In Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann's adaptations of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, diegetic sound and lighting are used to characterize the young lovers, but Luhrmann’s version does so better in that his use of the techniques better characterizes them as impulsive teenagers.
The diegetic sound in the balcony scene of Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet does not portray the pair as rambunctious teenagers as well as Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet does. Zeffirelli’s balcony scene begins with Romeo sneaking into Juliet’s backyard very quietly. The only noise he makes is the occasional snap of twigs or moving of bushes to get a better look at Juliet, but the crickets chirping in the background mask the sound well. By having Romeo seamlessly sneak into Juliet’s backyard, Zeffirelli portrays Romeo as a romantic and cunning young man, able to find a crafty way to secretly visit the one he loves, and
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A little later in Zeffirelli’s adaptation, Juliet stands on her balcony beside herself, grinning ear-to-ear as she proclaims of her love at a great volume saying, “Romeo, doff thy name, / And, for thy name, which is no part of thee, / Take all myself,” (2.2.50-52). Juliet says so loud enough for Romeo to hear all the way down in the brush, causing him to emerge from the darkness and greet her enthusiastically. By having her speak so loudly, Zeffirelli portrays Juliet as a woman who is truly in love, and proud to profess it. This characterization of her is improper; Juliet met Romeo merely hours ago and has simply mistaken her first experience of lust for love. She is not in love, and Zeffirelli should not have had her proclaim it so confidently. In Luhrmann's version, Romeo begins the balcony scene failing to sneak into Juliet’s home elusively, creating