Comparing Romeo And Juliet 'And' Baz Luhrmann's

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“My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite” (Shakespeare II.ii. 130-139). This memorable line from the classic story of Romeo and Juliet has been recited in several adaptations ranging from theater productions to motion pictures. Despite having the same original source, the adaptations differ in how the scenes are portrayed. Both Franco Zefferelli’s and Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptations of Romeo and Juliet follow Shakespeare’s original script in terms of lines. However, the portrayal of the adaptations are subject to the director’s view of the play. In comparing the two film adaptations, Zefferelli's Romeo and Juliet is more similar to Shakespeare’s play than Baz Luhrmann’s …show more content…

Her lines are cut after Romeo dies, at which point she sobs helplessly like a child and, seeing Romeo's gun, she picks it up and blows her brains out.
It is an act that is presented to the spectator as defeat rather than triumph, helplessness rather than control.
Luhrmann’s Juliet strays away from what Shakespeare intended for this character by not letting her say any final words before killing herself, thus giving the impression of a weak and static character. Juliet does not express the emotions the viewers expect to see in the heroine whereas in the same scene of Zeffirelli's film, Juliet expresses so much emotion when she sees Romeo dead that it makes the viewers feel the pain of losing a loved one, which is what they expect from the heroine of the story. When comparing and contrasting Zeffirelli's and Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet to Shakespeare’s play, Zeffirelli's adaptation is seen as more accurate to Shakespeare’s play than Luhrmann’s movie adaptation. Zeffirelli sets the scenes and designs costumes that are consistent with the play and portrays Juliet as a heroine that Shakespeare depicts in his play. An original and classic story like Romeo and Juliet should be left untouched to feel the full effect of what a great story should

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