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THEME SIGNIFICANCE. Love. Importance of the power of love to the text.
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Love Importance of the power of love to the text. • The theme “the power of love” in Romeo and Juliet is important because it shows us how we can become blinded by our humanly emotional feelings. When Romeo and Juliet first meet at “the Capulet Party” they are instantly enraptured by each other – they fall in love at first sight. Although at the time, as they gaze at their distorted images at each other through the fish tank, neither Romeo or Juliet realise the consequences of falling in love with each other. As Juliet is dragged away by the maid, it becomes clear to Romeo that their relationship is not going to work out, he senses trouble ahead but chooses to ignore fate and face the consequences, thus bringing about both of their deaths. • It becomes clear to us that both the characters have to die to end the two families years of rivalry and bloodshed, how love has the power to conquer all. The Montague and Capulet houses were very violent and showed no love to each other for many years. It was almost as if the world that they were a part of needed a saviour like figure to bring them out of the death and violence that had been part of their lives for generations. Romeo and Juliet came in the form of this Mercutios life was sacrificed because Romeo refused to fight Tybalt because of his immense love for Juliet, a love that would eventually make the two families come together and unite in the deaths of some of there most loved. This is important because it reminds us the extraordinary power of love can have over a entire society of people to change the way they think and act towards each other.
Relevance of Love Today • It is important to understand the kind of love that Romeo and Juliet shared between each other and to use it in our society today. With a world filled with lawlessness, killing and violence, it is important for us to value and help each other in all the ways we can. Imagine a world without the horrors of today, the on going war in Iraq with many innocent lives lost on a daily basis, what would happen if we as people stopped being so selfish and thought about each other? Romeo and Juliets’ love ended the rivalry between two families. Think about the difference it could make in our lives if we learnt to love each other. No more war, killing or violence! No innocent lives been lost daily. Poverty, orphanages major diseases like AIDS. They could all be fixed with a little bit of love, which is in my opinion the greatest human trait.
Visual Techniques My Task. . . “Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude and it pricks like a thorn”
Camera Work • In the ball scene, there is a hand held camera following Romeo and Juliet (R and J) around as the run around the party together. • This implies that this particular scene is fast-paced and is almost saying that because the camera is having trouble keeping up with them, it is implying that they’re rushing into their ‘love too fast.’ • This also shows their impulsiveness as it is too fast for even the camera to keep up.
Camera Work • At the start of the ball scene, there are quick cuts between people’s faces showing the drugs’ affect on Romeo • But when there is cut to the bathroom scene where there is a CU of Romeo’s head in the water, not only does this foreshadow the balcony/pool scene, but in some religions water is symbolic of peace and purity, so he is considered to be pure and differ from the rest of his family. • This is also shown when there is a camera shot of Romeo and Juliet looking at each other through a fish tank filled with yellow and blue fish (symbolic of the Capulet’s and Montague’s).
Lighting • At the ball, after Romeo and Juliet have just met, they run off and end up in the elevator. • In the elevator, there is a bright white light shining upon them as they embrace. • Usually, in religions, white light is symbolic of purity and heaven and god. • Also it is a contrast to what is happening outside of the elevator as it is slow and less chaotic. It is like they are in their own world. • This further introduces the idea that Romeo and Juliet are the saviours and foreshadows that they will bring peace too their families.
Costumes • At the ball Juliet’s costume is that of an angel which is symbolic of heaven and God. • Romeo is a knight in Shining armour which is symbolic of his not only being a savoir, but that he is able to sweep Juliet off her feet. • Also, Tybalt is a Devil which is symbolic of his anger and hate. • And Paris is dressed as an astronaut which is very modern and goofy looking in contrast to everyone else’s • These costumes show that the characters are dressed in something that portrays their character.
The Power of Love • The Power of Love is a very important theme in the film, Romeo and Juliet. It brings with it not only happiness, but a great deal of pain and loss. • Many of the characters in the film do things they would not normally do, however their emotions for others change them. They become reckless, endangering themselves for the ones they love, not seeing things as they normally would, and being blinded by their emotions. This ultimately results in the death of not only Juliet and Romeo, but also the Montague’s friend Mercutio. • The rivalry of the two houses, Capulet and Montague, has gone on for many years. The hate grew to the extent of having civil brawls in the middle of cities, and it seemed as if it would never end. However, it was love that conquered this. We see the love between Romeo and Juliet grow, even through the short time they are together. Their love brings the families together, as they are in effect sacrifices to end the rivalry. Also, the love Romeo and Juliet have from their families in evident, as they choose to put their differences aside, as they have both lost a very dear one. They choose, out of love, to honour what Romeo and Juliet began. This shows that love can really conquer all.
Key Event I • A key event that shows the Power of Love is the scene where Mercutio dies. • This scene shows the power of love in many different ways. Firstly, Tybalt would not have come looking for Romeo, if not for the love of his cousin and of the name of his family. He did not want any of his family mixed up in things that would not be good for them, and when he found out Juliet had married Romeo he would not let her be hurt by the Montagues. And he did not want the name of his family dishonoured by being involved with the Montagues. So he came, to fight Romeo, and protect Juliet and his family’s honour. • Romeo, being in love with Juliet, refuses to fight Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. Tybalt tries to make Romeo fight anyway, but Romeo refuses, and Mercutio steps in. In this, Mercutio shows the love he has for Romeo, as he will not just stand there and watch his friend get beaten. • However, as Mercutio tries to kill Tybalt, Romeo steps in. His love for Juliet overcomes his hate of the rival house, and he will not let his friend kill his lovers family member. • It is this act of love that ultimately seals Mercutio’s fate. Tybalt kills Mercutio soon after, and this would not have happened if Romeo had not been blinded by his love for Juliet. • This shows that Love has the power, not only to create joy and happiness, but also has the power to kill. It was the love of many that caused the situation they were in, and resulted in the death of Mercutio.
Key Event II • Through out the start of the film, when we see Romeo he seems like a calm sort of guy, thinking before he acted. When he met Juliet, we saw his impulsive side, immediately falling in love with a person he had never talked to. The biggest transformation in Romeo was also due to love, and this strong emotion that suddenly burst out of him caused him to do something we never would have thought he was capable of. • Mercutio had been killed by Tybalt, and an enraged Romeo chased after him. His love for Mercutio blinded him, and all he could see was getting revenge for his friend. • When Romeo caught up to Tybalt, Tybalt held a gun to Romeo’s head. However, Tybalt could not bring himself to pull the trigger. This also could have been a form of love, love for Juliet, who in turn loved Romeo. He could not bring himself to kill the love, of one he himself loved. • But when Tybalt dropped the gun, Romeo picked it up, and still blinded by his love for Mercutio, he shot Tybalt, killing him. • We see in Romeo’s face when he realises what he has done. This is when his love for Juliet takes over, as he realises he has killed one of her kinsmen. He begins to see that this could probably affect what he has with her. • This shows that love has the power to numb our judgement, and make us reckless, hungry for revenge, and compensation for losing a loved one. The love that Romeo had for Mercutio drove him to kill Tybalt.
Key Event III • The death of Romeo and Juliet was a direct consequence of the love they shared. Not only the death itself, but also the circumstances leading up to both deaths. • Romeo had been banished from Verona, because he had killed Tybalt. Juliet, faced with the marriage of herself and Paris, pretended to kill herself, as she was in love with Romeo. • Romeo, not knowing that this was, in fact, a fake death, in turn killed himself, as he lay beside Juliet in the church were she lay. He did not know that she was not dead. After Romeo died, Juliet killed herself. • Romeo’s love for Mercutio is what started off this series of tragic events. If Romeo had not killed Tybalt, out of love for Mercutio, he would not have been banished, and Juliet would not have been forced to live without him. • Juliet’s longing for Romeo drove her to pretend she was dead. Forced to live life without her love seemed hopeless, and this was the only way she could see to resolve it. • Romeo’s love for Juliet made him buy the poison. He could not bear to think about a life without her, so he killed himself, perhaps in hope that they would be reunited in a life after death. • Juliet’s love for Romeo then prompted her to kill herself, thinking the same thing that Romeo did when he thought she was dead. • So all in all, due to love, there was no hope for Juliet and Romeo. However, they were in a way the sacrifices made for the two houses, Montague and Capulet to end their feud. This shows that love has the power to conquer all, to end rivalry of generations.
Characters that help to show the Power of Love • Romeo helps to show the power of love in many ways. He develops into a different person after he is confronted by love. • Firstly, he becomes impulsive, jumping into a relationship with a person he knows virtually nothing about. • Then, he abandons all composure as he goes in search of Tybalt, his face contorted with rage. • Romeo shows all the dangers of love. He is involved in all of the deaths in the film, all of them being a result of a love he shares with another. He shows us how emotions brought out by love can lead to tragedy, and how blinded a person can be by love alone, how much it can change them as a person. • Mercutio is another character that shows us the power of love. He does not change as a result of love, but he does step in to help a friend in need. • Mercutio sacrificed himself for Romeo, when it is clear that Romeo will not fight for himself. Mercutio’s love for Romeo is his downfall, his death, and had Mercutio not stepped in to save Romeo, it may well have been Romeo who had died at that moment. • Mercutio is the first to show us the tragic side of love. The side of a death caused solely by love for a friend.
Quotes “Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude and it pricks like a thorn.” - Romeo “My only love sprung sprung from my only hate… Prodigeous birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathed enemy.” - Juliet “Did my heart love till now? For swear it sight for it never saw true beauty until this night.” - Romeo
