Category: Romeo And Juliet

When speaking about English plays, the majority of the general public immediately starts thinking of William Shakespeare. People who like his works and those who know just a little about him are definitely familiar with the story of Romeo and Juliet, and its famous lines For never was a story of more woe. Than this of Juliet and her Romeo (Shakespeare 46). The play was rather popular in the 16th century when it was written but a new wave of attention it received in the 20th century due to the creation of filmed versions. Even though the film directed by Baz Luhrmann is considered to be the best innovative adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, it implements lots of differences such as those related to the props, settings, music, and language.

Just like Shakespeare, Luhrmann, showed his audience the story of two warring families. Their quarrels turn into fights with the weapon and negative consequences. The characters still have the same names, so that they can be easily differentiated and matched with one another. Those scenes and even dialogues that were written by Shakespeare can be found in the film, even those they are somehow changed to meet the requirements of the form (Lehmann 179).

Preminger et al. claim that poetry is to be educative and pleasurable and both versions of Romeo and Juliet meet this criterion regardless of the fact that they had to appeal to the audience of a different time (133). Shakespeare implemented the jokes that were close to his contemporaries, mentioned the hierarchy that was present in society, and even added some allusions to real landmark events that took place in the 16th century. Luhrmann, in his turn, tried not to focus on those outdated ideas and resorted to the pop culture, which revealed the interests of the 20th century. As a result, both the original author and the director of the filmed adaptation pleased and entertained their audience. They attracted their attention with beautiful costumes and appealed to their ears with popular music. In addition to that, they spread those morals that were critical to society and educated the representatives of the general public in this way.

The settings of the play and the film seem to be called in a similar way, but they can be found in different countries: Verona, Italy, and Verona Beach. The seaside area described in the adaptation resembles Miami, which means that the events were taken to another country. Of course, both settings reveal the environment that was peculiar to their time. In this way, people would hardly start thinking of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet as they see a city that is full of modern cars, multistoried buildings, and even hot dog stands.

Those costumes that the author and the director wanted to see on their characters differ greatly, as they represent the fashion of two centuries. While in the play, people are in suits and dresses, the adaptation shows them in Hawaiian shirts and even leather clothes. The alterations of the traditional Elizabethan fashion also deal with the hairdo, as some of the Montagues have unnaturally colored hair even though they are boys.

The language of the characters also is not the same. Of course, it was not possible to make the readers hear English or Italian accent of some characters when they were reading Romeo and Juliet, but such peculiarities were mentioned and revealed on the stage. Still, the filmed adaptation does not represent them. The thing is that the director believed it to be unnecessary. He considered that American English suited the play adaptation and there was no necessity to implement any changes: When Shakespeare wrote these plays, they were written for an accent that was much more like an American sound, and when you do Shakespeare with an American accent it makes the language very strong, very alive (Film Education 15).

Music is one more element that makes the filmed adaptation of Romeo and Juliet differ from the play and its performances. Luhrmann resorted to hip-hop music mainly. He added some sounds of electric guitar, which did not exist in the 16th century. When describing his decisions, the director claimed that he tried to add all varieties of music so that it could appeal to the diverse audience. In this way, he followed Shakespeares intention and gathered the contemporary church, folk, and popular music.

Having a closer look at Act One and the film scene that reveals those events that happen in it, the audience cannot but notice a range of differences. In Scene One, Samson and Gregory argue about their skills of swordplay near the Capulets house until Benvolio arrives, and Tybalt triggers the fight. In the film, Benvolio and the Montagues appear first in a car near a gas station where Tybalt and the Capulets arrive soon. In this scene, the fight starts, as one of the boys bites Abrahams thumb. Here, the audience can see lots of differences in choreography in addition to the appearance of the new props. In the play, the boys are fighting with swords, which was typical for that time, while they have pistols in the film (Luhrmann). What is more, Shakespeare mentions that they are surrounded only by some observers, but Luhrmann makes them use other peoples cars and other extras. It is also interesting that the text of the adaptation does not change, and the characters speak of the weapon they do not actually have.

The scene on the balcony is a well-known part of the play, and the director wanted to be impressive and touching. It reveals the feelings of the main characters and allows the audience to see that Romeo and Juliets love is strong enough to deal with all problems so many professionals believe it to be the highlight of the story (Rocklin 56). The director reduced this part so that it became much shorter. He also alters the setting to the swimming pool of the Capulets house while originally everything happened in the orchard. The camera focuses on the main characters during their dialogue, which allows the viewers to perceive the importance of their words and feelings.

Thus, it can be concluded that the original play and its filmed adaptation reveal the same story of two young lovers even though they have a lot of differences. The author and the director wanted to make their audience familiar with the lives of Romeo and Juliet, so they did their best to make sure that their works would appeal to their contemporaries. In fact, this seems to be the main reason Luhrmann introduced a range of alterations to the play. His version was rather innovative, and it seemed that the director altered everything except for the love story, but the original play can still be easily recognized in his story.

Works Cited

Film Education. Teachers Notes. Filmeduction, n.d. Web.

Lehmann, Courtney. Screen Adaptations: Romeo and Juliet. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014.

Luhrmann, Buz. Romeo + Juliet. YouTube, uploaded by Yi Tsou, 2016. Web.

Preminger, Alex, Frank Warnke, & O.B. Hardison. Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, Princeton Legacy Library, 2015.

Rocklin, Edward. Romeo and Juliet. Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Learningstorm, 2016. Web.

Introduction

Symbolism and foreshadowing are two significant literary devices often used by writers of literary works to achieve certain goals. Illona (2010) defines symbolism as applied in literature as something a writer uses to represent a complex or larger thing. In this regard, a writer uses a symbol to refer to something indirectly. Foreshadowing is a literary device which a writer uses to cause a writer to figure out what the text will focus on. The style enables a writer to tell the story in a coherent way by reflecting both forward and backward.

This paper will discuss the two literary styles as used by William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. The discussion is backed up with quotes of examples of symbolism as foreshadowing as used in the book.

Symbolism

Shakespeare embraced the use of natures symbols such as stars, flowers, birds, darkness and light to stand for certain meanings in the book (Lehmann, 2002). He likens Romeo to a rose flower, considered natures most beautiful flower. Besides the beauty, the rose flower also has an attractive scent. The comparison implies that Romeo is handsome and sweet to love just like a rose flower.

Lady Capulet equates Paris to a stunning bloom that no nature has endeavoured to produce. The unique flower compared to Paris demonstrates how distinctively beautiful the lady is. The love of Juliet to Romeo at the early stages is described as the bud love, expected to grow into a beauteous flower when the two meet later (Lehmann, 2002).

When Juliet learns of the death of her cousin Tybalt who was killed by Romeo the man she fell in love with, she described Romeo as serpent hid with a flowering face (Shakespeare, 2002). The serpent in this statement refers to the character in Romeo that caused him to kill her cousin. The flower, on the other hand, refers to the character in Romeo that made her fall in love with him.

Shakespeare recognizes flowers to signify the personality of Romeo, the love of Juliet. As a serpent, Romeo goes ahead to hatch a plan to kill Tybalt, who is Juliets cousin. The symbol of flowers is also used in the instance where Juliet took Friars concoction and died. The writer, in this case, compares the bridal flowers to the flowers used at the funeral as the bouquets.

Shakespeare also used stars to create symbolism in his text. Romeo and Juliet are likened to star-crossed. The common belief was that a persons fortune was dependent on the stars. The crossed-star in the text implied that nature would work against the love relationship between Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare widely used stars to bring out the belief that stars determined peoples fate. While preparing to attend the Capulet party, Romeo points out that my mind misgives some consequences hanging in the stars (Shakespeare, 2002).

More symbolism of the stars is where Juliet thinks of chopping Romeo into small stars to make everyone be in love with the night. Romeo on his side, likens Juliets eyes to two very bright stars of heaven. Juliet later finds herself in a situation wondering whether to marry Romeo, who already has already been pushed to marry Paris. She wonders whether there is any pity sitting in the clouds (Dunkling, 2005). At this instance, Juliet is annoyed that the stars have sealed her fate with her love Romeo.

Shakespeare also utilized darkness and light as symbolic elements in the story. At the beginning of the story, Romeo is described as being in artificial darkness by adding clouds to more clouds (Dunkling, 2005). This symbol is created to paint the picture of the depression mood of Romeo. His tears are described as locking out light. The first time Romeo meets Juliet in the house, he flirts her by saying that she teaches the torches to burn bright (Reyhner and Francis, 2002). The statement points to the beauty and brightness those Juliet possess. Romeo further remarks that Juliet is the sun implying that she is hot. According to Romeo, Juliets beauty overshadows the brightness of the sun.

In one of his remarks about the two lovers, Friar points out that the darkness of the night gives way to the gray eyed morning. This symbol indicates new dawn that has come to the lives of the two lovers (Dunkling, 2005). The day the two lovers consummated their marriage, daybreak came sooner than they expected. They would have wished a long night to prevail, but as nature is not controlled by human power, daybreak was obvious for them to explore the challenges the day brings.

Another creation of nature that Shakespeare used to paint the picture of symbolism in his work is the bird. The Nurse refers to Juliet as the Ladybird, while waiting for the Nurse to return with a word of love from Romeo, Juliet remarks that words of love are born by doves, and they are not the swiftest birds.

Juliet described Romeo as a doved feathered raven when he killed his cousin Tybalt (Reyhner and Francis, 2002). The symbol describes the horrible character of Romeo covered in his innocence and love. The lark birds have been used in the book to illuminate night whereas nightingale to signify morning.

Foreshadowing

This is a writing style where the writer informs the reader of what will happen ahead in the story through flashbacks. Shakespeare embraced this style on several occasions in the text. A typical example of this is found in Act I, where one of the actors in a sonnet brings out the hatred between Montagues and Capulets and also looks at Romeo and Juliet as unfortunate lovers (Reyhner and Francis, 2002). The two are unfortunate, according to the chorus because they were born in warring families (Shakespeare, 2002).

Montagues and Capulets are described as a pair of star-crossed lovers who take their lives. Taking their life is a statement that informs the reader of events to come ahead. It describes how the two characters would vanish from existence by taking their own lives. In another instance of foreshadowing, Romeo describes Juliet in a song as the Sun at daybreak that is envied by the moon. He calls on the sun to arise and kill the envious moon (Shakespeare, 2002). The statement implies that the sun killed the moon out of sympathy for the moons grief. The statement revealed in advance what would happen to both Romeo and Juliet at the end of the play where they killed themselves because of anguish.

The writer used foreshadowing instances as a sign of something bad coming to happen ahead. When for example, in the city of Verona, a story of star-crossed lovers is told, it points out the fate that will later befall the two lovers. During a discussion process between Romeo and Juliet, Juliet remarks that she feels as one dead in the tomb (Shakespeare, 2002). The statement expresses her mixed feelings about the affair. She foresaw disaster in the planned arrangements that yielded to the two meetings for the discussion.

The strong feelings Romeo has for Juliet would ultimately lead to his downfall. Death seems to surround the two lovers in the story. Juliet, for example, had remarked that if she is given Romeo when he dies, she will chop him into tiny stars. According to Juliet, this would make the whole world to love the night. This description is a prediction that Juliet would witness Romeos death.

The style is also used to describe the love that could not be stopped by anything. In a discussion between Romeo and Benvolio about Tybalt, Romeo points out that the days black fate must end with others. Romeo knows that Tybalt hates him and has set out to kill him because of that. It is also hinted in the story that Romeo would die of poisoning. Juliets mother remarks that Romeo should upon receipt of poison sleep in quiet (Shakespeare, 2002). Romeos death would be as a result of his relentless pursuit for love. All he cared was to be with Juliet whatever it takes.

Conclusion

The discussion has pointed out the various instances in the text that Shakespeare used symbolism and foreshadowing styles. Various creations of nature such as stars, birds, light and darkness, are used as symbols in the text. The symbols stand for something more complex to communicate the writers message to the reader. Apart from symbolism, Shakespeare also uses foreshadowing as a literary device in his writing. He used foreshadowing mainly to enable the reader to prefigure what is coming ahead. The death Instances of the various characters are predicted in the storyline through foreshadowing.

References

Dunkling, L. 2005. When Romeo and Juliet Met. New York: Trafford publishing ltd.

Illona, S. 2010. Reality And Illusion In Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire. Norderstedt: Druck und Bindung.

Lehmann, C. 2002. Shakespeare Remains: Theater to Film Early Modern to Postmodern. New York: Cornell university press.

Reyhner. J., A. and Francis, N. 2002. Language and Literacy Teaching For Indigenous Education: A Bilingual Approach. New York: Multilingual matters ltd.

Shakespeare, W. 2002. Romeo and Juliet. New York: Baron Educational Series Inc.

Introduction

Symbolism and foreshadowing are two significant literary devices often used by writers of literary works to achieve certain goals. Illona (2010) defines symbolism as applied in literature as something a writer uses to represent a complex or larger thing. In this regard, a writer uses a symbol to refer to something indirectly. Foreshadowing is a literary device which a writer uses to cause a writer to figure out what the text will focus on. The style enables a writer to tell the story in a coherent way by reflecting both forward and backward.

This paper will discuss the two literary styles as used by William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. The discussion is backed up with quotes of examples of symbolism as foreshadowing as used in the book.

Symbolism

Shakespeare embraced the use of natures symbols such as stars, flowers, birds, darkness and light to stand for certain meanings in the book (Lehmann, 2002). He likens Romeo to a rose flower, considered natures most beautiful flower. Besides the beauty, the rose flower also has an attractive scent. The comparison implies that Romeo is handsome and sweet to love just like a rose flower.

Lady Capulet equates Paris to a stunning bloom that no nature has endeavoured to produce. The unique flower compared to Paris demonstrates how distinctively beautiful the lady is. The love of Juliet to Romeo at the early stages is described as the bud love, expected to grow into a beauteous flower when the two meet later (Lehmann, 2002).

When Juliet learns of the death of her cousin Tybalt who was killed by Romeo the man she fell in love with, she described Romeo as serpent hid with a flowering face (Shakespeare, 2002). The serpent in this statement refers to the character in Romeo that caused him to kill her cousin. The flower, on the other hand, refers to the character in Romeo that made her fall in love with him.

Shakespeare recognizes flowers to signify the personality of Romeo, the love of Juliet. As a serpent, Romeo goes ahead to hatch a plan to kill Tybalt, who is Juliets cousin. The symbol of flowers is also used in the instance where Juliet took Friars concoction and died. The writer, in this case, compares the bridal flowers to the flowers used at the funeral as the bouquets.

Shakespeare also used stars to create symbolism in his text. Romeo and Juliet are likened to star-crossed. The common belief was that a persons fortune was dependent on the stars. The crossed-star in the text implied that nature would work against the love relationship between Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare widely used stars to bring out the belief that stars determined peoples fate. While preparing to attend the Capulet party, Romeo points out that my mind misgives some consequences hanging in the stars (Shakespeare, 2002).

More symbolism of the stars is where Juliet thinks of chopping Romeo into small stars to make everyone be in love with the night. Romeo on his side, likens Juliets eyes to two very bright stars of heaven. Juliet later finds herself in a situation wondering whether to marry Romeo, who already has already been pushed to marry Paris. She wonders whether there is any pity sitting in the clouds (Dunkling, 2005). At this instance, Juliet is annoyed that the stars have sealed her fate with her love Romeo.

Shakespeare also utilized darkness and light as symbolic elements in the story. At the beginning of the story, Romeo is described as being in artificial darkness by adding clouds to more clouds (Dunkling, 2005). This symbol is created to paint the picture of the depression mood of Romeo. His tears are described as locking out light. The first time Romeo meets Juliet in the house, he flirts her by saying that she teaches the torches to burn bright (Reyhner and Francis, 2002). The statement points to the beauty and brightness those Juliet possess. Romeo further remarks that Juliet is the sun implying that she is hot. According to Romeo, Juliets beauty overshadows the brightness of the sun.

In one of his remarks about the two lovers, Friar points out that the darkness of the night gives way to the gray eyed morning. This symbol indicates new dawn that has come to the lives of the two lovers (Dunkling, 2005). The day the two lovers consummated their marriage, daybreak came sooner than they expected. They would have wished a long night to prevail, but as nature is not controlled by human power, daybreak was obvious for them to explore the challenges the day brings.

Another creation of nature that Shakespeare used to paint the picture of symbolism in his work is the bird. The Nurse refers to Juliet as the Ladybird, while waiting for the Nurse to return with a word of love from Romeo, Juliet remarks that words of love are born by doves, and they are not the swiftest birds.

Juliet described Romeo as a doved feathered raven when he killed his cousin Tybalt (Reyhner and Francis, 2002). The symbol describes the horrible character of Romeo covered in his innocence and love. The lark birds have been used in the book to illuminate night whereas nightingale to signify morning.

Foreshadowing

This is a writing style where the writer informs the reader of what will happen ahead in the story through flashbacks. Shakespeare embraced this style on several occasions in the text. A typical example of this is found in Act I, where one of the actors in a sonnet brings out the hatred between Montagues and Capulets and also looks at Romeo and Juliet as unfortunate lovers (Reyhner and Francis, 2002). The two are unfortunate, according to the chorus because they were born in warring families (Shakespeare, 2002).

Montagues and Capulets are described as a pair of star-crossed lovers who take their lives. Taking their life is a statement that informs the reader of events to come ahead. It describes how the two characters would vanish from existence by taking their own lives. In another instance of foreshadowing, Romeo describes Juliet in a song as the Sun at daybreak that is envied by the moon. He calls on the sun to arise and kill the envious moon (Shakespeare, 2002). The statement implies that the sun killed the moon out of sympathy for the moons grief. The statement revealed in advance what would happen to both Romeo and Juliet at the end of the play where they killed themselves because of anguish.

The writer used foreshadowing instances as a sign of something bad coming to happen ahead. When for example, in the city of Verona, a story of star-crossed lovers is told, it points out the fate that will later befall the two lovers. During a discussion process between Romeo and Juliet, Juliet remarks that she feels as one dead in the tomb (Shakespeare, 2002). The statement expresses her mixed feelings about the affair. She foresaw disaster in the planned arrangements that yielded to the two meetings for the discussion.

The strong feelings Romeo has for Juliet would ultimately lead to his downfall. Death seems to surround the two lovers in the story. Juliet, for example, had remarked that if she is given Romeo when he dies, she will chop him into tiny stars. According to Juliet, this would make the whole world to love the night. This description is a prediction that Juliet would witness Romeos death.

The style is also used to describe the love that could not be stopped by anything. In a discussion between Romeo and Benvolio about Tybalt, Romeo points out that the days black fate must end with others. Romeo knows that Tybalt hates him and has set out to kill him because of that. It is also hinted in the story that Romeo would die of poisoning. Juliets mother remarks that Romeo should upon receipt of poison sleep in quiet (Shakespeare, 2002). Romeos death would be as a result of his relentless pursuit for love. All he cared was to be with Juliet whatever it takes.

Conclusion

The discussion has pointed out the various instances in the text that Shakespeare used symbolism and foreshadowing styles. Various creations of nature such as stars, birds, light and darkness, are used as symbols in the text. The symbols stand for something more complex to communicate the writers message to the reader. Apart from symbolism, Shakespeare also uses foreshadowing as a literary device in his writing. He used foreshadowing mainly to enable the reader to prefigure what is coming ahead. The death Instances of the various characters are predicted in the storyline through foreshadowing.

References

Dunkling, L. 2005. When Romeo and Juliet Met. New York: Trafford publishing ltd.

Illona, S. 2010. Reality And Illusion In Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire. Norderstedt: Druck und Bindung.

Lehmann, C. 2002. Shakespeare Remains: Theater to Film Early Modern to Postmodern. New York: Cornell university press.

Reyhner. J., A. and Francis, N. 2002. Language and Literacy Teaching For Indigenous Education: A Bilingual Approach. New York: Multilingual matters ltd.

Shakespeare, W. 2002. Romeo and Juliet. New York: Baron Educational Series Inc.

Psychoanalysis often consists of different approaches, and the same topic or work can be seen from various perspectives. For example, William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet tells the story of the titular characters who belong to rivaling households. This play explores the topic of forbidden love, as the main characters never get what they want due to their circumstances. The following text will review it from Jungs, Freuds, and Lacans theories.

Sigmund Freuds perspective of the psyche is actively tied to sexual desire and the three aspects of ones personality. These aspects are id, ego, and superego, and they have a significant effect on a persons actions and motivations (Studious Guy, 2021). Romeo represents a classic example of ones id prevailing over the other aspects, as he is rather impulsive and emotional. Juliet and Friar Laurence, on the other hand, have more fluctuating versions of these aspects. As soon as he first meets her, he forgets about his prior unrequited feelings for Rosaline and wants to be with the Capulet daughter. The young man triggers a conflict between her id, ego and superego, as she is aware of the rivalry; however, she desires to be with Romeo against all odds.

There is a very interesting similarity between Juliet and Friar Laurence, as both start experiencing the domination of their id over their superego and ego. Laurence is an even stronger example of that, as he poses as the mentor for the two youths; however, when he views an opportunity to use them as a way to help their families reconcile, the man agrees to preserve Romeo and Juliets bond and unite them with marriage (Shakespeare, 1597). At first, it seems that under the influence of their relationship, the young man becomes more rational, as he refuses to fight with Tybalt. Unfortunately, this is instantly disproven after Romeo murdering him as revenge, being banished and him ultimately taking his life, causing Juliets demise as well. Perhaps, if their superego had dominated, their lives would have taken a different turn, and Laurences goal would have been achieved without losses.

Carl Jungs views are not as heavily reliant on sexual desires, as they are on ones life force. He believed that the psyches main goal was achieving individuation, where one becomes independent from the collective unconscious, evolves into a mature and harmonious individual, and develops their true identity (GoodTherapy, 2018). The collective unconscious is formed with the help of symbols, patterns and situations related to archetypes. At the beginning of the story, Romeo represents a blend between the Rebel and the Lover, as he is irrational but appreciates love (Exploring Your Mind, 2020). Juliet seems uninterested in this concept before she meets him and is usually more rational, being the Sage. Friar Laurence is the classic example of the Caregiver, as he attempts to guide the youths through this situation.

Unfortunately, this relationship creates a conflict between the counterparts of their archetypes and deconstructs their Animus and Anima. For Juliet, her rationality and sensibility become her Persona, while in Romeos case it is his prioritization of thinking before acting (Studio Binder, 2022). Irrationality is completely atypical of Friar Laurence, as he attempts to protect the teenagers from their demise and fails under the influence of his wish to bring peace to the two rivalling families. Juliet becomes more impulsive, threatening to die by suicide in case she is married to Paris. Romeo attempts to conceal this side of his personality, as he tries to find peace between himself and his wifes cousin. Alas, Romeos Persona is the first to collapse, as his Shadow prevails and ultimately results in Tybalts, his and Juliets death. Thus, they do not achieve individuation, as their lives and personality become disorganized, and meet an abrupt end.

Jacques Lacans views triggered discussions of ones desire and its inattainability. While most people eventually find peace with this gap, the characters in the story do not. In the play, Romeo constantly seeks love for some unknown reason and there is always something standing in his way. Lacan believed that ones desire is the other individuals desire (Psychiatric Times, 2018). Whatever the two were seeking in love, whether it is stability, the ideal partner or the sensation that follows it, they never actually find it. This is because Romeos vengeful murder of Tybalt is followed by a chain of events that ultimately becomes their obstacle to achieving that unconscious desire. Unfortunately, the characters are not at peace with this loss, as the two eventually meet their untimely death as a result. Regarding Friar Laurence, it can be presumed that while his goal of making the families reconcile has been achieved, he never truly achieves his desire, just like the two teenagers.

In conclusion, the story of Romeo and Juliet receives different perceptions when viewed by the lens of Jungs, Lacans and Freuds theories. From Freuds perspective, the characters problems can be perceived as the result of a conflict between their superego, id and ego. Romeo is the first one never to find harmony between the three aspects, while Juliet and Laurence develop a conflict with those moments due to his relationship with her. Jungs beliefs are centered on the person becoming independent from the collective unconscious and evolving into a harmonious individual. This never happens to the three people, as the characters lives and personalities become disorganized and dishevelled under the influence of their circumstances. Finally, from Lacans perspective, desire is something that is unconscious and unattainable. While many people find peace with the gap presented by it, Romeo, Juliet and Laurence do not, which results in the death of the teenagers and the sorrow of the Friar.

References

Exploring Your Mind. (2020). The 12 jungian archetypes. Exploring your mind. Web.

GoodTherapy. (2018). Jungian psychotherapy. GoodTherapy  Find the Right Therapist. Web.

Psychiatric Times. (2018). Jacques Lacan: The best and least known psychoanalyst. Web.

StudioBinder. (2022). Jungian archetypes explained for writers. Web.

Studious Guy. (2021). Freuds psychoanalytic theories explained. StudiousGuy  Your Study Buddy. Web.

Mercutio was played a key role in the tragedy; the boy was a distant relative of the royal family and Romeos best friend. The young man was fiery and joyful simultaneously; he spent all his free time with his friends. He was ready to sacrifice everything for his close companions, especially for Romeos benefit. At the beginning of the play, the author describes the boy as a tamer of womens hearts, a characteristic he displays at Montagues ball (Shakespeare 3.1. 15-20). Mercutio, in addition to all this, is also characterized by boldness, bordering on recklessness. At the same time, Mercutio is distinguished by refined taste, intelligence and nobility; Mercutio tries to help his lover friend. He is the one who persuades his friends, particularly Romeo, to go and have fun at the ball. Mercutio used pun, in other words, when a word can have several meanings for humorous purposes in order to encourage Romeo. In the beginning, Romeo and Juliet has a carnivalesque atmosphere, characterized in the play by the freedom, laughter, and uncensored humor typical of comedy.

The tragedy is defined by the fact that it has a sad ending, usually culminates in the death of the main characters, and the death of many personages characterizes Shakespeare. Although Mercutio is a jovial character at the start of the play, his first death changes the atmosphere to the sad one typical of tragedy. After Mercutios death, events turn badly; the end of the tragedy is the death of two lovers. Before his murder, Mercutio pronounces the curse A plague a both your houses! They have made worms meat of me (Shakespeare 3.1. 95-100), which predicts a tragic end like so many other moments. It is significant to note that Mercutios death is considered a warning of aggression and danger.

Work Cited

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Dover Publications, 1993.

A Letter to Rosaline from Romeo. Romeo is expressing his heart-ache, pledges his devotion, begs for a meeting.

Dear Rosaline,

This letter I write to request thee to give me a place in thy heart. Written hath I many a love poem to express my love to thee to reply thine hath not. Rosaline, my first love, is thee. My heart yearneth for nothing else other than thy love. My heart desireth thee since the day I cast my eyes unto thee. To love hath I anyone else apart from thee. Thy love would not like to spend his life with anyone else other than thee.

However, my heart bleedeth because you hath refuseth to give thy love unto me. Waited hath I for so long to get thine reply, and thee hath turned me into a grieving idiot. Pain and suffering hath I endured as I wait to hear from thee. Giveth hath I my love unto thee, but you hath not taken it. Mournfully have I lived, my dear Rosaline, all because thee hath refused to honor my love unto thee.

From the bottom of my heart do I love thee, but to love back thee hath refused totally. Thee hath not taketh the love that I have giveth unto you. Into a melancholic man have I turned, as my broken heart yearneth for thine. My mind hath I almost lost because of your refusal to talk unto me. I have become the epitome of depression, all because thee wont to love me back.

Done hath I everything to please you. Penned hath I the most romantic poems to woo the heart but nothing hath I received. I have tried to do anything to meet you, and you have always been trying to avoid me. The first time I cast my eyes unto thee I thought that I hath got a road to somewhere, I thought that love is sweet and enjoyable; bringeth peace and joy but heart ache and depression hath I got from thee.

Thy love would really like to know what you feeleth about him; thy love would like to know whether you love him. I would like to know whether there is a future for you and me. This is because; you are the woman of my dreams. You are then only one I can love with all my heart, but my heart is now aching and bleeding because you have refused to acknowledge my love.

Do you know how it feels to love someone who doesnt love you back? My dear Rosaline, my love for thee is true and strong. I dont know which reservations thee hath, but thy love guarantees you the best loving and care that this world can ever give.

Thy love is begging for thy attention.I beg that you listen to my pleas. Give thy love a chance to meet thee and declare his love. I would like thee to spare some time for thy love to show who he really is. Everything hath I done nut unfruitful hath been my efforts to please thee. I have been trying to do anything to meet you, but my efforts have not been fruitful.

Many emissaries hath I sent unto thee to you to request you to give me a chance to talk but no response hath thee giveth unto them. Tried hath I your attention to get, but nothing has come by. This is my first time to fall in love. I thought love was sweet and enjoyable. I thought that love bringeth pleasure unto my heart and happiness unto my life. I thought that falling in love with you maketh my dreams come true.

My dear Rosaline, thy love suffering and is in a real depression. Into deep hole hath, I sunk, and you are the only one that can removeth thy love from that hole. Please come, my dear, please come we reason together. Please let me meet thee and tell me what thee thinketh about me. Thy love would like to hear from thee. I would like to heareth from thine mouth.

Thy love would love to see thee in person. To send anyone else unto you, I dont want. I want to tell you what is in my heart straight from my mouth, and you will tell me what is in your heart straight from your mouth. Begging am I fro this chance of a lifetime.

A chance that will let me know whether I have thine love or hath I wasteth my time and emotions. I believeth in thine love. I believeth you love me, but thee dont want to say. However, thine silence is strumming the pain that is in my heart. Thine silence killeth me softly as about you, and I cannot stop thinking.

My dear Rosaline, please bring me back to life by giving me thine love. As I finish, I would like to kindly request thee to meet me at the Grimsby lawns on Saturday afternoon. There will be waiting for thee. I hope you spareth some time for the man who wants to shower you with endless love. Please dont break my heart anymore. I really want thee to know that I really love thee and I can do anything to prove my love for thee. Forever I will cherish you in my heart.

Yours affectionately

Romeo Montague

A love poem was written by Romeo to Juliet using the Shakespearean English

A story of Love

A story of love and loss existeth.

Alive today their love star crosseth.

A family feud existeth barring the love,

And feud lay in her glory and grace.

My wild damsel bold, she breaketh the rules all.

Her beauty defeateth the stars up in the skies.

A look upon her face bringeth teats to the eyes.

Her family lays in wealth and careth not for the have -nots

She walketh out on them for love hath she for the man.

For her, man is grand, albeit he a moor.

He is so grand and true, but the money he lacketh.

Our families forbid white and black love.

The cover must they, the white and black love that we cherish.

We sneaketh and hideth kissing out of their sight.

The love we maketh all night, as thy parents hate.

You and I were kissing down in the hall one day.

Upon us came the light that spoileth it all.

Fired was I and casteth out to the streets

But love so strong, the distance it beateth.

You and I by the ocean each night we stealeth

Eternal devotion keepeth our love true and sound.

She standeth by his side, in times hardest hit.

Cometh hath time, choices of life we maketh.

Cometh hath time, us to get married.

But rue the day, when thine parents findeth.

Our love so strong, our love so true,

Your parents so cold, our love they wasteth.

You are the only one I love

As I see you from the balcony,

to my soliloquy, I listen.

What you have heard, I knoweth not.

But my heart means every word I uttered.

To you, I wont lie.

When thine eyes met mine, I knew,

your world and thine had just begun.

The young soul, you and I were, as the story started.

You, Juliet, and I Romeo.

You are my only one and be your only one

Together shall we remain even death will part us.

Though mine and thine families feud,

strong you and I must be

Till my dying day shall I love you

although our families dont get along,

Even the fates will forever sayeth

Pure and true my love for you was

In my heart, you lasteth till eternity

None shall stop my love from coming through

Not my family, not your family will ever stop this

Nothing would stop you from coming through,

Thine and my family our love shall never see

And nothing doeth they can separate us

Thine arms my castle, thine heart my home

My friend youve become and that the truth I speaketh

Apart they want us, but nothing they doeth can change the love we hath

Forever shall my love remain my star and my pride.

You and I are deep in love, no one that doubteth

Youve opened your heart to me and I so will I doeth

Situation no matter, together shall we remain.

Day and night me thinketh of you worrying if my love is alright.

Not a single day will thine love forget,

The love that you and I have had.

For you are the only one, and the one only truly hath I.

Together you and I to eternity shall we march.

Introduction

For the paper, I chose the production by David Leveaux at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway in 2013. I was especially curious to watch this production, as Orlando Bloom is my favorite actor: he is starred as Romeo. I believe he is a great person to play such a dramatic and complex character as Romeo. My initial impression in the first five minutes of the recording was that I was deeply interested in continue watching the performance, as Leveaux gave a modern interpretation of Shakespeares classics. Romeo appeared on the stage, driving the motorcycle and wearing blue jeans and sunglasses.

Main body

It is essential to provide a summary of the plots story in order to clear all the details. Even though the current production is a modern interpretation of the play, the storyline has not been changed, and it is aligned with the original Shakespeares story. It is a tragic love story of two young people Romeo and Juliet, and a war between their families, Montagues, and Capulets. The events of the story occur in the streets of Verona, Italy. Montagues and Capulets are in a blood feud, and they hate each other. Romeo Montague is in love with Rosaline, and he shares his unrequited feelings with his cousin Benvolio. At the same time, a relative of Prince Paris searches for an opportunity to marry Juliet Capulet. Her father asks him to wait until his daughter turns 14 years old. However, he decides to hold an event at his house and invite Paris. Benvolio suggests Romeo join the feast to compare his beloved Rosaline to other beautiful women of Verona and forget her.

Romeo arrives at the feast with Benvolio and his friend Mercutio. Romeo sees Juliet and falls in love at first sight: he forgets Rosaline. They talk and realize how much they are attracted by each other, they kiss. Then they both discover that they belong to families, which are at war with each other. Consequently, they are distraught by this fact because they understand what it means. Romeo arrives at a confessor and his friend Lawrence, and he agrees to marry them secretly. The two young people become married with the help of Lawrence.

Juliets cousin, Tybalt, finds out that Romeo attended their family event without invitation and challenges him to a duel. Romeo does not wish to fight, and his friend Mercutio decides to do it for him. Mercutio gets killed, and an enraged Romeo kills Tybalt. As a result, the Prince expels Romeo from Verona for his crime. Juliets father decides to marry her off to Paris just in three days, and she finds the only way to avoid this is to pretend to be dead in order to escape with Romeo. He receives false news thinking that Juliet is truly dead, and decides to kill himself. Juliet finds him dead and ends her life beside him. As a result of the tragedy of their children, Montagues and Capulets end a blood feud.

It should be said that it is a brilliant idea to choose an amazing actress Condola Rashad for Juliets lead role. Moreover, Romeo being white and Juliet being black might highlight their families separation (Brantley). However, it does not make any obstacle for them because they are in love. Furthermore, even though the moments on stage are believable, I noticed that the kiss of Romeo and Juliet is shown rather adult than a teenage. Young people usually demonstrate lust, passion, and erotic, which I did not observe on the stage.

I enjoyed that the production is bright, emotional, saturated, and unusual. However, I could not find an explanation for why the director needed to make it a modern interpretation. I find it, in a way distracting from the classical Shakespearean plot. It is unclear why the protagonists were dressed in modern clothes and were of different ages. It might be appropriate if dialogues were changed accordingly. However, contemporary settings and Shakespeares texts do not match in my personal view. Similar can be said about altered facts of the play as of ages. One of the storys central places is teenage love; thus, changing the age modifies the very essence of the play.

Although I prefer the classic version of the play, I would recommend the product to a friend. It will be a sophisticated friend or acquaintance who possesses specific knowledge of theatre. I believe that it is complicated to understand and analyze modern productions of classical pieces if a person does not understand classical literature and does not visit theaters on a regular basis.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe that the production by David Leveaux is an excellent piece of art and the piece that should have been seen. Even though I provided specific critiques, I was amazed by the lightness and mesmerizing power of the performance. It is astonishing how the director combined the classical Shakespearean world and our modernity in one piece. Regardless of whether I may have questions about this performance, I should say that it looks amazingly hormonal despite its inner complexity and contradictions.

Work Cited

Brantley, Ben. Such Sweet Sorrow. The New York Times, 2013.

Romeo and Juliet is one great historic story that is set on tragic romance. The 2019 version of the original play depicts much energy and character amongst the cast. This is seen from the onset of the play where the trapdoors burst open and from underneath the first two performers, an actor and an actress, emerge. The audience that was seated in silence seconds before is left in awe, as they get ready for a show not worth a blink.

Intensity and energy are displayed in character after the act gets physical a few minutes into it. One morning, a street fight breaks out between two groups which are later identified as the Montague and Capulet clans. The fight is stopped by a gentleman who is the prince of the city, and he warns both sides of the dire consequences that they will face in case of repeated violence in the future. Violence, however, occurs where Romeos best friend is murdered.

The mention of the feud as a crucial part of the script is displayed by the vicious fights between the two families. This fight is attributed to the hatred the Montagues have for the Capulets and vice versa. Adding to the fact that they hate each other, the undisputable love between Romeo and Juliet poses another, even bigger problem. Violence and hatred are represented as an element of the script where a physical confrontation occurs between members of both families. In this case, the characters onstage represent both families.

An important aspect that goes without mentioning is the use of weapons by those involved in the fight. This version of the original story represents a less violent display of the physical confrontation that Shakespeare in his play intended to convene. Furious over his best friends death, Romeo takes revenge by fighting back Tybalt and ends up killing him. He is subsequently banished from the city by the prince as a punishment.

Apart from the key actions and design elements mentioned above, suicide is represented by the actor playing Romeo. As a social issue caused by many factors, it is a lesson to the audience as well as everyone else watching the play. This element not only serves to include the contents of the script but also to create awareness of the social issue faced by the contemporary world. Deeply frustrated by Juliets death, Romeo heads for Juliets tomb and commits suicide by drinking poison. Juliet awakens with the news of Romeo from Laurence and in despair plunges a dagger into her abdomen after Laurence flees. The families of both teens attend the funeral of the two.

Romeo and Juliet is a great play, such that one will not help but love it. The 2019 theater version of the story presented a satisfying performance. Much more could have been done on the acting to make it even better. I think some of the adjustments that could have been made include improving the costume, the music, and the sound. The production was, however, successful, and I enjoyed the acting. The actors execute their parts with exemplary competence and one cannot dare depart midway through the entire script. Romeo takes dominance on the stage and manages to keep the audience hooked to the screen.

The design elements did achieve or fit the concept set out by the action on stage. The fight scenes are made lively and eye-catching in the manner they are executed. At first, the street brawls between two clans occur and more fights come in as Tybalt kills Romeos cousin. One if keen would notice that all the props, in this case, used as weapons in the fight scenes are accounted for.

Youth and Privacy is a theme that is well depicted in the manner Romeo and Juliet undertake their plans. The two secretly marry, and the wedding is complete with vows and pledges. Early marriage comes with various implications and evidently, one implication is on the experience of handling different issues.

When Laurence arrives at the scene Juliet awakens after Romeo commits suicide, one can notice the tension and the fear he depicts. He is quite afraid of the turn of events and the consequence he would face if whatever he and Juliet had plotted all along comes to pass. When Romeo takes the poison beside Juliets grave, he initiates a somber mood and the audience gets to feel the depth of love he had for his lover. Haste is illustrated in the film as Romeo and Juliet strived to make their love work in a hurry. The decisions they both make to commit suicide are also hastened and this causes all the change in the film.

The video portrays fights and passionate love and combines the themes of violence, death, and religion. Family is also an element applied to create the expressive rush that results in a fatal end. Love is a cause of violence and from the start, Romeo takes revenge after his best friend is killed, resulting in his banishment. It also elaborates on the lives of the youth and the decisions related to the stage.

I think this version of Romeo and Juliet is breathtaking and I would recommend it to anyone as it is worth their time. Towards the end of the act, the characters signify what loyalty and true love are. Revenge is also highlighted and, as it is depicted, it only yields a bitter end. The feuds in the play do not result in any fruitful end, either.

Work Cited

Romeo and Juliet (2019) Playing Shakespeare. YouTube. Web.

The Power of Fate in the Elizabethan Era

During the Elizabethan era, it was a common belief that a person’s fate was predetermined. Many astrologers believed that the placement of the sun, moon, and stars could determine a person’s fate. The prologue of Romeo and Juliet implies that their love is death marked and that their actions are in control of a larger force. Several characters also hold fate accountable for their choices. By no means is the demise of Romeo and Juliet out of their control. It is not the wonders of fate, but it is the impulsive and desperate actions of the characters that bring about the downfall of Romeo and Juliet.

Shakespeare’s Portrayal of Fate and Decision Making

Throughout history, people have depended on fate as an excuse for their misfortune. In fact, during the Elizabethan era, predeterminism was such a common belief that it would have been considered odd for Shakespeare not to have included characters who strongly believed in fate. Romeo, Juliet, and Friar Laurence blame fate for their actions. Shakespeare’s characters are impulsive decision-makers who act on their emotions and feelings. Most of their decisions throughout the play are made in the heat of the moment. As a result, the characters, along with their friends and family, suffer unimaginable consequences.

Characters’ Justifications: Blaming Fate Over Free Will

Shakespeare’s characters repetitively used fate as an excuse for their poor choices by stating that the situation was simply out of their control. Romeo uses fate to justify his reckless actions instead of taking responsibility. He specifically refers to his unluckiness in being forced to kill his new wife’s cousin when he cries out, “Oh, I am fortune’s fool!” Romeo believed that his fight with Tybalt was unavoidable, that it was his destiny. Juliet also made many thoughtless decisions and blamed them for her unavoidable fate. Upon first seeing Romeo at the party, Juliet tells the nurse to “Go ask his name, if he is married. My grave is like to be my wedding bed.” Here Juliet foreshadows her own death. Juliet understands that marrying Romeo will have terrible consequences, but she willingly chooses to marry him anyway.

Friar Laurence as well contributes greatly to the deaths of the two lovers. Friar Laurence holds fate accountable by exclaiming, “Unhappy fortune! By my brotherhood, the letter was not nice but full of charge, of dear import, and the neglecting it may do much danger.” When Friar John tells him the letter couldn’t be sent, Friar Laurence blames “unhappy fortune” instead of himself. Also, when Friar Laurence finds the two lovers dead, he blames their deaths on “lamentable chance” when he was the one who secretly married them and masterminded the plan in the first place. Again, another character implies that the situation was simply out of their control. By choosing characters who blame fate for their poor choices, Shakespeare insists that people need to take responsibility for their actions.

Conclusion: The Consequences of Rejecting Responsibility

In conclusion, the characters from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet used their free will to make impetuous choices, which ultimately led to their downfall. The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet could easily have been avoided if the characters had thought rationally. Shakespeare relays an important message throughout the story. If you don’t take responsibility for your actions, your poor choices will lead to bad consequences. All in all, free will is to blame for the foolish characters’ reckless decisions and has led to the demise of Romeo and Juliet.

References:

1. Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, Folger Shakespeare Library, 2004.

Romeo and Juliet: The Weight of Names and Feuds

‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! This shows that Juliet wants to be with Romeo, but their family feud is caught between them. Romeo and Juliet is a play where two teenagers in the middle of an intense family feud become “forbidden lovers.” If the Montague and Capulets didn’t have a feud, then Romeo and Juliet would be alive because their forbidden LOVE led to the stress that killed them.

Emotional Distress Stemming from Parental Absence

Romeo’s sadness came from the absence of his parents. “He’s like a flower bud that won’t open itself up to the world because it’s been poisoned from within by parasites.” This means that Romeo is depressed. This can be because of his parents. “When parents are uninvolved, children struggle with self-esteem issues.” This is because Romeo’s parents aren’t involved in his life. They usually do not know where he is. In all, Romeo’s parents lead to Romeo having emotional distress.

Juliet’s ability to quickly make up her mind is because of her parent’s absence. “We must talk privately—Nurse, come back here.” Juliet’s mother is calling back the nurse to help talk to her daughter. This shows that Juliet’s mother is so uninvolved with Juliet’s life that she does not even know how to talk to her daughter. “Children may not receive much guidance, nurturing, and parental attention.” In Juliet’s life, her mother did not raise her; the nurse did. This could limit how much guidance she could have gotten. Overall, Juliet did not get much parental guidance from her parents growing up.

Behaviorism and the Role of Nature vs. Nurture

Behaviorism had a role in street fights. “One of those dogs from the Montague house can make me angry.” This shows that the two households don’t like each other. They learned to not each other: they were not born disliking each other. “Nature is what we think of as pre-wiring and is influenced by genetic inheritance and other biological factors.”  This is because when people are born, they don’t automatically hate somebody. Babies are “blank slates.” Overall, the nurture played a part in the street fights.

Relevance of Romeo and Juliet in Modern Society

Parts of Romeo and Juliet would not happen in modern-day society. “I’ll have you tortured if you don’t put down your swords and listen to your angry prince.” This would not happen in modern society because people do not normally carry swords around. Also, the court system has become more popular. “She and Susan—God rest her and all Christian souls—were born on the same day.” It is not common anymore for somebody else to raise your child in your home. Also, to lose babies as much. In all, most parts of Romeo and Juliet would not happen in modern society.

On the other hand, people argue Romeo and Juliet’s death was caused by nature. Nurture is more correct because Romeo and Juliet developed their emotional attributes from growing up. “We are biologically “wired” so that a certain stimulus will produce a specific response.” This shows that Romeo and Juliet grew up and learned to respond to different situations. “There are numerous studies showing impulsivity in adolescents, and this often results in them partaking in high-risk-behavior.” (tear) This shows that Romeo and Juliet’s love could have resulted from their teenage brains. This is because they knew their parents would never approve of their love. In all, nurture is the reason Romeo and Juliet are dead.

The two family’s feud ended up killing the lovers because their love was forbidden and killed them. This shows that Juliet wants to be with Romeo, but their family feud is caught between them. Romeo and Juliet is a play where two teenagers in the middle of an intense family feud become “forbidden lovers.” ‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!

References:

1. No Fear Shakespeare. (n.d.). Romeo and Juliet. SparkNotes. https://www.sparknotes.com/nofear/shakespeare/romeojuliet/
2. Parsty, J. (n.d.). Parental Involvement: The Key to a Child’s Success. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/parenting/raising-fit-kids/recharge/features/parental-involvement-key-child-success#1
3. Navsnu. (n.d.). Nature vs. Nurture in Psychology. Study.com. https://study.com/academy/lesson/nature-vs-nurture-in-psychology.html
4. Tebr, A. (2018, July 2). The Impact of Impulsivity in Adolescents. ThriveTalk. https://www.thrivetalk.com/impact-of-impulsivity-in-adolescents/