Using Mythology to Explain Natural Phenomena 1996 Adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet, a tragic love play written by William Shakespeare, is worldwide topic of discussion. Opinions on whom or what is to blame for the death of these two star-crossed lovers varies depending on the viewpoint. Because they put their children in that difficult stance of hatred, the families face accusations. While the families face blame, Friar Lawrence receives the same for not acting appropriately and in a timely manner. But, at the end of the day, the curse of youthful impulsiveness is the primary cause of this heartbreaking story.

Could there ever be a film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet that is as powerful and moving as the original play by William Shakespeare? Some people say that Romeo + Juliet, a film adaptation made in 1996 by Baz Luhrmann, is as good as the original. Some people disagree with that statement. The argument will be settled within this essay, as the similarities between the film and the play are laid out. The narrative and film techniques that the director used in the final scene brought dramatic and emotional feelings to the tragic death of the “star-crossed lovers” (Prologue, line 6).

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet – popularly considered by many to be the quintessential love story of all time – is a play that we are all familiar with in one way or another. Whether it be through the plethora of portrayals, adaptations and performances that exist or through your own reading of the play, chances are you have been acquainted with this tale of “tragic love” at some point in your life. Through this universal familiarity an odd occurrence can be noted, one of almost canonical reverence for the themes commonly believed to be central to the plot. The most widely believed theme of Romeo and Juliet is that of the ideal love unable to exist under the harsh social and political strains of this world. Out of this idea emerge two

Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, is a tragic love story about two young lovers who are forced to be estranged as a result of their feuding families. The play is about their struggle to contravene fate and create a future together. As such, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood would try and emulate Shakespeare’s masterpiece. This had been done before in many films. Prominent among them were, Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 “Romeo and Juliet” and Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 “William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.” Both films stay true to the themes of Shakespeare’s original play. However, the modernised Luhrmann film not only maintains the essence of Shakespeare’s writings, Luhrmann makes it relevant to a teenage audience. This is

William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, tells the story of the tragic love between Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. The play has been reinterpreted throughout time and Baz Luhrmann’s film version, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, uses a modern setting to tell the tale. Luhrmann’s cinematic understanding reinforces the key themes of love, fate and hate as he explores Shakespeare’s famous play.

Baz Lurhmann’s creation of the film Romeo and Juliet has shown that today’s audience can still understand and appreciate William Shakespeare. Typically, when a modern audience think of Shakespeare, they immediately think it will be boring, yet Lurhmann successfully rejuvenates Romeo and Juliet. In his film production he uses a number of different cinematic techniques, costumes and a formidably enjoyable soundtrack; yet changes not one word from Shakespeare’s original play, thus making it appeal to a modern audience.

“William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet”, as portrayed in Luhrmann’s 1997 film, reveals that the cause of love will always lead to the consequence of death. Luhrmann focuses on highlighting this connection through the usage of props, costumes, and symbols, the foreshadowing of Romeo’s and Juliet’s fate, and Romeo’s compassion for his friends and family throughout the film. These aspects of the film emphasize the connection of love and death and explore the harsh realities and truths relating to this connection.

The titular play of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare, suggests a very negative view of the human nature that in all its complexities, is flawed and hinders a very glorified subject of Shakespeare’s from ultimately prevailing: love. The faults of young love, a family feud and the power struggles within the chain of being are all complex products of the human nature that prevented a happy ending. Shakespeare stresses that the lovers were only driven to their suicidal fate by their young love in a very limited time triggering attempts to rebel against the wishes of their feuding families and the chain of being. Shakespeare utilises dramatic

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.

Baz Luhrmann, a well known film director, adapted this love story to film in 1996, which is called Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, is a tragedy about two young lovers who cannot be together because their families are enemies. Baz Luhrmann directed 'William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet' recounts the Romeo and Juliet story utilizing Shakespearean Language set as a modern day environment. Not all viewers would recognize the language of Shakespeare so the mise en scene and additionally the performers' developments are essential to ensure that the audience recognizes what is happening inside of the dialog. In this essay, I will talk about whether Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Baz Luhrmann's film updates Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet, one of William’s Shakespeare most famous classic works, is a heart-wrenching tale which is composed of passionate love and anger. It is a timeless piece of literature that has lasted to this century. The beautiful story is set in the remote town of Verona. This play recounts a tale of two star-crossed lovers, forbidden to pursue their inescapable love due to the long history of a violent family feud. Passion is strongly represented in Romeo and Juliet’s undying romance. As the story continues, passionate and uncontrolled anger is clearly expressed, fuelled by the noxious hatred of the family’s feud, intensifying as the plot progresses.

Although the play “Romeo and Juliet” is lauded as one which excellently portrays unconquerable love, the most prominent theme of the play is not that of unconquerable love but rather of the death and tragedy that stems out from Romeo and Juliet disobeying fate for their own desires. This theme of relationship between fate and free will is present throughout the play and even emphasized through the use of literary elements. One such example of this theme being emphasized through the use of literary elements is the prologue. The prologue of the play employs the literary elements of alliteration, rhyme and foreshadowing to convey the theme of the relationship between fate and freewill, claiming that attempting to defy fate will leads to misfortune.

In the play of Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, many characters and situations have been blamed by its tragic ending. Therefore, the young ‘star crossed’ lovers action’s were the responsible for this unexpected incident. Romeo’s and Juliet’s acts of disobedience, and impulsivity carried them to their death gradually.

Throughout the tragic drama of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the youthful protagonist makes impulsive moves. Romeo and Juliet demonstrate emotional responses directly linked to the maturity of the teenage brain. Detailed studies were conducted on the frontal lobe of numerous adolescent teenagers. These commentaries aid readers in understanding considerably more about actions and reactions of teenagers. I have conjectured the belief that the impulsive actions adolescents made throughout the drama are explained by the articles “The Teen Brain”, “Understanding the Mysterious Teenage Brain”, and “Beautiful Brains.”

Both William Shakespeare and Baz Luhrmann explore the everlasting consequences of a single choice through the main female characters, Juliet in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet and Daisy in Luhrmann’s film The Great Gatsby. It is through the character of Juliet, that Shakespeare demonstrates the true extent of the heart’s desire, sacrificing even life itself, in contrast to Luhrmann’s Daisy whose disregard of true love in order to maintain wealth and social status leaves her in a corrupted marriage.