Essay On Human Experience In Romeo And Juliet

📌Category: Plays, Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare, Writers
📌Words: 829
📌Pages: 4
📌Published: 30 August 2021

The reimagination of the narrative trope, the star-crossed lovers connects the audience to universal experiences through the distinction of post-modern and Elizabethan times. Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet” is a timeless classic that continues to captivate audiences by delivering profound ideas of opposing forces that apply to our own fates.  Shakespeare transcends his context of Elizabethan England to shape his own portrayal of ageless ideas through the infatuation of love, as well as producing dramatic tension in an attempt to retain hope and happiness in a world of relentless feudalism. The tragedy examines the role of fate in our lives as a force impinging on human existence. The Examination of these issues is deeply embedded within Baz Luhrumman’s Romeo and Juliet as well as Shakespeare's original play through humanity's desire to improve our own lives, and it is central to the play's appeal today as much as the audiences of the past. 

Shakespeare illuminates the complexities of human emotions for the audiences by examining the power of true love as opposed to infatuation. Love in the Elizabethan era was considered insignificant, being secondary to the political, financial and family concerns in arranged marriages, however, the portrayal of Romeo and Juliet challenges this notion, revealing that it is vital to human existence. Initially, Romeo is only able to brood over his circumstances due to his unrequited love for rosaline, where his poor mental health is highlighted with a stream of oxymoronic phrases,  “Feather of the lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health…” His earnest love for Juliet induces a fundamental change within his mind as he moves to a purer form of love, sacrificed through religious references of devotion. The conflicting term “ Feather of the lead”, is outlined as an attribute of love and implies that although the initial phrase of love is like a breeze that feels as light as a feather. The aftermath of brutal rejection by one’s beloved feels like a burden as heavy as lead. Moreover, “sick health” refers to the fact that the initial feeling of well-being ensured by love, can quickly transform into sickness as a result of unrequited love. “And young affection gapes to be his heir.” In this statement made by the chorus, affection is personified as a living being and a young heir to the old desire. This personification implies that Romeo's newfound affection for Juliet is gradually replacing his old obsession over Rosaline. . “Then move not while my prayer's effect I take/ Thus from my lips, by thine, my skin is purged”. Juliet's transformation encourages her to deviate from societal expectations of adhering to the patriarchal values that have been placed within the Elizabethan era. In her quest for love as she recognises the arbitrary nature of her name relative to the true nature of an individual, metaphorically embodied in her soliloquy. In a patriarchal society, women are expected to conform to social restrictions by demonstrating reverence and obedience to the males in their lives. This demonstrates the distinction between post-modern and Elizabethan era through the profound preconceptions of a male dominant society as well as applying new ideas that challenge this recurring notion. 

Baz Luhrmann's modern adaptation of Romeo & Juliet uses cinematic techniques to highlight the original Shakespearean play's contextual values of love and hate to fit a  post-modern audience. The film's first scene, which depicts a fight between the Montagues and the Capulets, reinforces the nihilism that runs throughout the production. This scene is important because it demonstrates the magnitude of the Montagues' and Capulets' hatred, but it's also essential since it contrasts with Romeo and Juliet's romantic scenes together. The decision to use current costumes in Luhrmann's film meant that the characters could be examined through what they wore, as shown by the costume party sequence at the Capulet home. It was thought that by providing familiarity to the audience through the clothing, the audience would be better able to comprehend the reasons and personalities of the characters. The use of water in each of Romeo and Juliet's scenes together, to indicate their purity and clarity, in contrast to the disturbing intensity of the fighting scenes, highlight the opposing ideas of the play and are Luhrmann's recognition that these two characters can't belong together within Elizabethan society. This implies that, while religion should lead a person away from their life's corruptions and sins, it will occasionally turn a blind eye to evil that has occurred, which is a reference to crimes and immoralities done in real life during the time period of the film's release. Through the employment of cinematic methods, Baz Luhrmann was able to connect post-modern audiences to universal experiences through the film's contextual values of love and hate.

Romeo and Juliets depiction of the human experience continues to possess relevance because of Shakespeare's manipulation of language to explore antithetical universal themes. This is manifested through the permeation of heightened tension via the text's inquiry to fate, hatred, love and publicity.  Emphasising the struggle escaping the notion of fate controlling our lives. 

Hence, shakespeares’ use of dramatic devices heightens tension and elicit sympathy towards the eponymous characters to warn his audience of fate's duress on free will. Through the use of literary devices Shakespeare and Baz Luhrmman enabled post-modern day audiences to connect to universal experiences by highlighting fate as an oppressive force on free will as well as connecting modern-day audiences to universal experiences.

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