Preview

Similarities & Differences in Multiple Versions of Romeo & Juliet

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1084 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Similarities & Differences in Multiple Versions of Romeo & Juliet
In 1597 a play titled Romeo & Juliet was published. The writer, William Shakespeare, Had not even an inkling that this play (and many of his other works) would have such and impact on writers all over the world. Romeo & Juliet has been interpreted many times and many ways. There are two popular movies that are both appropriately titled Romeo & Juliet. In 1968 and 1996 movies were created by directors Zefferelli (1968), and Baz Luhrmann (1996). Theses movies ,along with the original text version, portray the story of Romeo & Juliet very differently while still staying true to the main plot.

The Story of Romeo and Juliet is known worldwide, It has endured time and is understood throughout all ages. In each piece they use religious imagery to represent the strong and everlasting love between Romeo and Juliet. In each version of the story the characters, overall plot, language, and prologue typically stay the same. Although they are very different in content they all acknowledge how important the prologue, first meeting, balcony scene, and death scenes are.

The Play Romeo & Juliet has a prologue that explains what is going to happen in the play. Basically giving away the story or telling the viewers what to expect. It is given by a chorus in the play, but in Zefferelli's 1968 version, the prologue is spoken by a male voice while the beginning credits scroll on the screen. The screen has a soft focus with a panoramic view of the Italian countryside. In the 1996 Baz Luhrmann version, The Prologue is given twice. Once as a newscast, and again with images from the movie flashing on the screen. This prologue is very fast paced, frantic, and again incorporates strong religious imagery. The Modern version of the prologue is most effective at giving a complete understanding of what is going to happen in the play The prologue is a very important party of the story along with the first time Romeo and Juliet meet.

When Romeo and Juliet first meet they are at the Capulet ball.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The modernization in the movie plays on the plot of the original play, and causes the viewers to think information in the prologue. Shakespeare begins the play with the prologue which was recited by the Chorus once and then the play started. The first part of the prologue begins with, “Two households”, the Montagues and the Capulets, “both alike in dignity”, both with the same social standing, “In fair Verona, where we lay our scene”, in the city of Verona where the play takes place, “From ancient grudge break to new mutiny”, a long standing hatred erupts into new violence, “Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean” where citizens will join and stain their hands with the blood of other citizens (1-4). The next thought Shakespeare puts into the prologue is, “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes”, the children of the enemies, “A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;” will fall in love and take their own lives, “Whose misadventured piteous overthrows”, and their unfortunate death, “Do with their death bury their parents' strife” will put an end to their parents feud (5-8).…

    • 2423 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    - The prologue suggests that fate will play a very important role in “Romeo and Juliet. It is written as a sonnet, which usually deals with the theme of love. The Montagues and the Capulets hold an “ancient grunge” against each other. Romeo and Juliet are “star-cross’d lovers”, fate has determined that Romeo and Juliet cannot live happily together and their love is “mark’d” by “death”. “But their children’s end, naught could remove”, it also tells us that the two lovers will end their parents’ fight by dying. Romeo and Juliet are destined to die and they cannot escape from their fate.…

    • 820 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Lately in English class we read the tale of Romeo and Juliet then, and we got to see both movies the nineties version and the original. They were very different their weapons, clothes, transportation but had a few similarities like the language they spoke the same language, kept the same characters, and so was the plot.…

    • 424 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Every person who has gone through high school probably understand and knows Romeo and Juliet. This piece of seemingly common knowledge is referenced in many movies, books, and paintings throughout time. Often though, much of these references change parts of the classic story to show a different meaning or attract a different audience. The common part of these different artistic interpretations is that the role of characterization exists. Understanding these characters is done through details and any other tools the interpreter has to use. Often, these details can be noticed and show similarities or differences between the interpretation and Shakespeare’s original. Tybalt’s death scene is one that has been interpreted many times with changes…

    • 1294 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses a sonnet for the prologue this is in order to point out the play’s theme, of love. Sonnets were often used to address the subject of love in conflict. In the opening scenes of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is presented as a typical Petrarchan lover; feeling turmoil over Rosaline, then celebrating his marriage to Juliet and having to suffer with the consequences. Shakespeare allowed the audience to witness to all kinds of love: sexual, unrequited, sensually, compassionate as well as loveless marriges. I will look at all aspects of love that are present in Romeo and Juliet. I will do this by looking at all the love presented to the audience through the characters, storyline and word used to discuss their ideas, feelings and expectations of love.…

    • 1908 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    “Romeo and Juliet” is iconic all around the world because of its tragic ending that resulted in the lost lives of two “star-crossed lovers”. Many people usually don’t see how Romeo and Juliet’s times are also comparable to modern days. If Romeo and Juliet were looked at closely though, others would see multiple similarities to modern days! Romeo and Juliet’s relationship plus modern relationships have several similarities which are very surprising.…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The story, Romeo and Juliet was filled with violence and love. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet loved each other, even their parents hatred for each other didn’t prevent the star-crossed lovers from being together. Many lives were taken away due to the rivalry between the Montagues and Capulets, including Romeo and Juliet’s. The characters in the three versions of Romeo and Juliet had many similarities and differences. Juliet and Lady Montague stood out to me the most while watching “Romeo + Juliet” by Baz Luhrmann, reading “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare and reading “Romeo and/or Juliet” by Ryan North. In my opinion, the most interesting version was the movie by Baz Luhrmann.…

    • 1377 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is not surprise that the popular tragedy of love Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare was adapted into a motion picture by Baz Luhrman in the year 1999. Although the plot of the story was more or less the same, the film adaptation showed various amounts of differences to the original play. For instance; the whole movie was modernized, there was missing detail in scenes, and the last scene was modified. Firstly, the film was made up within a modern present-day like setting unlike the play, which took place in the Elizabethan era. Guns were used instead of swords, cars were used instead of walking, and the movie took place in a large city rather than a small town. Secondly, the Capulet’s party scene is missing Romeo’s disappointment of being rejected by Rosaline (Act 1, Scene 5, Line 155). Rosaline’s character is absent, and Romeo is shown to be upset from a cause that was never mentioned in the movie. Finally, the lover’s death scene was modified to the original. After seeing Juliet at her tomb, Romeo drinks the poison and Juliet wakes up to see her husband dying. Unlike the play version, Juliet and Romeo get to share a final goodbye as he is not already dead when she wakes up. Juliet then ends her life by shooting a bullet through her head instead of a dagger to her heart. Many people have a mindset to think that watching a film version of a book is the same as reading it. However, in the case of Romeo and Juliet, there are many differences from the movie compared to the book. Although the two differentiate from each other, they still tell the same tale and retain the original English dialogue.…

    • 301 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is now a major term of romantic tragedy over two feuding families between Capulet and Montague. Based on William Shakespeare’s work, there are two different versions of this story. While Franco Zeffirelli’s version conveys an old fashioned style of Romeo and Juliet, on the other hand, Baz Luhrmann’s version demonstrates a modernized version having characteristics of fancy clothes, loud music, and modern atmosphere. Comparing and contrasting these two versions, I prefer Baz Luhrmann’s version in the balcony scene, Act 2 Scene 2. In this scene, Romeo and Juliet get to know their feeling towards each other and make promise to marry. The review from Peter Travers says…

    • 1279 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    "Romeo and Juliet" is the tragic tale of forbidden love, fate and destiny. The prologue is important as it introduces these key themes and creates dramatic irony. It is introduced by a chorus - to give us a commentary and summary of the action. The dramatic irony whets the audience's appetite for the play, and the prologue helps the lower class audience understand the storyline easier. Act 1 Scene 1 grabs the attention of both the higher and lower classes of audience with the use of poetry for the higher classes and the comical influences would draw the lower classes into the play.…

    • 1404 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The reason why it shows foreshadowing is because the King of Verona declared that the next Montague and/or Capulet to start the fight will be exiled. This is a foreshadow of Romeo’s future exile after he slays Tybalt. This also builds suspense to the plot because the audience is aware that the Montagues and the Capulets will have another confrontation later throughout the…

    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Summary Of The Movie '68'

    • 429 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The prologue in the 1968 movie was made with a very calm voice that was reassuring. You can obviously tell that this movie is more about the importance of true love and the relationship struggles they have to endure and overcome throughout the story. This prologue of the 68’ movie about Romeo and Juliet was set in a different, older era. You can tell by the choice of older music and the older font. You can also point out the way the townspeople are dressed ,how they speak and…

    • 429 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The first device that is introduced in Romeo and Juliet is suspense, this element immediately draws in an audience with excitement and makes them anxious. The first scene opens up with the Capulet and Montague families fighting. Obviously, this is a very catchy way to start a story, this scene helps add suspense for when it is revealed that the Montague boys are planning to crash the Capulet’s party. The audience isn’t certain how the situation will…

    • 826 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There are various ways to tell a story. Most of the time, there are numerous similarities between stories, but there are also a few differences. The 1996 version and older version of Romeo and Juliet have many similarities and differences. The stories are similar in the fact that Romeo and Juliet find love at first sight and are then shocked to find out they're enemies, but they differ by the clothing worn by the characters.…

    • 404 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Romeo and Juliet, the dramatic love story everyone knows. Many times the play by William Shakespeare is compared to the movie produced by Baz Luhrman. Most always when movies are compared to the books, the books are better, but not quite in this case. Yes, the play is very good as well as the movie, but the play has its great parts, and its not so great parts as well. Just like the movie, it also has its good parts also many things that are the same in both the movie and play, but of course they have changed and bad parts. There are things from the play when made into the movie. The play and movie are both great but have their strengths and weaknesses.…

    • 909 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics