he begins to speak of Juliet's beauty. He says 'She doth teach the torches to burn bright,' (Line 41 I v.) This shows how
Romeo's letter to his father - Romeo and Juliet.
Dear Father, As you read my last words to yourself I am lying dead not because of a sword wound but because of a broken heart. Confusion and puzzle must be swarming through your head like a beehive but as you come to the last word of this letter you should hopefully understand and forgive me. I received an invitation that invited me to my only foes mansion but I met my only true love there. Rosaline was the one that I thought had my heart but my thoughts were deceived and my eyes saw the truth. As I gazed through my mask I saw her. I asked myself 'Did my heart love till now?' only about a quarter of an hour later I knew the answer to this question. I asked for a kiss and was denied at first. When going to kiss I said thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged. Our lips touched and my heart throbbed I pleaded 'Give me my sin again.' As I requested she did. A women interrupted our moment and told Juliet that her 'mother craves a word' with her. 'What is her mother?' I asked with curiosity and the answer that I got was like a sharp pain through my heart. A Capulet I asked myself how can this be? 'my life is my foe's debt' A Capulet or not I had to go and see my lady again and see I did. She appeared at her balcony. She gazed into the star night as I looked into her eyes 'Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,' I fell more in love. She spoke 'Ay me!' I muttered to
Who Was Responsible For the Deaths of Romeo and Juliet?
WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF ROMEO AND JULIET? This piece of coursework is focusing on the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, and who was responsible for it. The people who had a part in the deaths of Romeo and Juliet are Friar Lawrence, Benvolio, Tybalt, Capulet and Nurse. The first person I will be focusing on will be Friar Lawrence, looking at his part in the suicides of both the lovers, what he did to put them under pressure and the things that he shouldn't of done which may have let to the death. The main reason Friar Lawrence had a part in the suicides of Romeo and Juliet was because he got involved when he knew the consequences wouldn't be good. It was Friar Lawrence who married Romeo and Juliet; he had the plan to use the sleeping potion so that Juliet could run off with Romeo while the grieving Capulets believed she was dead, and he tried to send a letter to Romeo informing him of the plan, which didn't reach him. By marrying the lovers, he took a step in the wrong direction, he only thought of how the consequences would be good, by marrying Romeo and Juliet; he thought that that could bring the two feuding families together so they could make up and be friends he was quoted as saying " For this alliance may so happy prove, To turn your households' rancour to pure love"(Act 2 Scene 3/4). But he didn't think of what could go wrong. By marrying Romeo and
How does Shakespeare use imagery in his play Romeo and Juliet to intensify the drama, create atmosphere and illuminate the central themes?
GCSE Coursework: Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet How does Shakespeare use imagery in his play Romeo and Juliet to intensify the drama, create atmosphere and illuminate the central themes? In Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", Shakespeare uses imagery to create atmosphere, intensify drama and illuminate central themes. By using a variety of metaphors, dramatic irony, use of figurative language and his explanation of poetic forms he conveys meaning and character excellently. He incorporates all of these dramatic devices and more to convey the plot and reveal those things that were Elizabethan concerns. Shakespeare starts the play with a prologue. This was very popular in Shakespeare's time and he uses a sonnet to imply love because it was established as a poetic form for love and devotional poetry. It's used to set the scene and describes what is going to happen. It describes Romeo and Juliet as "Star crossed lovers"; this shows the audience the play is going to be about romance but also despair and feuds and not being in control of one's own destiny. The sonnet shows Shakespeare's ability to distil the essence of language and draw the audience into the action. Using the sonnet Shakespeare achieves the 'suspension of disbelief', which shows his class as a writer because it highlights the theatricality of the play, to show the audience that the play is completely fictional.
Compare the ways in which Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann present key scenes in Romeo and Juliet and say which one you preferred and why.
ROMEO AND JULIET Assignment: Compare the ways in which Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann present key scenes in Romeo and Juliet and say which one you preferred and why. -- The scenes that I am going to compare and focus on are: The starting of both versions - Act 1 sc I The main fight scene with Romeo, Tybalt and Mercutio - Act 3 sc I The ending of both versions - Act 5 sc III We have watched two versions of 'Romeo and Juliet'. One was made in 1968 by a man called Franco Zeffirelli and was set in Verona, in the middle Ages. The other by Baz Luhrmann made in 1996. This version was set in America and is very modern and has more visual and graphical effects. The stars in the Zeffirelli version were Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting. The Luhrmann version starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. One of the main differences between the two versions of 'Romeo and Juliet' was the opening. The Zeffirelli movie had quite a slow opening, in contrast to fast and furious opening of Luhrmann's version. Both films used Shakespeare's play properly, but their outcomes were very, very different. Zeffirelli's version of the opening was set in a market square, whereas Luhrmann's opening was in a petrol station. When the Montagues and Capulets have a confrontation in Zeffirelli's film, the argument is quite courteous, in a mocking way. But in Luhrmann's
How does Shakespeare convey the theme of love and conflict in the Prologue, Act 1 Scene 5, Act 3 Scene 2 and Act 3 Scene 5 of 'Romeo and Juliet'?
HOW DOES SHAKESPEARE CONVEY THE THEME OF LOVE AND CONFLICT IN THE PROLOGUE, ACT 1 SCENE 5, ACT 3 SCENE 2 AND ACT 3 SCENE 5 OF 'ROMEO AND JULIET'? When writing about love and conflict in the play, I will focus on four parts of it; the Prologue, Act 1 Scene 5, Act 3 Scene 1 and Act 3 Scene 5. In each of them, I will look for love and conflict, and how is it related to many other things in the play, such us the development of characters or Shakespeare's dramatic style. The essay should help those who will read it understand what is hidden, or seems to be hidden, beyond Shakespeare's use of language, form and other things. All of my points are based on the different bits of the play and how I myself interpret them in relation to the theme. The whole play is introduced by the Prologue. In the 20th century film I saw with my class, the Prologue was given in the form of TV news, where a woman was introducing the story, as they usually do in the news, saying things like ''Three Italian soldiers died in Iraq in an explosion yesterday. Protests against the war rise.'' or ''Famous footballer X stopped playing football. Millions of fans wail.'', and then showing and speaking about the whole story. This quite well explains how the Prologue works. It tells us the destination of the story (''In fair Verona, where we lay our scene.''), explains who the story is about (''Two households, both
