“To what extent do the perspectives and representations of love in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet contrast to/coincide with those explored in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet?”
By appreciating historical representations of love, modern composers attempt to reimagine previously established narratives where a shift in perspective catalyses a contrasting representation of the Elizabethan age but also serves to coincide with the universality of human emotions and the pursuit of relationships. While William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” (1596) explores the dominance of the patriarchy in its manipulation of love and marriage, Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation “Romeo + Juliet” (1996) reimagines such rigid social constructs into a temperamental youth
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Shakespeare demonstrates the intensity of love as an emotion that threatens to overturn the ineluctability of fate where the dramatic irony of a “true apothecary” catalyses Romeo’s death “with a kiss” in which he embraces his demise provided that he will reunite with Juliet. However, Shakespeare reaffirms through the progression of his dramatic tragedy that such death is almost trivial as the oxymoronic “friendly drop” of poison subsequently kills Juliet and thus reinforces our contemporary understanding of loves ability to trump all rational thinking. Similarly, Luhrmann’s adaptation emphasizes the theme of love, however with a modern twist. In the film, the balcony scene takes place in a swimming pool, as the young lovers share their passionate declarations. The use of water as a visual motif throughout the film symbolizes the fluidity and transformative power of love that Romeo feels going from his dull life without Juliet, into his blossoming and blooming passion. The shift in setting from a balcony to a swimming pool highlights the vulnerability of the characters and the intensity of their love, while maintaining the original essence of the scene. Thus, both the play and the film adaptation explore the idea of romantic love, however, differ in their …show more content…
In the play, chivalrous love is exemplified in the famous balcony scene where Romeo declares, "But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." Shakespeare's use of metaphor compares Juliet's beauty to the sun, emphasizing her radiant and transcendent qualities. This metaphorical language enhances the sense of reverence and adoration that Romeo holds for Juliet, encapsulating the essence of chivalrous love. In Luhrmann's film adaptation, a pivotal scene where chivalrous love is portrayed occurs during the masquerade ball when Romeo and Juliet first meet. The use of slow-motion cinematography accentuates their immediate connection, capturing their longing gazes and the intensity of their attraction. Additionally, Luhrmann employs a montage technique, blending images of Romeo and Juliet with a chorus of angelic voices, highlighting the ethereal and otherworldly quality of their love. This montage sequence enhances the sense of enchantment and destiny surrounding their meeting, emphasizing the chivalrous love that binds them together. Both the play and the film adaptation explore the theme of chivalrous love, employing literary techniques like metaphor and cinematic techniques like slow-motion and montage to depict the profound and idealized