Compare and contrast different romeo and juliet texts

Year 9 English Speech… lol In Luhrmann’s film, set in the 20th century, the costuming, decorations and lighting are flamboyant and colourful, giving a lively and entertaining feel to the party; Romeo is dressed symbolically as a knight in shining armour to show that he will rescue Juliet. Luhrmann uses this to emphasise Romeo’s youth and enthusiasm. Juliet is represented as an angel in white to show her purity and to foreshadow her imminent death. Paris is dressed as an astronaut to show that he is out of this world and too good to be true. Mercutio cross-dresses as a woman being both man and women representing that he is not on either side of the feud. Tybalt is all fired up dressed as the devil with horns to portray the hatred he feels towards the Montagues. His henchmen stand on either side of him wearing skeleton costumes which foreshadow death in the play. Behind them is a picture of Christ on the cross contrasting good and evil. In contrast, in Zeffirelli’s more traditional version set in the 17th century, the costuming and decorations are more dull and formal, giving a serious feel to the party and a more subtle effect. The room is lit up by candles giving a dull feel to the room. Unlike Luhrmann’s version, not everyone is in a fancy dress costume and the Capulets are in different colours to the Montagues, but the men are in tights and women are in gowns. Even the way of dancing is more formal as it is very slow and controlled in contrast to Luhrmann’s film. The music in Luhrmann’s version is fast and exhilarating, while the music in Zeffirelli’s version is very slow and calm. The song “ Young Hearts Run Free” is the main song used in Luhrmann’s version while the song “ What is a youth” is the main song used in Zeffirelli’s version. The lyrics of the song “ What is a youth” show the hastiness of youth’s love and foreshadows the death of Romeo and Juliet with “ A rose will bloom. It then will fade. So does a youth. So does the fairest maid” and “ Death will come soon to hush us along”. Before Luhrmann’s Romeo sees Juliet, Capulet starts singing “ amore” over and over again as Romeo becomes very dizzy in the middle of the room. The camera focuses on him while everything else flies around in a circle behind him to reflect the effects of the love drug. This is then ended with Romeo being brought back to reality with his face in water. In a similar view to that where we first view Juliet. Romeo then throws his mask into the water symbolizing the clearing of the love drug, from his mind, and him not hiding his identity anymore. Luhrmann uses a zooming out effect from Romeo to the top of the stairs when Romeo finds out that Juliet is a Capulet and Juliet finds out Romeo is a Montague to show that she is unobtainable to him and they can not be with each other. In Zeffirelli’s version the camera focuses on Romeo and Juliet’s faces several times when they first see each other. These close-ups reveal the feelings and emotions of the characters and help the audience to gain an understanding of their love for each other. In Luhrmann’s version our sympathy is with Romeo because he is one of the quieter members of the Montague group at the Capulet party. His innocence and purity is further demonstrated through all the imagery involving water, he throws water over his face to clear him of his past thoughts and loves. He also first glimpses Juliet through coral in the fish tank, the glass of the fish tank representing the barrier between the lovers. This first sight, when their eyes meet, through the coral engages his attention. “ Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight for I ne’er saw true beauty till this night. ” (Romeo Act 1 scene 5). Luhrmann uses this imagery of them looking through the water, which signifies both their purity and the idea of cleansing the bad relationship between the families. In Zeffirelli’s version Romeo first sees Juliet when she is dancing between two men, then she sees him looking at her. When this happens, the tempo of the music slows down, almost capturing that moment in time of love at first sight. Their eyes truly meet each other when they are across the circle while the white male is singing. Having all the people between Romeo and Juliet, when they are trying to get to each other, represents the barrier of the feud between their families. In Luhrmann’s version Romeo and Juliet’s first kiss is inside an elevator, while in Zeffirelli’s version it is behind a curtain lit up by candles. In both films the directors keep the original metaphoric, religious imagery, speaking of a holy shrine, pilgrims, devotion, saints, prayer, faith, and sin referring to the sacramental nature of their passionate love. Romeo says “ If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth the rough touch with a gentle kiss”. Through the use of cinematic techniques, costuming, lighting and music, both directors have created different interpretations of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.