Romeo And Juliet-Comparison Essay Essays - , Term Papers

Romeo And Juliet-Comparison Essay Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet interpreted by Zeffirelli are two versions of a classic tale of two young lovers. In reading Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and viewing Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet one becomes aware of many differences between them. Although the basic storyline remains the same, the differences are obvious. These differences can be found in the setting, characters and their speeches, and the culmination of the story. These differences between the versions produce two entirely different interpretations of the story. Zeffirelli changed the story by changing important scene by use of omitting characters or switching the order of the events. For example in Act V, when the Prince gave his final speech, Friar Laurence was supposed to be present to give his own confession, but was left out by Zeffirelli's version. This left the explanation of why the lover's were truly dead for the watchers to question. Shakespeare had Montague raise a statue in Juliet's honor, signifying the end of their feud. Zeffirelli, on the other hand, chose only to show the two lords together making for a weaker end. The omission of characters from important scene was not the only change noted between the two. Zeffirelli also took poetic license in the creation of Romeo and Juliet. He gave his lines to characters when in Shakespeare they were spoken by another. This was shown during the party scene, Act I, scene V when Lord Capulet was to rebuke Tybalt and call him?.......saucy boy.........? The line was instead given to Lady Capulet. This exchange of lines between the characters does not always help in the understanding of the story. The use of adding lines to characters created different personalities and gave the characters greater insight than in Shakespeare's version. It added in helping understand the character's motives more. Zeffirelli also had some positive differences than that of Shakespeare. Since the setting was in the same time period as Shakespeare's rendition the reader could visualize the environment and dress of the era. This made the characters and story more life-like than trying to picture it from a written page. Zeffirelli also ?fleshed-out? the characters, giving them more depth and emotion than in Romeo and Juliet. This is shown when the nurse goes to Juliet and finds her ?dead.? She runs out of Juliet's chamber screaming and flailing her arms in a frenzy. The audience was able to interact with the characters and their emotions by seeing Romeo and Juliet visually, also making the language more understandable. An example of this is when Romeo kills himself and Juliet sees him, hears guards, and you are able to see Juliet frantic. As a result of this, the scene is made more complete, causing the audience to experience greater tension than reading the play. Even though Zeffirelli gave more definition to some characters, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was more enjoyable. Although he did not give as much information as to what was happening, he allowed the reader more freedom to interpret the situations on their own. Without the reader having readShakespeare's Romeo and Juliet most of the symbolism in Zeffirelli's version would not have been understood. The two different authors used a variety of techniques to change the story or to have the audience understand the siuations. Though they may seem different at times, the storyline never changes, it always remains about two young lovers who tragically die as a result of snap-decisions.

Free Essays on Homoeroticism Within Shakepeares Text

When looking at the similarities between Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and As You Like It, the most obvious connections lie in the manner in which the two main female roles both disguise themselves as men within the plays. But with an even deeper look into this phenomenon one can begin to see that this subtle technique is just one more way in which Shakespeare seems to hint at the acceptance of homoeroticism. When Rosalind decides to cross dress as the shepherd Ganymede in Act I, scene 3 of As You Like It, she highlights the conceptions of gender as a central theme of the play. While As You Like It presents common Elizabethan notions of what it means to be male and female, it also makes an important point about the intelligence and capability of women by portraying clever and powerful girls who are capable of holding their own in a man's world. By giving these women power and intelligence, Shakespeare reminds us that although his contemporaries (and many of our contemporaries as well) assume that men and women fulfill certain stereotypes, both genders are more than capable of superseding those limitations in order to attain their goals. But even with all the power that Shakespeare may give to the females playing male roles, in both plays there are occasions where the women are powerless in the scenarios that they find themselves. It seems that he is implying that even with their ‘man-masks’ on, that these women are still limited to performing as a â€Å"woman would in the situation.† This can be seen in As You Like It act II, scene 4, when Rosalind breaks down and cries [unlike a man]. Throughout Twelfth Night Shakespeare examines patterns of love and courtship through a repositioning of traditional Elizabethan gender roles. The familiar comic formula of identical twins creating confusion is employed with an added twist so that identical twins of opposite gender provide the foundation for the comic confusion. Viola, the ... Free Essays on Homoeroticism Within Shakepeare's Text Free Essays on Homoeroticism Within Shakepeare's Text When looking at the similarities between Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and As You Like It, the most obvious connections lie in the manner in which the two main female roles both disguise themselves as men within the plays. But with an even deeper look into this phenomenon one can begin to see that this subtle technique is just one more way in which Shakespeare seems to hint at the acceptance of homoeroticism. When Rosalind decides to cross dress as the shepherd Ganymede in Act I, scene 3 of As You Like It, she highlights the conceptions of gender as a central theme of the play. While As You Like It presents common Elizabethan notions of what it means to be male and female, it also makes an important point about the intelligence and capability of women by portraying clever and powerful girls who are capable of holding their own in a man's world. By giving these women power and intelligence, Shakespeare reminds us that although his contemporaries (and many of our contemporaries as well) assume that men and women fulfill certain stereotypes, both genders are more than capable of superseding those limitations in order to attain their goals. But even with all the power that Shakespeare may give to the females playing male roles, in both plays there are occasions where the women are powerless in the scenarios that they find themselves. It seems that he is implying that even with their ‘man-masks’ on, that these women are still limited to performing as a â€Å"woman would in the situation.† This can be seen in As You Like It act II, scene 4, when Rosalind breaks down and cries [unlike a man]. Throughout Twelfth Night Shakespeare examines patterns of love and courtship through a repositioning of traditional Elizabethan gender roles. The familiar comic formula of identical twins creating confusion is employed with an added twist so that identical twins of opposite gender provide the foundation for the comic confusion. Viola, the ...

Louis Esson and Early Nationalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Louis Esson and Early Nationalism - Essay Example (Suryadinata, 2000) The play presents an opposing arena where the ideological left is pitted against the somewhat dull and repetitive depiction of the right. Not only is the play a reflection of the nationalistic principles of Esson, but it illustrates the political environment at the time with the then Prime Minister Andrew Fisher having just gained power. This leader would lay the foundations of Australia's new national statutory structure as well as representing the first federal and senate majority government in addition to the first Labour party majority. (Carroll, 2004). Barrett's speech echoes many of Esson's socialist views, with his hard no nonsense delivery, designed to make the public feel like they have something more to think about beyond the realms of conventionality and traditional party politics. It is an urban play unlike the majority of Esson's later body of work of bush located themed dramas. This play was given an amateur performance in Melbourne and heralded Esson as one of the founders of a distinct new genre of Australian drama. Louis Esson and the Australian Theatre is a correspondence w... Louis Esson and the Australian Theatre Louis Esson and the Australian Theatre is a correspondence with Esson's friend and work colleague Vance Palmer who published the letter, together with other documents relating to the work of Esson in 1948. It provides an insight into the opinions and objectives oat the time of Esson's intensions to fundamentally change the direction and angle of his work. It describes conversations had between Esson and his contemporaries, Yeats and Synge following Esson's extensive travels to Europe. Yeats himself had an overwhelming sense of nationalism, and as the letter demonstrates has persuaded Esson here into believing that the future of his success is dependent on writing and producing plays that have a rural focus set in the country. Only then will the true essence of nationalistic belief in your country be recognized and appreciated. This is supported with damning attacks against other writers of the time who Esson; now completely influenced by Yeats considers superficial, when measuring the content of their work against their inability to be true to life as their writing is only informed by emotions and personal tragedy. Labeled the 'so called intellectual drama'. Yeats's strong nationalistic impression of Ireland as a nation perpetually battling for independence, politically torn apart and steeped in Celtic tradition which he advocates in many of his works is compared to Australia in this letter. (Bell, 1997) He justifies this in terms of its true national ideologies w hich he feels should be recognized and publicized more through Esson's own abilities as a playwright And the reader is told