Motifs In Romeo And Juliet

Baz Luhrmann's 1996 film, Romeo + Juliet effectively appropriates the Shakespearean 16th century love tragedy. So why has Luhrmann decided to appropriate Romeo and Juliet? By changing the context, Luhrmann effectively makes the play relevant, discussing his contextual concerns of the 1990’s. This is done through the use of themes in the film, love, family disputes and hate which have remained similar to the original play, although the way they have been presented are different, in particular the form and characters. The form has had an obvious change as the original play has been adapted into a film. Characters in the film have also been appropriated to correspond with Luhrmann's contextual concerns. Hence, Luhrmann successfully appropriates the original Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet by maintaining similar themes, but altering the form and characterisation to fit his contextual concerns.

How effective is Luhrmann’s film Romeo and Juliet as a modern day appropriation of Shakespeare's play you ask? Baz Luhrmann's appropriation of the original play of “Romeo And Juliet” is highly effective as it is modernized to meet the interests and expectations of a 20th century teenage audience. Throughout the original 16th century play, Shakespeare develops the themes of family rivalry and love. The theme of family rivalry has been implemented into the original play through the conflict between two powerful families in the city of Verona. Throughout his appropriation of the play, Baz Luhrmann successfully preserves the same concept of family rivalry but modernises it by portraying the two families as two large business corporations and brands who are constantly in competition with each other. Shakespeare implements the theme of love through main character Romeo being made to resemble and fulfil the role of a typical "Petrarchan lover". Luhrmann also effectively integrates the theme of love through his successful use of filmic techniques to illustrate the unbreakable love between Romeo and Juliet whose love resembles and portrays the characteristics of a 20th century relationship. Using these modern elements, Luhrmann’s film effectively appeals to the contemporary teenage audience whilst powerfully conveying the themes of family rivalry and love. These adaptations made by Luhrmann in his film create a more comprehensible meaning as teenagers can relate to the film with a

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is one of the greatest love stories ever told. This is evident in today’s society, with the story being retold again and again in theatre productions, books, and movie spinoffs. The story is of two lovers, whose love was doomed from the start due to their disputing families, the Capulets and Montagues, who would never see a marriage between the two. Romeo and Juliet eventually take their own lives, ceasing their families’ fighting. William Shakespeare, the playwright who wrote Romeo and Juliet and likely the most famous playwright ever, uses light and dark imagery within the story to highlight the lovers’ affection for one another against the backdrop of their lives. The motif of light and dark is used, with

Everyone knows the story: amidst the fighting of two families, a girl meets the guy of her dreams, within a day they are married and, later, they kill themselves. Some people believe that Romeo and Juliet promotes unacceptable behavior in teens; however, it is a very important part of the ninth grade language arts education because it has global influence and teaches lessons to people.

Romeo and Juliet is a classic love story written by William Shakespeare, in the Elizabethan era of English history. The work tells of the fatal attraction between Romeo and Juliet, how they met and why, their falling in love and their ultimate sacrifice for each other’s love, their actual lives. Fate has complete control, is a theme that is riddled throughout the text written by Shakespeare. It is essentially pointing out the view that everything we do or will, is at the mercy of fate, and whatever we do to counteract it, fate still holds the final judgement over our lives. This theme is also prevalent in cinematic codes written into both the visual representations of the Shakespearean love story by Franco Zefirelli and Baz Luhrmann. Two

The relentless and dangerous feud between the Montagues and Capulets is elaborated in Romeo + Juliet through the contrast in tone, speed and style of music when these two different parties are introduced. The Montagues are introduced with is light and airy music, however, the music is altered to a heavy western style when the Capulets enter the scene. The musical elements create anticipation among the audience as they foreshadow the imminent fight. Furthermore, the distinctive difference in race between the Latino Capulet boys and Anglo-Saxon Montague boys represents and symbolises the conflict between the two houses. Reinforcing the ongoing war between the Montagues and Capulets, Baz Luhrmann has applied corresponding camera shots of the two contrasting family crests which are opposite primary colours. Therefore, Luhrmann makes reference to the conflict theme exploited in Shakespeare’s work. (link)

Throughout the play, Shakespeare uses symbolism to exemplify how fate is inevitable. The biggest symbol from the beginning to the end, is the stars. The stars represent one’s fate, (and it was believed that the stars determined what happens in one’s lifetime) include parenthesis?. Before heading into the Capulet’s party, Romeo states, “I fear too early, for my mind misgives some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date with this night’s revels, and expire the term” (I.iv.106-109). Before he even arrives at the masquerade he has angst about an unknown fated consequence that will arise from attending the party. When Balthasar shows up at Verona, he tells Romeo of Juliet’s tragic death, as he replies with, “Is it e’en so? Then I defy you, stars!” (V.i.24). Romeo challenges fate itself, to

Romeo and Juliet is a timeless, classic love story written by the incomparable William Shakespeare. Many of Shakespeare’s works are considered literary classics, but none are more loved than Romeo and Juliet. This play masterfully tells the love story of two teenagers in Elizabethan England. The title characters Romeo and Juliet are members of two feuding families, Romeo is a Montague and Juliet is a Capulet. There are different stylistic ways of portraying Romeo and Juliet, and the two most popular film versions portray two very different styles of this one play. Zeferelli's Romeo and Juliet was made in the 1970s, and is the film version most commonly shown in high school classrooms. The newest film version of this play is Baz Luhrmanns

In Luhrmann’s film, Romeo’s love for Mercutio becomes prominent when Tybalt slays Mercutio at the abandoned theatre. Romeo’s compassion for his friend draws his fury; rage leading him to challenge Tybalt to a duel to the death. Romeo kills Tybalt at the monument in the streets of Verona Beach to avenge Mercutio. This exhibits his love towards his fallen friend. To add on, Romeo’s overwhelming love for Juliet allows him to fight his way through the police and the chaotic atmosphere to reach Capel's monument. This shows Romeo’s love to meet Juliet again is beyond his willingness to face death straight on. Additionally, Romeo sneaks into the Capulet’s mansion to speak of his love for Juliet. He states, “And but thou love me, let them find me here. / My life were better ended by their hate / Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love” (II.ii.75-77). He expresses that if Juliet’s love was not returned, he would rather die than live without Juliet’s love, thus showing love connects to the tragedy of death. In conclusion, Romeo’s compassion for Mercutio and his love for Juliet show that love guides people to make decisions that inevitably result in the outcome of

Juliet’s character, developed by the symbols of birds, such as doves, shows the readers that Juliet is beautiful, innocent, and pure. Romeo and his friend Benvolio are talking about Romeo’s true love, which at the moment he thinks is Rosaline. Benvolio and Romeo are planning to sneak into the Capulet's party and Benvolio is trying to tell Romeo that “her face with some that I shall show./And I will make thee think thy swan a crow” (1.2. 88-89 Shakespeare). Which means that even though Romeo thinks Rosaline is as beautiful as a swan, she will look as ugly as a crow compared to all of the other women at the party. This quote foreshadows that Romeo will find someone who is more beautiful than Rosaline. This person whom he will find will be Juliet based on the foreshadowing. Thus saying that Juliet is a swan, more beautiful than every other girl in Verona, making them all look as ugly as crows. This quote also tells the readers that Juliet is innocent and pure because of the connotations associated with the symbol of a dove. A dove is white and white is symbolic of innocence and purity. Before this party happens Juliet is talking with her mother about true love. She tells her mother that “[She’ll] look to like if looking liking move./But no more deep will [she] endart [her] eye/ Than your consent give[s] [her] strength to make it fly” (1.3. 103-105). The word fly in this quote is a connotation

Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet has been reimagined many times across different mediums. One interpretation that stands out among the rest is Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film of the same name. The most shocking and powerful difference between Luhrmann’s work and other films or stage productions of this piece, is the movie’s setting. Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet is set in the modern city of Verona Beach, New York, ruled by two powerful business families, the Montagues and the Capulets. Themes, language, and ideas remain the same, while places, props, and wardrobes are updated to the twentieth century. This compelling change helps emphasize the violent, fast-paced, and chaotic society of the play, which comes to precipitate the tragic demise of the two main characters.

Inevitably, passionate love is woven through “Romeo and Juliet”, declared by speech and insinuated by the couple infatuation with each other. Without a doubt, several scenes were a strong representation of this obsession. Many scenes into the play, the young, lovelorn Romeo is seen in a dismal and in a disconnected state due to his unrequited love for Rosaline. But as his hopeless eyes falls upon Juliet at the Capulet’s ball, Romeo is resurrected from his depression in awe by the mesmerising beauty of Juliet; this was expressed through Romeo’s soliloquy. A little while into the aftermath of the party, Romeo, powered by the newly found momentous love, risks his life climbing the high orchard walls into the deadly grounds of his enemies, the Capulets. Although Juliet fears for Romeo’s life, Romeo fearlessly

“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare has been read in schools around the world ever since schools have existed. One of the characters in the play is Friar Lawrence, who makes many influential decisions that affect the story. Friar Lawrence marrying Romeo and Juliet causes more problems than it solves. Also, Friar Lawrence’s plan for Juliet to fake her death is one of the worst decisions in the play that leads to terrible tragedy. Finally, Friar Lawrence had the chance to save Juliet from killing herself after she awoke, but he gave absolutely no effort. Shakespeare used Friar Lawrence as a major driving force in the tragedy.

Light and dark is one of the most common motifs that is used in many famous literary works, especially Shakespeare’s. In the most subtle ways, he uses light and dark to highlight important events that shape the play Romeo and Juliet. The main characters are star-crossed lovers who have to keep their marriage a secret from their families. They come from families that fight with one another and can never keep peace. The play begins with the tragic ending, telling us what happens from the start. In Romeo and Juliet, the motif of light and dark is used to further Shakespeare’s points of light as beauty, good, and truth, and dark as a lack of beauty, bad, and lies to reflect concurrent situations in the play.

During the course of the play Shakespeare decide to put in parts where the two opposite images and symbols seem to merge, then create an unexpected outcome. There is proof of this happening throughout the Play such as without the loss of Romeo’s first love, Rosaline he would have never met his true love, Juliet.