Romeo And Juliet Speech With Relevant Texts

My interpretation of a text is the most important, this is due to my own life experiences influencing my opinions on what I read and view, this is what differentiates our opinions and interpretations of what we learn as we have all had different experiences with the common themes presented in the original text Romeo and Juliet and its most popular appropriations.

When exploring texts such as Romeo and Juliet which was written in 1596 ago we begin to realise as a society how relevant these recurring theme tend to be regardless of the vast amount of time difference these commonly known themes such as tragic love, violence and death which have all become second nature to our generations as we have been desensitised by the media and all our surroundings.

Romeo and Juliet’s storyline has been used as inspiration to many directors as they attempt to convey their own interpretation of the original text to a broader audience by using film.

Violence is a reoccurring theme in the text and its appropriations both feuding families pride themselves in the way they have established their name and differentiated themselves from the commoners and their feuding family this is why violence takes place “both houses a like in dignity” they clash as they are to similar this is reinforced by zefereli’s appropriation if the original text, he stays true to the text by setting it in the renaissance period and using the Elizabethan language he separates the to families by using elaborate costuming. However the violence presented in Baz Lermann’s Romeo and Juliet is vastly different as in the original it portrays tragedy and doom but Lurmann creates an element of humour drawn from common stereotypes of the race of the actors he chose to portray each character, for example in the near beginning of the film when the Capulet’s meet the Montague’s at the petrol station a western theme is indicated letting the audience know that there will be some sort of violent act, a common theme of the western film genre. The Montague boys are presented as a group of Anglo young men who wear Hawaiian shirts drive a jeep and are constantly seeking trouble, as for the Capulet’s they are presented as a Hispanic group of men who idolise religion but not its teachings they drive a customized sports car a thrive off power.

Various camera angles and techniques were used to heighten the intensity such as the close up of Tybalt’s boots as he steps out of his car throwing his cigarillo to the ground in slow motion which is a common act in western films.