The Effectiveness of Zeffirelli's Interpretation of the Death Scene in Romeo and Juliet

The Effectiveness of Zeffirelli's Interpretation of the Death Scene in Romeo and Juliet

I think Zeffirelli’s interpretation of “Romeo and Juliet” is quite

successful at expressing how he feels the play should be shown. He

uses lots of techniques to make the play enjoyable, appealing and

imaginative. To do this he uses different camera angles, realistic

scenery, costumes, sounds and music. He cut some scenes that he didn’t

think were particularly relevant to the storyline, and added some

lines for effect.

He has a love theme playing throughout the film that is played in

minor and major keys depending how he wants the audience to feel. It

is played in minor key when something bad is about to happen, for

example when Romeo takes the poison, and in minor key when something

good happens, like when Juliet wakes up from her “death”. He uses

variations of this theme depending on whether he wants the audience to

feel happy or sad. He also uses some diagetic sounds, like birds

tweeting in the churchyard scene, to make it seem more realistic. As

Friar Laurence enters the tomb, there is no music because we are not

supposed to feel sorry for him. When Juliet is waking up, Zeffirelli

uses the love theme, starting quietly, and gradually getting louder to

signify the life entering her, this is very effective. The funeral

scene does not have any sound apart from the bells ringing very

sombrely and echoing around the courtyard; this makes it feel bleak

and depressing, as a funeral in these circumstances should be.

He makes some cuts to the plot that he doesn’t think are particularly

relevant or would spoil the way he expresses the characters. He cu...

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...eral scene is set in the doorway of

the church, which looks out onto a courtyard. It is very good scenery

as it is very sombre and the largeness of the courtyard causes the

bells to echo, which makes the scene much more sinister.

The lighting adds a lot to each scene. The tomb is lit by torchlight,

which reflects on the main characters and makes them look almost

heavenly, as the light is golden and flickers across their faces. In

the funeral scene there are clouds in the sky, which make it look dark

and depressing. The bodies are carried into a dark church, which

symbolises the terrible end to two peoples lives, due to petty

arguments. At the end, when the families are joining together and

walking into the church they are framed by the light behind them and

you can’t see their faces as they are walking into darkness.