I intend to analyse and describe how Baz Luhrmann has converted William Shakespeares written play Essay Example For Students

I intend to analyse and describe how Baz Luhrmann has converted William Shakespeares written play Essay In this essay I intend to analyse and describe how Baz Luhrmann has converted William Shakespeares written play of Romeo Juliet into a modern play, I will show proof and understanding of how he has succeeded in bringing the play into the modern world. The play Romeo Juliet is known as a legendary romantic play written by a well-known writer named William Shakespeare. This writer reformed the interest in poetry and plays, by experimenting with words and making his own technique of back-to-front words to mystify and play with the readers mind and thoughts, which made his plays interesting for readers, this is how he changed English history and people appreciate his plays. William Shakespeare was born in 1564, the time when the famous scientist named Galileo was experimenting with modernism. At the time of this famous writers birth, after a few years the Battle of Lepanto started. During the birth of the writer in China the Ming Dynastys pottery work was taking place. Shakespeares birth was at a famous time as this was the time when the Renaissance was occurring. The Renaissance was the rebirth of ancient culture and the period of when the European history had a renewed interest in arts. Literally the term renaissance means the rebirth, and this rebirth started in the 14th century and started spreading till the 17th century. From all these events taking place, it can be determined how Shakespeares childhood would have been as everything was still in the process of formation and rebirth. Shakespeare would have been an ordinary person taking over his fathers business, which did not happen because of financial situations. As Shakespeare got older he was devoted to English literature, in 1582 he got married to a women named Anne Hathaway, but after his marriage his devotion to literature increased and he came London in 1588, where he had all the opportunities he needed to become famous. In 1592 he attained success and became an actor and a playwright, after three years of success he wrote the famous play Romeo Juliet. Each play written by Shakespeare has a particular point, which it tries to make to the audience and this point is made to resemble with the real life themes. As Shakespeare wrote more and more plays he got famous and most of his plays where acted out and presented at the London Globe theatre. The Globe theatre was a very famous theatre in Shakespeares time, this theatre was octagon in shape and it was divided into three columns, each column higher then the previous one. People where allowed to choose which seat they want and in which column, depending on how much money they are going to spend on their ticket. There was the groundling level, and then the column levels and as the columns went up the better the view was and the more the ticket would costs. The main best features of the theatre was the trap door, the balcony and the unique shape of the theatre, whenever there was a play being presented a flag would be risen up located at the top of the theatre. After William Shakespeare wrote a series of plays he tragically died in 1616 and he was buried at the Stratford church, but his plays are still acted out and appreciated by people. Even though Shakespeares not in the modern world, his plays are being presented in the modern world and other writers and directors are making evaluated versions of his plays, trying to reform the plays in the modern world, and Baz Luhrmann is one of the reformers of his play. THE PROLOGUE In the opening of the play Romeo Juliet, Shakespeare makes the play clear to the audience by giving the audience a preview of where the scene is set, who is the main characters or in this play the main families starring in the play, and he makes it clear that two star-crossed lovers die in the play. Shakespeare does this through the use of a prologue, but he could not use techniques or special effects, which would entertain and be appealing to the audience, which is why he has used powerful and imaginative words to create interesting abrupt sentences. He has used words that are likely to attract the audience, words such as: Alike, a hypocritical word used to describe the two households as being similar in manner, but in the story it is revealed of how different the two families are to each other, by special features used such as the Capulet boys seem to be more violent then the other household. This would create a picture in the readers mind of two families who are the same and the families are friends. Dignity, a word that describes a calm and serious manner or style of a person, a person showing suitable formalities and the word can also mean a person with a high ranking. Fair, a word that Shakespeare has used to describe the place Verona where the scene is set, but this word describes the place in a hypocritical way as this is found out later on in the story. Ancient, is a word giving the audience an idea of a very long history of something. Grudge, an attractive word, a word that is describing the state of the war between the two households, a word meaning a feel of resentment, or allowing something to happen. New, a word used by the writer to contrast with the word ancient. Mutiny, a powerful word as well as attractive, meaning a change. Blood word, that Shakespeare has used to create the picture in the readers head of non-stop violence and people getting hurt for the reason of the quarrels between the two households. Fatal, a word that changes the atmosphere and the mood, this word means something lethal or deadly. Loins, this word means two sides and it is a pun, in this play Shakespeare has used this word to make the reader image of the two buildings standing side-by-side with a small gap in between, this word can also mean the two sides which is love and hate. Foe, another superior word meaning enemy. Strife, a word meaning trouble and fighting Star-crossed lovers, a word which has the ability to adjust the mood, a word used by Shakespeare to play with the readers thoughts and illusions, this word suggests a completely different outcome to the beginning of the prologue. Misadventured, means a bad luck, or a death caused unintentionally by a deliberate act but with no crime involved. Shakespeare chooses this word because this one word can briefly explain of what happens to the star-crossed lovers. Piteous, means an act of sadness or something pathetic, this word is a pun (words with two meanings) because it can mean to describe the sadness of the story and also the pathetic act of the lovers. Shakespeare might have chosen this word because it has got two meanings (a pun). Death-marked, something intended to die, these are interesting descriptive words used by Shakespeare. Two hours traffic, Shakespeare has used interesting imaginative words in order to grab the readers attention to the story and he has used these words to describe how the two household arguments has become a public issue, and how it affects the city. In contrast Baz Luhrmann had the advantage to use modern techniques as well as special effects and this is how he made his prologue much more attractive through the use of pictures and sounds. Shakespeares play is script version, and Baz Luhrmanns version is video version, which is easy to understand and can be viewed by anyone, as it can be viewed on the modern appliance, which is a television, an appliance which was not invented in Shakespeares time. Baz Luhrmann has taken his modern version of the play further, by presenting the prologue in a very rare and unique way as he has starts to bring the play into the modern world by presenting his prologue with a technique of a television within a television to create special effects. Baz Luhrmann has and has created an effect, which would have been impossible in Shakespeares time and this would be attractive to the modern world as it is something out of the ordinary. Baz Luhrmann presents a distant television for the prologue and the prologue itself has been shown in a very unique and modern way. The television is flicking through the channels, the twentieth century fox presents and a Bazmark production signs are shown on two channels and the television flicks to a news channel, this suggests Baz Luhrmann is flicking through the channels until he finds something of his interest. The prologue is shown as a news report, Luhrmann has used broadcasting to make the audience accept the story. The news is a modern feature and it is very important in the modern world, which Luhrmann has used as a resource to attract a modern audience, he has presented the news report to resemble to a real news report. The anchor women is a news presenter who has been particularly chosen by Luhrmann to be a female, because this would not be done in Shakespeares time as woman where not allowed to act on stage, this suggests that Luhrmann has started bringing the play into the modern world by some use of female actresses. The use of woman in the play suggests that Luhrmann has carefully thought of all the biggest to the smallest factors, which would create an atmosphere resembling to the modern world. The woman speaks in a very serious and formal manner, in a restrained tone of breaking news, as she says the prologue it can be seen that the distant television is slowly drifting forwards, as if the audience are being invited into the scene. In the top right hand corner there is a picture of a broken Wedding ring, slightly joined back together with the words I love thee engraved on it, this ring symbolises the love of Romeo Juliet and a heart being broken, or the two-star crossed lovers not have been able to unite. Underneath this picture it says the words star-crossed lovers, this suggests the lovers where doomed or where not able to be together. As the news presenter is about to finish her lines, the television stops drifting closer to the audience and after the she has finished, the television is made larger and a effect is created by Luhrmann, which makes the audience think as if they are zooming right into the television and then the place where the scene is set is shown. Baz Luhrmann has used a special effect, which makes the audience think they have now entered into the scene. The city is shown in fast-pace, a technique which gives the audience a quick preview of the city as if Luhrmann is giving the audience a quick introduction to the city, this fast-pace technique can be seen as a fast non-stop journey. This technique is as if the audience are flying past all the buildings in the place and are focusing into the particular parts of the city, where the two families live. This fast-pace is done by Luhrmann to get to the main points, which are the words In fair Verona flashing four times and the word fair shows some use of hypocrisy (a statement which is false). The word fair is describing the city as unblemished and a clean place, but later in the story Luhrmann reveals the violence and corruption through the common modern corruption play, which is prostitution violence in the city. The words In fair Verona also give an idea to the audience that they have now entered the city. Baz Luhrmann has chose very fast loud serious religious Christianity music, for the city introduction part and this has been chosen by him to work well with the fast-pace technique and the In fair Verona words and the viewing of the city, the music sums all these effect to create a special climax effect. Shakespeares use of imaginative words works miraculously well to create a good illusion in the readers mind but Luhrmanns use of techniques, effects, features, pictures, and clippings suggests Luhrmanns production to be more exceedingly attractive, understandable and a successful evolution from Shakespeares written play. A statue of Christ being constructed in between the two households, Luhrmann has used this statue to symbolise the two households being kept apart, they cannot be together and theyre in competition with each other. Most specifically this statue standing in between the two buildings symbolises love between hate. Baz Luhrmann has once more repeated the prologue, but this time in a different form and manner, as this time the actual plot is shown and pictures and extreme clips are shown from the story and a third person is narrating. The camera cranes further up to an aerial-view wide-shot of the city, an enormous statue of Christ flanked by two towering glass office blocks, one submitted with the name Capulet and the other, Montague. This is a key image, the corporation buildings with the statue of Christ squarely between them are a potent symbol of the forces, which motivate, dominate and divide the people in the story. These two buildings are shown and Luhrmann has made it easy to understand of which family lives in which building as pictures of Montague, lady Montague and Romeo as a child is shown on the left building and Capulet, lady Capulet and Juliet as a child is shown on the right building and these buildings are divided up by Christ. Prospero in the first act of the play EssayIn the end of the petrol station scene, the petrol station is completely annihilated, which shows the private war causing problems for the public. Baz Luhrmann has used a modern colour for Gregorys hair (pink) and in Shakespeares time, people did not dye their hair so Luhrmann has shown a modern feature by representing unique colour dyed hair. The use of colour co-ordination, which Baz Luhrmann has used into choosing, the colours of the cars that the households drive are chosen to suit the households. This is suggested because the Montague boys are more open and wild to the natural world, and Luhrmann has chosen a trendy light shining yellow coloured car to suit the personality of the Montague boys and to suit with the time of day and weather. In contrast Luhrmann has chosen a dark abominable angry blue colour for the Capulet boys, Luhrmann has used this colour to represent the deep utter difference between the two households. Luhrmann has chosen this colour to suit the personality of the Capulet boys, as the boys dress in dark colours and are hard, the colour scheme works with the personality of the boys. Luhrmann introduces the Capulet family in a more serious practical manner, this is suggested because the Capulet car is a common colour and it has tinted windows; this suggests use of modern features. The colours, which Luhrmann has used for the dressing of the Montague boys, are effective modern colours, and they show the insight of the personality of Montague boys. In contrast the Capulet boys are shown to be very different by Luhrmann, as he has used colour combinations to show the difference of the two households. The Capulet boys dress very different to the Montague boys because they wear dark black clothes and silver shoes, cowboy style. Not only does Luhrmann show use of car colours and the colours of clothes, but to show the darkness of the Capulet household to contrast it with the colourful Montague household, Luhrmann has gone as far as using eye colours to contrast the difference between the two households. When the camera shows a close up shot to the eyes of Tybalt and Benvolio, the difference of the two households is shown by Tybalts dark brown eyes contrasting with Benvolios innocent light blue eyes and it can be suggested that Luhrmann used the modern eye technology of eye contacts to create this effect. When Romeo is introduced the background colour of the sun, suggests Luhrmann chose this particular part of Verona to shoot this scene, to separate the love from hate by showing love conquering hate and the colours also gives an idea of the modern use in the play. When Romeo starts to walk, the colours change and from the sun shining on Romeo, the colours become positive and sharp, to portray Romeo coming back to the real world from his dream world. The modern world can be seen in the story, by just looking at the colour of the sky (light blue), which is a modern colour. The costumes work well as an element in the films design, because they illuminate an important element of the character who wears the clothes. The set design, however, is even more complicated in its details. Again, Luhrmann fills the screen with references; you could even look for the Shakespeare allusions in some scenes. Baz Luhrmann has considered that music is one of the effective techniques, which he can use to bring Romeo Juliet into the modern world and by using music he can set the moods for each part where it is appropriate and create certain effects. Luhrmann has modernised Romeo Juliet with the use of music as well as features. Baz Luhrmann has used a different sort of music for the prologue, because he has used serious religious Christianity music, and this causes the audience into being attracted to the story and it sets the mood, to a very serious audience, this music has the ability to represent religion as being one of the themes in this play. This serious music blends well with the statue of Christ. To contrast with this Luhrmann has used very loud heavy rock music, for when the Montague boys are introduced, this music creates a mood that makes the audience relax and act normal. A narrator shouts out in a particular part of the music the words the boys, the boys, a very different tone of accent, it suits the tone of the music, and the accent is modern with which it is trying to give the audience an impression of the Montague boys as being hard rock boys. In contrast to this, to provoke the difference between the two households, when the Capulet boys are introduced, the music changes straight away to Western music, which sets a mood to the audience that they find it attractive and interesting. These two different types of musics for the entrance of the boys represent the differences between the households. The brawl between the boys starts which activates the western styled war music, which blends very well with the camera effects. There is a lot of frequent change of music depending on which character is being shown, this suggests that Luhrmann has chosen particular music for each characters. When Benvolio is introduced, the music changes to western surprising music, which has been chosen to attract the audience, to this tension moment. When Benvolio says, put up your swords, a length of silence is used to create tension in the scene, until Tybalt is introduced, where the music changes again and creates more tension. The music changes when the fighting starts to western war music, which would set a different mood and it would start to reveal the true normal life of the two households (arguments and fights). Once the 3rd brawl has started, the music changes back to the religious Christianity serious music, this creates a mood of the war never ending. When the Prince tells Tybalt and Benvolio to drop their guns, the music stops, which is as though trouble has stopped only for a while. Once Romeos parents are introduced, the music completely changes, from serious music to love music as the story is drifting from the public life to the private life of Romeo, Luhrmann has used music to show the modern way of changing moods and shifting back and forth from public lives to private lives. Some of the camera techniques and effects are very effective and do play an important part into bringing the play in the modern world. The techniques create special effects as the camera men has used shots, which go from letting the audience know where the scene is set, to who is in the scene and introductions to both sides of the households. The camera techniques are very positive to the point and are kept the same throughout the whole scene. A good camera technique was when Tybalt came out of his car, the camera shot flew and zoomed straight from the edge of the back tires to see who was about to come out of the car, and the zooming in was done very fast, in a effective stance and a modern move. When Tybalt has come out of his car he crushes his cigarette and after he leaves the car, the camcorder angle is still facing down at the crushed cigarette until Abra also comes out, this is when the nuns appear and the camera follows the leading nun. When the nuns go passed and Abra comes out of the car, the music tone changes and its the sort of music used by Luhrmann, which sounds surprising, this music creates an effect that Abra is a very dangerous man in the story. After the girls and nuns are in the van the camera comes to a side and very fast movement occurs where the van leaves very quickly and the camera catches sight of Abras face for the first time. The camera zooms right to Abras face, making a close-up shot, and a c lose up shot has been used a lot of times in the scene. When Benvolios and Tybalts eyes are shown a close up shot is used, when the camera cranes up to meet the dark cold eyes and feline smile of Tybalt a close up shot is used, these types of shots are modern special effects of a camcorder. When the brawl starts the full panoply of effects from a modern action movie, is used and rapid sequence of cuts, whip pans, tilts, extreme close-ups, distortions, slam zooms, and crane shots are used. Baz Luhrmann makes it very clear of where the scene is set by using different camera techniques used to showing the petrol station board, and the petrol pumps, which can also represent danger, as well as a public place. The striking and powerful effect that Luhrmann has used is special features, which create atmosphere and reveals the truth. A special effect is created when Tybalt comes out of his car and crushes his cigarette and innocent nuns pass by where the cigarette is, this refers back to religion and this suggests from changing to a hard rock mood to a sympathetic mood, also representing love and hate. One of the special effect that Luhrmann has created is when Benvolio has his gun out and the camera focuses on a board reading Add more fuel to your fire, this sign is not only representing the danger at the petrol station but it portrays Tybalt adding more fear and resentment to the war. At this point the way Luhrmann has used the end part of the guns to display the logos of the two households, is very good, as this seems modern. Baz Luhrmann has used modern weapons in his version, as he has used guns instead of swords, but to represent the gun with Shakespeares old weapons of swords it is printed on the guns sword 9mm, which is a clever idea of Luhrmann to bringing the play into the modern world but also representing the olden world. In the film a gun is referred to as a sword as Benvolio says, put up thy sword down. Much of the play involves the lovers struggle against public and social institutions; these institutions often conflict with each other. The importance of honour, for example, time and again results in the brawls that disturb the publics peace. Baz Luhrmanns version of the play focuses on romantic love, love at first sight, love that supersedes all other values, loyalties and emotions. Romeo Juliet does not make a specific moral statement about the relationships between love and society, religion and family. It portrays the chaos and passion of being in love, as this is shown in the line heres much to do with hate, but more with love. This play deals with love, hate, envy, death, corruption and fate. The themes of love and hate permeate Romeo and Juliet and they are always connected to passion, whether that passion is love or hate. In this story love is understood to be a gentle nourishing thing, love between Romeo and Juliet is a grand passion, and as such it is blinding. This theme continues through the play until the end where there is a double suicide. This tragic choice is the highest most potent expression of love that Romeo Juliet can make. It is only through death that they can preserve their love Baz Luhrmann has blended the idea of the guns and violence in with the religious signs (crosses) and love. Throughout the video Luhrmann has referred back to religion several times to include the theme of religion as being important in the story. Baz Luhrmann introduces the boys individually from the Montague and Capulet households both driving the same types of sports cars, which suggests both households to be alike, these cars also are to the modern standards and these are cars, which would not have been present at Shakespeares time. From the modern day language to sporty cars, Baz Luhrmann has taken all these small features into account and has considered creating modernism in his version. Baz Luhrmann has used a very good type of technique to make it clear to the audience, by using the car number plates to identify and tell the audience of which households each groups of boys are, Luhrmann has used private number plates to specify the households, and private number plating is a modern feature. The way the Capulet boys dress and their behaviour contrasts with the Montague boys, as the dressing of the boys is much more intellectual and formal, the behaviour is much more superior to the behaviour of Montague boys. Baz Luhrmann has changed the name of Abram in his version to Abra, for a modern name. Baz Luhrmann has used different techniques such as oxymorons and hypocrisy, Luhrmann shows use of oxymorons, through Romeos role, as Romeo is writing these in his dairy and oxymorons are words or phrases which are put side by side to make the audience think about how opposites can be true.