The Interpretation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet by Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli

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The Interpretation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet by Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli In this essay I am going to discuss the different interpretations of Shakespeare's tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet and how fate works against them. It is such a tragedy as they knew their love would never be accepted and end up taking their lives. During the play fate works against them from the beginning and begins to get worse. "Whose misadventured piteous overthrows", this shows us that once things had started to go wrong pity and sadness takes over their life. ====================================================================== In the 1600's a lot was blamed on fate, as the technology wasn't as advanced as it is today, many disasters such as unexpected deaths were said to be because of fate. Many Elizabethan's were largely interested in the stars and astrology and put lots of their faith into fate. Another thing that happened in Elizabethan time was that many people did not marry for love. They married for money, respect, social status and children. Even though four hundred years is a lot, much of the social context is the same today such as teenage suicide, family grudges and money. I am going to be examining Shakespeare's language and text, especially in the prologue and when the lovers first meet in Act 1 Scene 5. ====================================================================== I will start by discussing how the prologue is written and why it is there. Shakespeare has started many of his plays with a prologue. A prologue is written as a sonnet, which is a type of poem with fourteen lines and ten syllables in each line. The prologue is an introduction to the play, hinting at what is going to happen. "From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star crossed lovers take their life", this conveys that something bad is going to happen to the two lovers and how it is written in the stars, also that it will end tragically in death. As it comes to the end of the prologue it

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