...Post-modernism in Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet: a comparison of two creative works from two different periods. In 1996, Baz Luhrmann directed “Romeo + Juliet”, a modern twist on the famous tragedy play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare in 1597, in which the main characters Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet where portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. While some praise the strange interpretation of the old tale, there are also those who condemn the rendition as destructive and disrespectful to the great work of Shakespeare. There will always be two sides to every story and this study will take that into consideration as well as comparing the two different yet similar works to see how post modernism has played a role in Luhrmann’s version of Romeo and Juliet. Postmodernism has been given many definitions. Some say it’s simply the outlook that the generation of late twenty first century has on life which entails the mistrust and dismissal of theories that existed before such as religion, ethics and law. According to these youths, the difference between right and wrong or what the meaning of life is based solely on that individual’s perspective. In film, the idea of postmodernism is somewhat similar as it’s an artist medium in which to undermine social norms and present one’s individual belief. The difference lies in that postmodernism in film concerns bringing in many aspects of popular culture to produce something...
Words: 3545 - Pages: 15
...In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare employs poetic language such as similes and metaphors to convey the newly formed, passionate, and emotional connection between Romeo and Juliet. Romeo reveals his lust for Juliet through the use of a metaphor. When Romeo catches sight of Juliet on her balcony he whispers to himself, “It is the East, and Juliet is the sun” (69). By comparing Juliet to the sun, a glowing orb of light, the audience is able to recognize Romeo’s passion towards Juliet. Through the comparison of Juliet and the sun, the audience sees that Juliet lights up Romeo’s life, that was once filled with grief as a result of love. The two lovers have already developed a relationship and Shakespeare was able to express the blossoming love through...
Words: 283 - Pages: 2
...‘Romeo and Juliet/Catrin/Follower’ Controlled Assessment: Examining Shakespeare’s ideologies on parental influence and the impact on modern/Elizabethan audiences: Examine the way Shakespeare presents the relationship between Juliet and her parents. By Tiffanie Gould, 10x1 The iconic tragedy written by the world’s most honoured writer William Shakespeare, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is a title the world is familiar with. Its impact on modern society is impeccable, whether related to love, tragedy or both moral and academic education, the modern media adopts its philosophy. Shakespeare is trying to educate, and the ever-pending battle is the matter of character vs. society; relationships differ even today between parent and child, and the way it may be interpreted is affected by women’s role in society in Elizabethan England and how the audience’s perspective of prejudice and patriarchy. Shakespeare explores emotions and allows adjustments in the relationship in an attempt to drop the audience’s jaws open in eras of both old and new. In this assessment, I will examine just how the way Shakespeare presents the relationship between Juliet and Lord/Lady Capulet with supported evidence. Lord Capulet: the very wealthy patriarch of the Capulet family and empire, probably just as important, the husband of Lady Capulet, the uncle of Tybalt, potential father-in-law of Count Paris, legitimate (but unknowingly) the father-in-law of Romeo Montague… and the father of Juliet Capulet-Montague....
Words: 4047 - Pages: 17
...Romeo and Juliet at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre By: Caren Penarrieta The play I watched Romeo and Juliet preformed in the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in 2009. The play Romeo and Juliet written by Shakespeare is about two lovers from rival families, the Montagues and Capulets. They are involved in something like a gang war. The families are rivals, Romeo and Juliet can't marry each other. So Juliet is told to take a potion that will make her appear dead so Romeo can break her out of the tomb and then run away with her. Romeo breaks into the tomb, but doesn't know she's actually alive, and kills himself. Juliet then wakes up and kills herself because Romeo committed suicide. When they are both found dead the Montagues and the Capulets...
Words: 889 - Pages: 4
...‘Romeo and Juliet/Catrin/Follower’ Controlled Assessment: Examining Shakespeare’s ideologies on parental influence and the impact on modern/Elizabethan audiences: Examine the way Shakespeare presents the relationship between Juliet and her parents. By Tiffanie Gould, 10x1 The iconic tragedy written by the world’s most honoured writer William Shakespeare, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is a title the world is familiar with. Its impact on modern society is impeccable, whether related to love, tragedy or both moral and academic education, the modern media adopts its philosophy. Shakespeare is trying to educate, and the ever-pending battle is the matter of character vs. society; relationships differ even today between parent and child, and the way it may be interpreted is affected by women’s role in society in Elizabethan England and how the audience’s perspective of prejudice and patriarchy. Shakespeare explores emotions and allows adjustments in the relationship in an attempt to drop the audience’s jaws open in eras of both old and new. In this assessment, I will examine just how the way Shakespeare presents the relationship between Juliet and Lord/Lady Capulet with supported evidence. Lord Capulet: the very wealthy patriarch of the Capulet family and empire, probably just as important, the husband of Lady Capulet, the uncle of Tybalt, potential father-in-law of Count Paris, legitimate (but unknowingly) the father-in-law of Romeo Montague… and the father of Juliet Capulet-Montague....
Words: 4047 - Pages: 17
...Romeo and Juliet Compare to Contrast Shakespeare, a playwright who wrote a play by the name of Romeo and Juliet, along with movie producers who brought the play to a screen, helped the story of a tragedy be widely known. Moreover, the story of Romeo and Juliet is of forbidden teen lovers whose families are in a rivalry, so much so, that the cause of the two teenagers’ suicides is a direct and indirect result of the feud. However, though; both the literature and movies of this play explain the same story, they have more than just similarities, for an individual may also note the differences between the original creation and adapted creations. Therefore, by noting these distinct disparities and parallels of the literature and a singular cinema...
Words: 716 - Pages: 3
...presence of Carnivalesque is an important factor for understanding the production “Romeo + Juliet” by Baz Luhrmann. The Carnivalism concept was devised by Mikhail Bakhtin, who said it embodied life taking form of a typical carnival. It is essentially the way things can be obscured in life, or rather what is normal in life being turned inside out (Welsh, 152), which can easily be applied to Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Without the elements of Carnival, it is likely this love story would have never been possible. Due to the overwhelming amount of Carnivalism in this film, many perceive it as though the true nature of Shakespeare’s tragedy has been lost in its exuberant elements and that “the film’s spectacle constantly overpowers and overwhelms the poetry” (Welsh, 152). Despite this common belief, Luhrmann was brilliant to use Bakhtin’s ideas to enhance the hidden undertones that were present in Shakespeare’s play. Carnivalism makes “the world of this film perverse and confused... The lines are often right, but the context is most peculiar” (Welsh, 153) so that we are no longer able to...
Words: 1807 - Pages: 8
...------------------------------------------------- How the Nurse Feels “As the nurse, I have eighty-eight lines, appear in eleven of twenty-four scenes, and, unfortunately, I have no costume changes. From what I know, most of Shakespeare’s women don’t”(page 2, line 12) is a quote from the teenager Tess, the main character in Greg Changnon’s short story How the Nurse Feels from 1998. Everyone can relate to the grief of Romeo and Juliet, but the nurse does not play a significant part in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, which makes it hard for Tess to imagine how the nurse feels and therefore how to play her role. In this short story, however, Changnon uses symbolism to throw light on feelings from characters we might miss out on when we normally read or watch the world famous tragedy. How the nurse feels is about the high-school student, Tess, who is playing the role of the nurse in the school production of Romeo and Juliet. In the very middle of her struggle finding out how to act her part, there is another drama taking place outside. Bad weather conditions have postponed the play and cancelled school, and suddenly Tiger De Soto, a minor performer in the play, has disappeared. Tess seems like a typical high school student, living a life with the relatable struggles of a teenager; parents with expectations, boring environment and confusing romantic feelings. She seems attracted to the boy Tiger, whom she barely knows and when she finds out that he has disappeared, she...
Words: 880 - Pages: 4
...Immaturity: the Real Poison in Romeo and Juliet In William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is a tragic hero with the tragic flaw of immaturity. His immaturity is demonstrated countless times in this love story; he weeps because Rosaline does not return his love, and he hastily kills Tybalt without reflecting on the consequences. If Romeo had properly thought through some of the potential consequences prior to resorting to such extreme measures to see Juliet again, Romeo and Juliet most likely would not have met such a tragic ending. Lastly, the marriage of Romeo to Juliet was impulsive and again lacked forethought. They “fall in love” before even getting to know one another and they fail to think through their situation before getting married without their parents’ consent. There are many examples where Romeo lacks maturity. For example, when he is muddled because Rosaline does not return his affection. Romeo says, “O, teach me how I should forget to think!” (Shakespeare, 1. 1. 217). He is unable to take his mind off Rosaline. A more mature man could do so. Another example occurs when the hopeless romantic is ranting wistfully based only on his experience with Rosaline, “Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn” (Shakespeare, 1. 4. 25-26). Romeo’s negative view of love based on a single experience demonstrates his lack of maturity. Finally, Romeo’s breakdown over Rosaline greatly impacts the plot. “At this...
Words: 885 - Pages: 4
...The spread captures the fleeting and passionate romance from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, a centuries old tragic play about two young star crossed lovers. The two main subjects, Romeo and Juliet, stand on the opposite sides of the open doors in the photograph. Their positions suggests they are physically far apart, but emotionally connected. This particular photograph captures the moment when Romeo spots Juliet at the Capulet’s party in Act 1 Scene 5. He has snuck into his rival family’s party and is overheard by Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. He has forgotten Rosaline, his previous “love.” Earlier, he had declared his death defying love for her, but now that she is forgotten, he can focus on Juliet. His wavering heart is proof of his youthfulness. This photograph emulates the effect of a high renaissance oil painting. Oil paints done on canvas have a tendency to give off a glow when the layers have been blended together. The lighting in the photo comes from a source above and between the two main subjects, standing on the opposite sides of the doors opening into a grand room, which is shrouded in golden light. When the viewer first looks at this image, their eyes are drawn to the two figures in the foreground. However, the opening doors leading to the warm light focuses their attention on the details in between the foreground and background. Their eyes form a triangular perspective between Romeo, Juliet and the three women. This light in the middle divides them. This is...
Words: 1175 - Pages: 5
...determined not only by fortuity, but also as a result of one’s own actions. Both fate and one’s own accord are key elements that correlate to a specific occurrence or chain of occurrences. One such example includes William Shakespeare’s tragic play, Romeo and Juliet. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo and Juliet’s fates were dependent on various constituents, some of which were inevitable nonetheless or due to chance, some due to one or another’s own accord, yet all of which ultimately led to their demises. Character is a crucial contributor to one’s fate. Both Romeo and Juliet display very prominent foibles that contributed to their demises. Impatient and naïve by nature, this duo’s flaws in character would ultimately beseech their tragic, death-marked love affair. For instance, in Act 2, scene 2, when Romeo was courting Juliet on her balcony the same night that he had made her acquaintance, Juliet declared, “If that thy bent of love be honorable, thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow, by one that I’ll procure to come to thee, where and what time thou wilt perform the rite, and all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay and follow thee my lord throughout the world.” (Lines 143-148) How naïve. The couple had just encountered each other that very night, and yet, Juliet is boldly stating that unless Romeo’s love did...
Words: 1655 - Pages: 7
...family and the date on which his baptism was registered, but no one knows exactly when he was born. When he died his friends and fellow writers left information in their books and letters about him, but we still to this day do not know if they are entirely true. Some people may find Shakespeare to be controversial in the aspect how he portrays women. The women do not play the traditional role that people were used to seeing in their society. The men in Elizabethan England were in charge of the social power, political power, and arranged marriages. In a lot of Shakespeare’s plays women played a powerful role and break away from the...
Words: 1125 - Pages: 5
...Name:Darrion Duhart Date:2/7/16 Graded Assignment Research Paper First Draft Type your name and the date at the top of this page. Type or paste your draft into this document. Be sure that your draft is double-spaced and in 12 point, Times New Roman font. Save the file as: ENG402A_S1_5.1_Research Paper First Draft_FirstInitial_LastName.docx Example: ENG402A_S1_5.1_Research Paper First Draft_M_Smith.docx Total score: ____ of 200 points (Score for Question 1: ___ of 200 points) Answer: In his poem, 'Scorn not the Sonnet' (Poetical Works, 1827), Wordsworth famously said that the sonnets were the 'key' with which 'Shakespeare unlocked his heart' and whilst this can certainly be seen to be the case, the sonnets do much more than that. Writing of various forms of love, and indeed of love itself, using the contemporary sonnet form, Shakespeare develops the aspects of love which the sonnets reflect into an all-encompassing discussion on the major themes of life itself that continue to inform and direct the human condition, a fact which is perhaps partly responsible for their continuing popularity with both public and critics alike. This dissertation sets out to discover, through close reading of carefully selected representative sonnets and critical context, the way Shakespeare accomplishes this. The sonnet form as Shakespeare, whose 154 sonnets were first published in 1609, and his contemporaries used it was introduced into England in the sixteenth century by Sir Thomas Wyatt...
Words: 4257 - Pages: 18
...question of Shakespeare’s authorship of his plays has been around for past couple hundred years. The real reason this question came about was because the anti-Stratfordians said that several other writers could have helped shakespeare with the plays. The anti-Stratfordians didn’t like Shakespeare and they tried to get him disqualified as a writer. The question of Shakespeare’s authorship argues that Shakespeare is not the author but just because Shakespeare did not sign his work does not mean he was not the author. Not much was known about Shakespeare’s personal life. He was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, London. It was a small town with about 1500 people in it. It is said that Shakespeare has an education at Stratfords...
Words: 921 - Pages: 4
...1. W. Shakespeare « Hamlet» (Renaissance) Character List Hamlet - The Prince of Denmark, the title character, and the protagonist. About thirty years old at the start of the play, Hamlet is the son of Queen Gertrude and the late King Hamlet, and the nephew of the present king, Claudius. Hamlet is melancholy, bitter, and cynical, full of hatred for his uncle’s scheming and disgust for his mother’s sexuality. A reflective and thoughtful young man who has studied at the University of Wittenberg, Hamlet is often indecisive and hesitant, but at other times prone to rash and impulsive acts. Hamlet is extremely philosophical and contemplative. He is particularly drawn to difficult questions or questions that cannot be answered with any certainty. Faced with evidence that his uncle murdered his father, evidence that any other character in a play would believe, Hamlet becomes obsessed with proving his uncle’s guilt before trying to act. Claudius - The King of Denmark, Hamlet’s uncle, and the play’s antagonist. The villain of the play, Claudius is a calculating, ambitious politician, driven by his sexual appetites and his lust for power, but he occasionally shows signs of guilt and human feeling—his love for Gertrude, for instance, seems sincere. Gertrude - The Queen of Denmark, Hamlet’s mother, recently married to Claudius. Gertrude loves Hamlet deeply, but she is a shallow, weak woman who seeks affection and status more urgently than moral rectitude or truth. Polonius - The...
Words: 9533 - Pages: 39
