"Compare Luhrmann's and Shakespeare's versions of the last scene- the death of Romeo and Juliet. How do both versions create tension and sympathy in the audience?"

University Degree Linguistics, Classics and related subjects

The two versions are very different because of the huge time differences and how Shakespeare had to use his imagination to create atmosphere rather than relaying on modern media techniques such as lighting, sounds and special effects. The main characters in Shakespeare's version of Romeo and Juliet in the last scene are Paris, Balthazar, Romeo, Juliet and Friar Lawrence. In Baz Luhrmann's version of Romeo and Juliet he misses out scenes, which were originally in Shakespeare's version. Baz Luhrmann misses out vital scenes, for example when Paris and Romeo have a fight. This scene was the original from Shakespeare's version of the play. The fight scene between Romeo and Paris was essential because it tells us what Romeo encountered before he got to Juliet and where she was laying. "I do defy thy conjuration and apprehend thee for a felon here." Another important character is Friar Lawrence he went to the tomb and found Romeo dead, Friar Lawrence was also there when Juliet was waking up from her deep sleep. "Romeo! O, pale! Who else? What, Paris too? And steeped in blood? Ah, what an unkind hour is guilty of this lamentable chance!"

In Shakespeare's time there wasn't much in the way of technology, Shakespeare's time was very different to today. Shakespeare's time had low levels of technology I mean very basic things. William Shakespeare was very limited in what he could do for example now a days we can have almost anything recreated or made because we have the power of computers and they can do many things in which humans of today cant do. Computers can change the appearance of someone's face and even make sounds and for more advanced things computers can also show movies, parts of film which are needed for a director. The play in which Shakespeare performed was another big issue because it was small compared to ones now. Shakespeare only had his Globe theatre this is where he performed his plays. Now days we perform films, plays in massive studio's. Extra lighting can also be added but this is again limited in Shakespeare's time. Even though Shakespeare's time was poor but he was able to make night scenes this was with the aid of torches these were not battery powered they were wooden batons or posts, which were lit/burned, this was done to make the play have some tension and atmosphere. Now days we have man made lighting, we also have different coloured lights for example red lights for a murder scene. The effects in which Shakespeare used were basic and so did not match today's special effects and technology. Sound effects were another key point as today we have sometimes computers to generate the effects but people created mostly these effects. This was the same in Shakespeare's time. The advantage with computers is that you can save the sound effects onto media such as CD and now some important scenes are even burned onto DVD. Shakespeare didn't have this!

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Baz Luhrmann's version of Romeo and Juliet was set in a studio and on the streets this is different to the original by William Shakespeare. Baz Luhrmann's version of Romeo and Juliet is very much modern day versions as in many of the scenes the men clinch weapons such as guns. It is also different because there are cars, radios and helicopters. These above things showed that his version of the play was modern. There are many modern day machines in which Baz Luhrmann used these were 21st century technology. I mean equipment such as camera's, computers, cars, helicopters, guns, radios, and lights. These things are of the time but yes they were modern pieces of technology. These modern pieces of equipment can have a variety of effects on the audience but mostly they are there to create tension and atmosphere. For example guns have more of an effect than swords this is because they make a lot more tension. They can do this because when the person pulls the trigger you always have to wait a couple of seconds before it fires by that time tension has already built up and the audience would feel more in there seats than if a sword was being used. Another example Luhrmann creates is a car chase with the police to the church. When the audience see something like that they feel that there is going to be some kind of action or dramatic ending thus creating an excellent tension maker. Baz Luhrmann is not limited in what he can do or create. Shakespeare in the other hand is very limited he can't do very much and can't create special effects, for example car chases.

William Shakespeare wrote his plays for the people of his time. Shakespeare wrote his plays because that was about the only entertainment there was in his era, there wasn't televisions or radios there were only things like plays to go and see. Baz Luhrmann in the other hand is trying to sell his films to teenagers this is because of all the action and fighting in his films, his version of Romeo and Juliet had lots of fighting for example at the start when Tybolt and Benvolio fight with there swords, but actually there swords were guns. The action and fighting would be more masculine and would then appeal to the teenaged boys. But the romance side of the play would appeal to the teenaged girls. The target audience's, you can't really say as both versions of the play were set in different times. But the target audience's would be of the time as Baz Luhrmann's version is of people of today, which are teenagers.

An important event that I think that happens in Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet" is when Paris confronts Romeo and tells him to stop other wise he will kill him. Paris tells him to go no further! The characters in this event were Romeo, Paris and the Page. I think this event is important and creates tension with a lot of sympathy because it leads onto a major fight, it shows tension in a sense that Paris is stopping the enraged Romeo. Paris says something like,

"Stop thy unhallowed toil, vile Montague! Can vengeance be pursued further than death? Condemned villain, I do apprehend thee obey and go with me, for thou must die."

If I were in the audience and this particular event came up I would feel like there would be something to follow. I would probably expect a fight to follow. This event would really keep me in suspense.

The two versions of the play are very different, Shakespeare's version is more original this is because he made/created it. Baz Luhrmann's version of "Romeo and Juliet" is more action packed and appealing to teenagers. The two versions differ in many ways; Baz Luhrmann's version of the play is on video and DVD but Shakespeare's play is set in a script. Baz Luhrmann uses modern sounds and special effects for instance gun shots, background music and helicopter (aircraft). All the above are very modern day effects. Baz Luhrmann would have found it easy to do many of the effects. This is because of the aid of modern technology. Computers play a huge role. Baz Luhrmann has skipped the event when Romeo and Paris fight. That event was important because it showed us what happened before Romeo got to Juliet near the tomb. Luhrmann misses out Paris and the Page in the fight, he basically misses out the fight scene. If you compare this to Shakespeare's version than you really do feel that there is something missing.

Sympathy, There is sympathy in both versions of Romeo and Juliet. In Luhrmann's version there is a news report to say what the lessons are to be learned. We feel sympathy for Romeo when he dies because if only he waited 10 seconds longer than he would have saw Juliet opening her eyes. Also Juliet in white symbolizes innocence and purity, a social context. Another thing that makes sympathy is when Romeo looks at Juliet and he cant agree to the sight. You feel that there is a lot of sympathy in Baz Luhrmann's version of Romeo and Juliet because you can see the actual play on screen, but on Shakespeare's you only get a script and you cant show emotion on paper. We also feel sympathy when Paris requests to lie by Juliet's body,

"O' I am slain! If thou be merciful, open the tomb, lay me with Juliet." Another major sympathy point is that Romeo and Juliet are dying due to forced marriages this is a social context.

Finally I think that both versions of the play create tension and sympathy excellently but this is in there own creative way. As we already know Baz Luhrmann's version of the play is more targeted to teenagers, the play is still creating tension as well as sympathy this is because this version of the play holds the structure of Shakespeare's original version. On the other hand Shakespeare has created a version that does create tension and sympathy but in an entirely different way too Baz Luhrmann's, Shakespeare is the original creator of the play "Romeo and Juliet" so therefore the play has what he required. To end I would say that Baz Luhrmann's version has the benefit of modern day technology but Shakespeare doesn't. They both create tension and sympathy but in there very own unique ways.

"Compare Luhrmann's and Shakespeare's versions of the last scene- the death of Romeo and Juliet. How do both versions create tension and sympathy in the audience?"

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By Sanjay Patel

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