Category: Passion in Literature

Before this unit, I had only a basic understanding of the plot of Romeo and Juliet (1597). Boy meets girl, girl’s family hates boy’s family and vice versa, girl fakes her death, boy kills himself out of sadness, girl realizes what has happened and kills herself in despair. A classic tragedy! While reading the script, I noticed two differences in the way it was presented: How the medium affected the story, and as a result, how emotions were conveyed through the text.

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was always intended to be conveyed in both visual and auditory forms first plays and then later, through movies and television. Taking either one of these elements away can affect the audience experience as a result. In reading the story, I found it difficult to relate to the characters presented or properly interpret the emotions behind a specific scene. This is because I was missing the visual cues that would have been used in the play such as hand gestures, posture, expressions, and the tone of an actor’s voice. Every character was only defined by their name and how their dialogue was written in the script, so  it lacked all the nuances I saw in the movie. Interpreting the dialogue correctly was more difficult because I wasn’t used to the Elizabethan language , so I had to estimate how a character was delivering a line based on the context of the scene and what little I knew about the story. This was not helped whatsoever by the way interpersonal actions were written in the script, as only important movements such as Romeo killing Tybalt were written down.

After realizing how important the medium was to properly convey this story, I began thinking about what other media could be used to have the same effect. A simple novel, although properly conveying the main emotions and actions in a story, would lack all the nuances that a play or movie provides. Graphic novels would have a similar problem, except they would be using visuals to show movements. What about audiobooks or podcasts? They’re also lacking the visual element and would need to use the narrator more to fill in the gaps. This also suggests that the narrator would have to describe scenes using Elizabethan English, as switching back and forth between Elizabethan English and contemporary English would be difficult for the listener to follow. Again, we run into the same challenges with conveying all the nuances in the story. How about non-verbal formats? Well, that takes away the entire point of the play. Especially now, I don’t think most people come for the story of Romeo and Juliet, it’s been told so many times that even if you haven’t seen it, you’ll know what it’s about (that’s where I was at before starting this unit). People come for how the story is presented. The way a story is told matters, if my short summary at the beginning of this response illustrates anything. The poetry, the flow, and craftmanship of each sentence is what matters. Without it, Romeo and Juliet would just be another contrived story that’s been gorged on tropes. The reason people return to the story of Romeo and Juliet centuries later is not because of what is said, but how it’s said.

“Romeo & Juliet” is an interesting film that creates a lot of of complex feelings. The prologue sets a dark feeling that blends with the happier parts of the story with sadness as the weight of the tragedy. Even though I am aware of the conclusion, there is a part of me that always wishes for a different conclusion, which is evidence of the story’s ability to inspire confidence with a certain end.

It’s difficult to avoid being pulled into the passion of the characters’ love because of how intensely their feelings are expressed. It is both beautiful and tragic how much they hold to each other, as if they might somehow change their fates by just being strong. When I recite the lines, I find myself impressed with the rhythmic elegance of the words, each one carefully picked to capture the intensity of the circumstance and the depth of feeling.

Participating with this narrative is a complicated experience. One may appreciate the skill with which the dialogue and structure are written, as they lead the audience through a range of emotions. On the other hand, there is the unprocessed, emotionally understandable response to the tragedy. It serves as a moving symbol of the passion of youth, the pain of loss, and the terrible results of human ignorance.

In the end, viewing “Romeo & Juliet” is an emotional experience. It serves as a mirror reflecting the complexities of our own feelings and relationships with others. Even if the characters are made up, the emotions they create are genuine and stay with you long after the last act ends. It’s evidence of the storytelling’s timeless ability to provoke strong emotions in us and get us to reflect on the world and our role in it.

Watching the 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet was indispensable for me to be able to visualize the play’s setting and characters and better understand its poignant and heartbreaking story. While the story can certainly be enjoyed in book form, it is important to recognize its origin as a play, where its scenes, setting and characters are not described. While we may learn about its characters through occasional description by others, they are generally left bare of any significant description of their appearances. Similarly, we never learn more about a character’s surroundings than the roughest details of the set they are in. These absent descriptions (due to the required liberties of the stage) could be overlooked using the powers of imagination, but I struggled to pass the last missed trait, the lack of descriptions of the characters’ movements, tone, and emotions. Unlike a novel, the author of a play will not mention the character’s intonation (“he spits angrily,” “he yells”) nor their facial or hand movements (“she grimaced”). In reading Romeo and Juliet, it is necessary to interpret Shakespeare’s elaborate writing to tell the characters’ tones, and here is where I found the movie an essential addition to reading the play as a Shakespeare newbie. As I improved at deciphering Elizabethan lines, having hints to guide me around what could be intended by certain phrases was very helpful. By watching the movie beforehand, I not only could pay more attention to what characters said, but I also understood the passages much better than if I hadn’t heard them acted out first.

By seeing it visually, I was more saddened by the tragedy of this fatal romance, as both the actors but also my ability to correctly interpret the humor throughout made the story feel more realistic. Through seeing the characters portrayed by actors similar to my own age, the disastrous effect of Romeo and Juliet’s love was made more personal. Since I could hear the characters laugh or their tones while giving comical statements, I also knew more often when a line was meant to be comical, and this made the tragedy all the more striking. Nearly everyone has some humor in their daily life: by changing it from being just a dramatic, romantically intense story, the additions of Shakespeare’s spots of humor throughout the tragic tale helped it feel more lifelike. Sharing some of the jests of the main characters and their friends made it more heartbreaking to me when Romeo and Juliet tragically took their lives. Overall, watching the story acted out, as it was intended to be consumed, was essential for me to better comprehend the meanings behind Shakespearian words and strengthened my connection to the story.

Watching the play Romeo and Juliet I was deeply moved by the passion and love displayed by the main characters. As I watched their tragic love story unfold, I found myself experiencing a range of emotions. At first, I was drawn by the intense chemistry between Romeo and Juliet. It was clear from their first meeting that they were meant to be together, and I couldn’t help but feel drawn to their undeniable passion. The way they looked at each other and spoke to each other was so genuine and they needed to be together. As the story progressed, The obstacles that Romeo and Juliet faced, from the families being enemies and the misunderstanding of Mercutio and Tybalt’s death, seemed impossible. Despite their deep love for each other, it seemed as though fate was working against them at every turn. By the end of the story, I was left with a profound sense of sadness. The tragic ending of Romeo and Juliet’s love story was a reminder of how fragile life can be, and how even the strongest passions can be overcome by circumstance. Overall, watching Romeo and Juliet was an emotional rollercoaster, and I couldn’t help but be moved by the intensity of the characters’ feelings. Despite the tragic ending, their love story stands as a testament to the power of passion in literature. 

As for practicing and reciting the prologue was a little bit difficult for me as I sometimes have a hard time remembering specific lines and tend to get anxious when speaking in front of people which causes me to mess up and forget my lines. however, I enjoy watching Romeo and Juliet. 

In the play Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, the use of very formal language enabled some of the meanings to be deeper than they would have been had the words been arranged differently or had there been a different use of vocabulary. “My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have; for both are infinite.” (Act 2, Scene 2) This is an example of a hyperbole which is to be taken as an exaggeration of Romeos love for Juliet while showing the severity of it. When reading, I enjoy encountering hyperboles. I use hyperboles frequently in my every day language and therefore find it is quite an effective way to relay a message. I found it enjoyable to  make connections with the world that Romeo and Juliet was set in and the world that i myself live in. I saw social situations such as Romeo and his fellow Montagues going to the Capulet’s party to see a girl that Romeo had interest in. I imagined how a situation like that might have played out with my peers and how i would react to it now. I also saw the relationship that Juliet had with her parents and appreciated that in the society I live in and with my parents chosen methods of parenting, I am given a lot of opportunity. I am not forced to make the same decisions as my parents have or uphold a certain standard, instead choosing to hold myself to a standard that I choose. I value the amount of support that i am provided and was able to realize that when Juliet refused to marry Paris and her parents got very upset, saying that she should be cast from the family. I value my security within my family more because of this realization. I enjoyed reading this play which I could relate to my every day life while still having a plot that held me captivated throughout.

Shakespeare wrote the drama Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet are the two major characters that drive it. My attention was drawn to Romeo’s intense desire to win Juliet over with his words. Even if the drama uses some antiquated language from the 16th century, overall, I enjoy it. My favourite scene is when Romeo enters the masquerade party covertly and Tybalt merely looks at him as if he were a stranger or a criminal. I admire how Juliet and Romeo fell in love at first sight. I adore the way the play is plotted, and there are several plots that make me feel both terrified and like I’m a part of the action of the play. I’ve never seen a romantic film that ends tragically for both families, so the play made me hesitate. I was depressed after watching this play because most movies had joyful endings. 

I’m curious as to how Montague and Capulet initially got to be rivals. Is there a history behind it? If Romeo had never met Juliet, would Mercutio still have died? Would Romeo have drunk the poison if they didn’t become enemies in the first place? Would the ending be different if they lived happily ever after? Well, I guess it’s all a mystery now. 

The play Romeo and Juliet was rather puzzling when I first began to read the script. None of the comparisons made any sense so I had to continuously check the side translation to attempt to make sense of the words in my head. The old Elizabethan English was very different from what I am used to when reading literature. All the ways the English language was so different in the past led me to think about what else was different during Elizabethan times. Were there any references that only the audience members would understand? One aspect of the play that is never explained is why the Capulets and Montagues have such a deep hatred for each other. Perhaps, the information was not important to include but, is there a possibility the audience members would have been aware of what households the play was referring to?

The first scene of Juliet shocked me as I was unaware of her young age before watching the movie adaption (1968). Shakespeare’s play seemed as though solely about love and the weight that bond can hold. I was not expecting a young teenager to be a part of a love story with a tragic ending. When Paris proposed marriage to Lord Capulet the scene forced me to think about how young teenagers just like Juliet only had one path in life; to get married to a man and give him many children. This instilled anger in me as I thought: why did her mother let such a young girl get married? Why did no one accept when Juliet adamantly refused to marry Paris? Why did no one seem to care what she thought? Blaming this on the parents seemed to satisfy me until thinking of the women who were brought up before Juliet. Such as Juliet’s mother and Nurse, were not able to take her thoughts and feelings into consideration just as theirs were not either.

In the 16th century, women were not considered to be individuals able to wield a sword or weapon of any sort. Men would only hurt those of equal social standing and who had a weapon. Drinking poison was considered a softer or feminine way of harming another. Coming from the idea that women were the ones who collected berries and plants. It is interesting how Romeo and Juliet’s suicide method contradicts the gender role placed on these acts. Romeo is the one to take the poison and Juliet stabs herself with his dagger.

Romeo and Juliet was a truly heartfelt story that I deeply connected to. Emotions of love, sadness, excitement, and happiness swept my mind through the entirety of the film. For example, the numerous fight scenes left me exhilarated, and the tragic death scene had me heartbroken. The way Shakespeare was able to impeccably transfer the feelings of the characters was simply remarkable, although there were times where I was a bit confused.

The diction and register used in the play left me somewhat clueless, as I had never read or heard any form of “Elizabethan English” before. The grammatical and verbal structures found in Romeo and Juliet, including the prologue, greatly differ from modern-day English. This made the meaning of certain lines difficult to decipher before getting a translation from Mr. MacKnight. Though it was difficult to understand, it was still nevertheless beautiful to listen to.

Within the prologue, Shakespeare’s poeticism took various forms. For me, his imagery and alliteration skills were clearly prominent. For example, “Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean,” (l. 4). This was one of my favourite lines from the prologue, as I pictured a violent, bloody battle scene with two families in the centre of a city. Later on in the prologue, Shakespeare writes, “A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life,” (l. 6). This line painted the picture of two lovers taking their lives to symbolise their deep affinity for each other. One line was particularly prominent to me however. “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes,” (l. 5). The alliteration and double meaning of this line was simply a stroke of genius from Shakespeare, where “loins” signified the reproductive organs as well as the “lines” of genealogy from either family. 

This play will stick with me, as it leaves me questioning the depths of true love. “So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes,” (Act 2, Scene 3, Friar Lawrence, ll. 67-68). Should one love another for their appearance over their character, or does character take precedence over looks?

So recently we finished watching Romeo and Juliet movie. I might have missed some parts but I think I know the plot. And I’m not really a big fan of this type of movies. The movie itself is good, the actors are good at what they are doing, the plot is good-written, the costumes and the place where this movie was filmed looks really good. But I’m not a fan of romantic movies about love and stuff like that. Its an interesting idea of two groups killing each other cuz they’re enemies for some reason and suddenly two people from both sides fall in love with each other and the sad ending with them both dying, but, as I said, its boring to me. Also it was hard to understand what the characters were talking about because of the old language that the story was written in and I had to take time to understand whats being said. But overall the movie is okay, its just I’m not into this type of stories.

“Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare is a timeless masterpiece that captivates readers with its poignant portrayal of love, tragedy, and the complexities of human emotion. As a student watching this classic work of literature, I found myself utterly engrossed in the intricate plot, vivid characters, and lyrical language that Shakespeare employs.

First and foremost, the love story between Romeo and Juliet is deeply compelling. Shakespeare’s depiction of their forbidden romance transcends time and place, resonating with readers of all ages. Despite the obstacles they face, their love remains steadfast and unwavering, serving as a powerful testament to the enduring nature of true love.

Moreover, the themes explored in “Romeo and Juliet” are both universal and timeless. From the destructive power of feuds and hatred to the transformative force of love and forgiveness, Shakespeare delves into the depths of the human psyche, inviting readers to reflect on the complexities of human relationships and the consequences of our actions.

Furthermore, Shakespeare’s mastery of language is evident throughout the play. His poetic verse, rich imagery, and evocative symbolism imbue the text with a sense of lyrical beauty that is truly mesmerizing. Each line is carefully crafted to evoke emotion and provoke thought, leaving a lasting impression on the reader long after the final act.

In conclusion, “Romeo and Juliet” is a literary masterpiece that continues to resonate with readers around the world. As a student, I was deeply moved by Shakespeare’s timeless tale of love and tragedy, and I am grateful for the opportunity to experience such a profound work of literature. I would highly recommend this play to anyone seeking a captivating and thought-provoking read.

                     I really did not know what I was going to think of Romeo and Juliet when it was played in class, I already knew how it was going to end and that that knowledge would have made the film boring. This feeling was reinforced by the beginning of the show where I did not understand what was happening in the story. Thankfully, Mr. McKnight began to explain some of the more obscure dialogue that occurred and that’s when I began to truly appreciate the subtle choices and nuances that foreshadowed this tragic tale. One of my favorite scenes is during the masquerade party. As Romeo and Juliet are touchingly meeting each other for the first time, a performer starts to sing “What is a Youth” a song which gets closely associated with Romeo and Juliet. Because of Mr. McKnight’s advice, I paid close attention to the lyrics of this song and I am glad I did because it paints a perfect picturesque painting of Romeo and Juliet’s love blooming and eventually fading. The melody of this bittersweet song is played during every important scene of Romeo and Juliet that followed this one and it was engaging to reflect back on these lyrics during those times. By the time we got to the death scene that I knew was coming since the minute the show began, I was so captivated by the music along with the emotions onscreen, that I had become completely oblivious towards everything but the film. Everyone could have left the room and I’d be none the wiser. In conclusion, this story surpassed my expectations and I am content I was given the opportunity to watch such an engaging performance (even if I did not understand it half the time).

The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare has been replicated, patented, filmed, recorded, memorized, and acted out dozens of times. So many times, that only the original, printed as a book, can be considered his preserved work of art. This is the only point to which a reader can experience Romeo and Juliet in its quintessence.

In the written play Juliet was more independent and sassier. I feel that if the directors of the film, Romeo and Juliet (1968), seized this aspect of her character Juliet would have had more flexibility and variety in her personality. Otherwise, she is simply a star-crossed lover with no path in life other than to love and care for Romeo. This conflicts with one of her reasons for rejecting consent to marry County Paris. For example, in the play when Juliet and Paris first meet in the church with Friar Lawrence, Paris is overjoyed to encounter her and proclaims his loyalty and happiness.

Paris

Happily met, my lady and my wife!

Juliet

That may be sir, when I may be a wife.

Paris

That ‘may be’ must be, love, on Thursday next.

Juliet

What must be shall be.

In the film, Paris only remarks the first line in the block quote above as a greeting. Juliet is very shy, conserved, and submissive as he talks to her. She does not even look him in the eye. She becomes small and then goes crying to Friar Lawrence. This may have been the objective of the directors, but I believe Shakespeare did not intend to create a character who played damsel in distress the entire time.  Friar Lawrence reflected a lot of what reminds me of the people of today. While every other character was intertwined and lost in the love story, Friar Lawrence was the realist and problem-solver. My thoughts while watching and reading Friar Lawrence’s role are that he was the kind of person who understands and supports Romeo and Juliet’s love because he once felt their love. However, he also rolls his eyes at them because he knows how it ends. He knows it always ends the same. Lastly, I appreciated that Shakespeare set the plot into reality by using characters with personalities and traits we would see today. The Nurse was a very outgoing, jolly, comforting and larger lady. Friar was an old, wise, man, who can solve any problem you bring. I believe Shakespeare did this because Romeo and Juliet’s love was too perfect, to heavenly. He needed to include something to bring the audience back to earth in order to make his play realistic and engaging. He did this by using characters we see in any society.

Additionally, I really enjoyed the repetitive musical theme of an orchestra playing “Nino Rota” in the background. This is something new to this unit because we were able to watch a film. The music made the film a millions times more impactful because the audience would know when an important scene was occurring. By the end of this movie, the theme song represented birth, love, and death all in one theatrical performance.

“Romeo and Juliet” written by Shakespeare, was entirely different from what I frequently choose to read. This may be because of the old English literature, or just the fact that it is a play rather than a book, but I am glad to have explored this literary medium. Each piece of dialogue had importance in the play. The plot was particularly engaging as it progressed. I was slowly able to connect and decipher the meaning behind the words of the prologue as the scenes progressed to enhance my understanding of the plot and predict what was going to occur next. The plot of “Romeo and Juliet” is commonly known: they both die out of love for one another. What I hadn’t acknowledged was the complex themes and depth of the plot that led the protagonists to this moment. There is the theme of happiness with Romeo and Juliet’s pursuit of one another. Shakespeare has highlighted the core motivations of pleasure seeking and pain avoidance in human nature through these complex characters. More prominently, however, is how the play portrays the chaos and passion of being in love. “Romeo and Juliet” raises the argument about whether love can overpower a sense of practicality. The play demonstrated a situation where the emotion of love was romanticized to the extent of how it can become destructive.

Love is a violent, ecstatic, overpowering force that overrides all other values, loyalties, and emotions. Such as how Romeo and Juliet yearned to be with one another even though their family conflicts had taught them the other was their enemy. This powerful theme presented an expected ending. The majority of novels I read have a happy ending, but “Romeo and Juliet” portrays a different approach. Rather, the main theme I took away from both the written and acted play was how love is blinding. Love brings out the best in two people, it gives them a sense of purpose. Life without love is worthless. But what is considered the point where love is dangerous? How can emotions be both creative and destructive? The end of the story came all too soon. I was left with many thoughts on how Romeo and Juliet’s deaths affected the conflict between the families. Did they blame each other for the deaths of their loved ones? Did they come to a point of acceptance and understanding? Ultimately the play only ignited questions and contemplation on whether love is a weakness or a strength.

I recently watched the “Romeo and Juliet” movie in English class, and it was amazing! I’m addicted to romantic movies, so watching this classic was great. Yeah, sure, it was a bit dramatic and everything, but you know what? That’s part of what makes it so fun. Romeo and Juliet were like the ultimate teenage love story. I mean, love at first sight? Totally relatable when you’re young and head over heels. Their passion was so intense, it was like they’d do anything to be together, even if it meant going against their families or society’s rules.Watching the movie and reading the original text gave me this whole new perspective. Sure, the old language that was used back then was a bit tricky to follow at times, but it was cool to see how the story played out on screen and in Shakespeare’s words. Finally that shocking ending! Even though you know it’s coming, it still surprises you with all the changes and drama it has. But it’s a great reminder that love isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, there’s always challenges stepping in the way. Anyway, “Romeo and Juliet” definitely surprised me. It’s got me thinking about love, fate, and all that good stuff a relationship can be like. Plus, it was a nice break from the usual English class routine. Who knew English class could be so entertaining?

Overall, I did not enjoy the play Romeo and Juliet. Starting with the fact that I do not like romance movies in general and this particular movie being at the top of this genre already decreased the chances of me liking it. Some scenes were touching, and sometimes I was curious about what was about to happen. Romeo’s and Julia’s first eye contact was interesting to observe. I think the actors did a great job demonstrating what love at first sight looks like. I liked the main conflict of the movie and how it was resolved. Not that I like sad endings, but this one showed the gloomy reality that not all struggles end happily.

I did not like some of the camera movements. There were a lot of close-ups of the character’s eyes or him looking directly at the camera. These types of things make me uncomfortable. The language people were using is another reason why I did not like the play. There are too many fancy words that have a completely different meaning when you ask about them. I understand why the characters use this type of language, and it is beautiful in some way, but it is not to my liking.

I am glad that I watched this movie after a long time of refusal. I think of this as a chance to finally have a clear idea of what it is and if I like it or not.

Romeo and Juliet is usually portrayed as a classic story about two lovers, who fall in love from the first glance and will do anything for each other and it is, not trying to deny that, but it is also a story about rivalry between two families, who don’t even know how their rivalry started, but what they do know is how it went and all the losses that each side has suffered.

It is always implied, that Montague’s and Capulet’s rivalry is what interferes with Romeo’s and Juliet’s love, but never that their love is one of the main causes of the continuation of their families rivalry. The story makes Tybalt look like a villain, but all he does is tries to protect his family’s honor, when Romeo invades their party without an invitation, Tybalt tries to protect his cousin from their enemy. Then there’s Romeo, who knows this relationship wit Juliet isn’t going to work and will only bring more of the unnecessary violence between two families, but still proceeds to continue their relationship with Juliet after discovering that she is a Capulet. As expected Tybalt doesn’t let it slide and even though Romeo doesn’t want to fight him, Mercutio doesn’t understand the idea of peace between two famillies, Romeo and Juliet had in mind when they were getting married and he challenges Tybalt to a duel instead in which he dies and then Romeo kills Tybalt, who was only trying to protect his family from the enemy, while careless Romeo was only thinking about himself and his desires. He could’ve easily prevented all those deaths, if he would’ve restrained himself and his desire for love, once he found out that Juliet is a Capulet.

Today we finished watching Romeo and Juliet and I can say that I think  it’s really interesting story with sad end. Story represents us how love can be truly strong and how sad it can end, despite the enmity of Montagues and Capulets, Romeo’s and Juliet’s love is very strong, but eventually it ended up in a sad way.

Sometimes it was really hard to understand due to old language that was spoken in the film, but it was not a big deal. Film is pretty interesting to watch because of it’s uniqueness and unusual old-fashioned costumes.

Overall I liked the film and plot, I enjoyed watching. It made me feel in different ways, first one is sadness, it is because how the film ended, second is a positive because it’s written in a beautiful way that makes you feel their emotions.
It’s a story that shows us how powerful love can be

Romeo and Juliet, written by Shakespeare in the late 16th century, is an impassioning story of two star-crossed lovers destined for death. The story of their love and heartbreak brought with it a flurry of emotions; after all, what could be more moving than the story of a man and a woman finding in their sudden love for each other a reason to defy their families’ mutual hatred? I found myself enraptured by the language use and dialogue, letting it wash over me to understand the meaning beneath. The Old English perfectly captured and aligned with the setting, creating the sense of an old-fashioned era which I found myself falling into. My incomplete understanding of the formal language also had me relying more heavily on context clues and theatrics. Aided by the frequent soliloquies from several characters, I was able to distinguish emotions, foreshadowing, and the direction in which the story was progressing. This propelled me to appreciate the depth of emotion and how love overtook both Romeo’s and Juliet’s cognitive thoughts and predetermined judgements. Paired with Shakespeare’s use of vivid imagery, the setting and characters came to life. The vibrancy of Verona’s bustling streets set the stage for the poignant narrative. Furthermore, the complexities of identity breathed life into each character; Romeo’s passionate declarations of love, Juliet’s conflicted emotions, and even the fiery tempers of the feuding families conveyed further depth and animation. Ultimately, the narrative, through many literary techniques and nuances, wrought emotional turmoil, but also raised the concept of traditional gender roles.

Partway through both reading and watching the story of Romeo and Juliet, a central question was brought to mind: beneath the layers of romance and the nature of desire, what traditional notions of gender and identity can be observed? When thinking of the 16th century, my impression stems towards inequality, sexism, and prejudice. The social dynamics are evident throughout, most clearly in regard to Juliet’s strained circumstances as opposed to Romeo’s and the vice her parents have on her affairs. This shares the historical conflict between parental will and romantic individualism, and shows Juliet’s lack of control. My thoughts during the narrative strayed towards the intentions of Shakespeare himself. The underlying themes of sexism hint at the inequitable social state of the 16th century, causing me to wonder whether Romeo and Juliet was a way for Shakespeare to comment on the struggles that individuals face when asserting their identities and desires within a society that seeks to confine them. The ending, tragic as it was, gave me pause. Most stories regarding romance end with a “happily ever after,” a conclusion that leaves the reader with a smile and little reflection; this narrative was not one of them. The death of both Romeo and Juliet, along with multiple side characters, suggests something to me about the tragic outcome of romantic individualism and disobedience of authority.  The internal devision on the grounds of gender inequalities was a large take-away from this story for me, raising important questions and pushing me to further reflect on Shakespeare’s intentions.

Personally I found the Romeo and Juliet movie very entertaining, in the visual sense. From sword fights to romantic nights it was scripted quite well and it was easy to watch. It was pretty eye catching because of the unique and original costumes, storyline, and scenes. For a visual learner this movie is a great way to understand the original script, and it’s difficult to look away from.

On the other hand, due to the faded knowledge of elizabethan english in modern society, if you were simply listening to the play it would likely be difficult to understand due to the major difference between modern day english and elizabethan english.

Overall I enjoyed watching and learning about Romeo and Juliet because of the unique story plot, and the sense of “decoding” the different use of the english language.

I already knew what Romeo and Juliet was about before reading it and seeing the movie, but still, it made me feel a bunch of emotions. It’s a really hard story to watch because of the complexity of it, how the protagonists just by being born in those families have their destiny sealed. Their parents never imagined that an emotion stronger than resentment would create a fatal destiny. Is a love tragedy that now for decades has been portrayed in a bunch of different media, is a classic that all people should know about.

Talking about the way it was written we can find different sentences and words that we as a more modern audience can find hard to understand and if it’s not portrayed properly in a play or a movie can be confusing, that happened to me while reading the play, for example, in act 1, the part where they start fighting about the rivals biting their thumbs to them if I didn’t saw the movie I wouldn’t understand what those this meant.

Overall, I enjoyed getting to know more about this classic play, romance is one of my favorite genres, and learning about this made the English class more fun.

Rome & Juliet, this play has completely captivated me. Before getting to see Romeo & Juliet I already knew about it, I mean, is a very famous play but I didn’t know how it ended. When we watched the movie I felt sadness because of these two families and all of the hate that they had towards each other. I find incredible how far our ego and our sense of revenge can go and for these two families it ended in loosing their two children. On the other hand, we have love. Love has always been my favorite topic in books, songs, and movies, this one was not the exception. I enjoyed every single minute of the movie and watching the development of these characters while they fell in love with each other. I think that is very interesting how also the times have changed. Years ago it was normal to get married at 14 as we see in the movie and also that our parents made deals with our future husband to get a monetary benefit from the engagement; I don’t think this is right and when I saw it in the movie I felt impotence for Juliet because that was not what she wanted but her parents wanted to force her.

The prologue was a complete different experience. Ever since I was little I have had a very good memory, it is very easy for me to memorize things but when I have to present, that’s the difficult part. I get very nervous when I have to talk in front of people and I tend to forget everything but besides of that I enjoyed it. I liked the way they spoke before (or in Shakespeare’s plays), they used Shakespeare’s formal use of language that we don’t get to see now and that make it more difficult.

Through this movie adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, I was touched by the actors who took on the roles of the characters, and I could relate to them on a personal level. Romeo and Juliet are embodied by young actors, helping to capture the madness of the young in love, the rush of their passion for each other, and their rashness and recklessness.

Regarding the characters, I did not like the parents of the main characters because of their profuse, unreasoned hatred of each other, which was the main cause of the family grudge. Friar Lawrence’s deeds were ambiguous, but he was sincere and well-motivated that it was inadvertently destructive of the tragic people.
The plot continued to make sense in general, as it was the popular story of “two star-crossed lovers” in particular. They both were presented as being very much in love, without remarkable reasons about why, and it’s told in an instant. Therefore, the entire concept of love at first sight is being amplified rather than giving depth to the characters.

The dialogues strictly kept the language Shakespeare had originally used. This lent formality and added a suavity of literary quality. From time to time, the dialogues were forced, as they felt separated from personal experience. However, it didn’t work out exactly as I had hoped, but it captures wonderfully the same timeless and lyric-dominant themes through the use of old-fashioned language.
The pictures purely addressed the ideas of the balcony scene, the crowd scenes with blissful and violent moods, and the climax of Romeo and Juliet looking for each other a tombs.Key images like Juliet awakening to find Romeo dead and their entwined lifeless bodies were powerful and devastating in their tragic romanticism.

Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy when they met at Capulet party and fall in love, they knew the hatre between Montague and Capulet will not end. They will not gain support from both their parent so it was impossible for them to have a normal love like normal people.

Loving a person no matter what happens, they covers up all the pain by their strong love and facing to dead at the end and the prologue describe it perfectly and fits the scene. To Romeo Juliet was the star in the night, and the reason of he choosing dead is not because the star falling but instead it’s dawn.

The scene of the Tybalt been killed, during that time the Tybalt is not Romeo enemy but instead his cousin in future, but he killed his best friend Mercutio so it was a painful choice to Romeo during that time. At the end Romeo was sorry for killing Tybalt for the revenge to Mercutio and that was a sad scene to me.

Friar Lawrence is having a good idea for the Juliet and Romeo marriage but due to some detail problems about the time that information delivered which cause the tragedy happen in the end and this was painful to Friar Lawrence.

Romeo and Juliet is my favorite play from Shakespeare. Reading Romeo and Juliet, watching the movie, and reciting the Prologue has been a deeply emotional experience for me. The story of these young lovers makes me feel sadness, admiration and frustration.

I love that Romeo’s and Juliet’s love is “prohibited”, it reminds me that we don’t get to choose how we feel, but we can choose how to act upon it. Their love was so strong it ended their lives, I think this gives two messages, firstly how powerful real love can be. Second is how vulnerable we become when we love someone, we don’t think straight and every decision is taken with the heart and not mind, as seen in the play.

While watching the end of the movie I realized that sometimes we, humans act as wild animals, we are so intelligent yet so primitive. For example, the war between Capulets and Montagues, they hate and fight each other for no reason, and the only thing that stopped this unreasonable war was the death of both of their children.

Romeo and Juliet triggered a bunch of emotions inside of me. Reading the text reciting the Prologue and watching the movie filled me with a sense of sadness and empathy toward the main characters Romeo and Juliet. The tragic love story of this young couple is a clear example of how everyone would do everything for love, and I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of sadness and admiration for their passionate yet fated romance. As I continued  the movie, I found myself empathizing with the characters’ struggles and I was rooting for their happiness, despite knowing the tragic outcome waiting for them. The themes of love, loyalty, and fate left me both heartbroken and captivated by the beauty of Shakespeare’s story. As I kept watching I didn’t understand why both of their families kept their ancient grudge against each other, but then I understood that it wasn’t about them, it was about who was better and about keeping the name of their families up in the high status. Then when we recited the prologue, at first I didn’t understand a thing about what the prologue said, but after reading it and several times I found out what it was, and for me it was very interesting how the prologue tells you that Romeo and Juliet will die before you even start the play! After reciting the prologue I really liked how at the beginning of the movie they used the audio of the prologue as an intro because even though it wasn’t the pay itself, it made the movie more like a play including the prologue and also Shakespeare’s language. Romeo and Juliet is a powerful reminder of the destructive force of hate and the importance of love and forgiveness in overcoming adversity. It left me with a sense of longing for a world where love wins over hate and where tragedies like theirs could be prevented

While watching Romeo and Juliet, I found myself enraptured not only by the plot, but by the raw emotion that was produced through every scene and every line. The film evoked tragedy and passion at the same time and I found it amusing.

Before we began watching the movie, I imagined that it will be boring and extremely hard to understand because of the language used. However, while watching the movie, I found myself understanding the plot and, occasionally, some of the words and phrases being said.

When we were assigned the task of reciting the prologue, I did try to cram it and that ended with me not understanding what I was saying. But when I took my time to reflect on what was being said and comprehend the storyline, I was able to memorize it. Although my execution wasn’t as great as I wanted it to be, I was still proud of myself for memorizing it in short time. While reciting the prologue, I felt the weight of its words wash over me like a wave of inevitability. It served as a haunting start to the tragedy that was about to unfold, setting the stage for the heartache and despair that would follow.

As I watched the characters navigate the intense landscape of love and hate, I couldn’t help but feel a deep empathy for their predicament. The performances brought to life the inner turmoil, the reckless abandon, and the consuming intensity of Romeo and Juliet’s love affair. The chemistry between them was noticeable, igniting the screen with a fiery passion that was both exhilarating and heartbreaking to witness due to what was meant to follow.

In the end, Romeo and Juliet left me with a sense of melancholy, yet also a deep appreciation for the enduring power of love and the eternal struggle against fate. It is a lasting tale that continues to resonate with audiences today, reminding us of the fragility of life, the price of love and the enduring power of passion.

This is my first time completing the story of Romeo&Juliet.In the beginning, I just thought that they both died because of each other without a reason, I didn’t know that there was a strong social background of family opposition behind their love story.When I first read the book, then watched the movie and recited the prologue of their story, I had a strong feeling of sadness with this love story among with pure and beauty between Romeo&Juliet.Even though their families hate each other,It didn’t affect their relationship.Despite the family hate and challenges,they still have ways to be together. Romeo did many things to express his love and care for Juliet. He bravely overcame many difficulties and obstacles for the continuance of their love. As for Juliet, she showed her courage when she refused to marry Paris. They both overcame a lot of difficult challenge, especially with the opposing family and did a lot of things for each other. It also showed the story of the rivalry of their family which are the Capulets and he Montagues.The hatred of rivalries between these two families indirectly led to a tragedy where Romeo&Juliet both died in the end.I love how Shakespeare  describe the conflict between two families because they gives me a picture in my head. I agreed with the prolugue where it says

“A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;

whose misadventur’d piteous overthrows.“

Because of how they continue their love with all the challenges that were in their way but what they got was a tragic ending.

Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare is one of the most famous love stories. It begins with the prologue. At first, I didn’t understand half of it. The words I understood but not the sentence. But after hearing and saying it a lot. At the point where I memorized it, I finally understood the sentence. The English language changed a lot back then and today. They use different words than we do, and most of them we don’t speak anymore. When the story begins, I understood more in the film than in the book. Not because they speak it. No because of the body language. And with that, it helped me to understand the book when I read it because I knew where we were. The story I liked how dramatic it is, where in one scene Romeo and Juliet are happy and in the other Romeo needs to leave the city. then in the other Talking now on the plot. What I liked most in the story is the film where Tybalt kills Romeo’s friend, Mercutio. To show the audience that Tybalt stabs Mercutio, they show the sword with blood and didn’t use a bloody realistic scene we he gets stabbed and blood sprays everywhere. It was also interesting the clothes that they used. Fashion has changed a lot.

Watching the scripted and accurately portrayed version of Romeo and Juliet was a new experience for me to say the least. It is different than reading it in a book where expressions and suspense is hard to convey. Even in knock off versions such as the 1996 Romeo + Juliet hardly convey the emotion and tragedy that the scripted version so clearly conveyed. It was almost as if I could feel in my heart every emotion displayed by the characters. I felt the fear and horror of the Friar Lawrence as he stumbled out of the Capulet tomb after realising that he caused the death of poor Romeo and Juliet. I felt the sadness in Nurse’s face and voices as she wailed helplessly after the ‘death’ of Juliet. However, the thing that resonated with me the most was the Juliet’s desperation for Romeo, scrambling for his spirt- his love that was lost in deaths cold embrace. I could feel her hope and her happiness being sucked out of her body by the mere sight of her Romeo lying dead beside her tomb. It could have been the smallest details being portrayed by the actress: a quivering lip or even the subtle pauses in between her words that made it feel as if the actress would have really died from Romeo. The words:

Go get thee hence, for I will not away.

What’s here? a cup clos’d in my true love’s hand?

Poison I see hath been his timeless end.

O churl, drank all, and left no friendly drop

To help me after? I will kiss thy lips,

Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,

To make me die with a restorative.

Thy lips are warm.

(Act: 5 Scene: 3)

will stick with me forever as I remember Juliet’s saddened remark of a hint of life in the lifeless body of her Romeo.

In my opinion, the book, the poem, and the prologue are very similar to each other, I was passing through the same feeling in those three different sources, and although each of those are different ways to explain something you are still having the same knowledge. For me was better to first read the book and then watch the movie because while I was reading, I had a better understanding of the plot, and when was the moment to watch the movie I knew the characters and their roles, And also in other way was good to read the book because when I was reading, I was imagining what the backgrounds and people look like and had an idea and the moment that I watched the movie everything got clear because I remembered the ideas that I had read and I was involving everything that I knew when I was reading the book. Finally, with the Prologue I preferred to watch the movie instead of saying it first because in the process of learning the prologue, we watched the movie and I had an idea of the best way to say it also watching it I could understand the plot and what feelings were the characters passing for.

Without doubt, Romeo and Juliet is one of the most classic love tragedies which tells a pair of fateful lovers’ story. However, the thoughts and feelings that Romeo and Juliet bring to me are not only about love, but also the consideration about marriage. To be precise, why marriage, what’s are the factors we, and the family in Romeo and Juliet might consider in a marriage?

Well, for most of the animals, they don’t have marriage, but they choose companion to reproduction. So, how do they choose? First, DNA, which is appearance, and health. Then, living conditions and status. the animals want they children to survive better, this is why they considering these.

However, do humans also based on these to choose marriage partner?
Obviously, the answer is yes, for Mr. Capulet. Paris is handsome, healthy, and most importantly, he was the relative of prince, which means he was rich, and had power, which also can be considered as a kind of “living conditions” and social status. At the same time, maybe for most of parents, whether nobles or commoners, no matter in drama or real life, they all agree with Mr. Capulet. I trust most of parents are not selfish, they consider more realism, putting the living conditions of they children, grandchildren, and the entire family first.

But humans do have another factor that animals and lots of parents won’t consider, the emotion, or we say love. Overall, marriage is not just about parents, but also the lovers. And the lovers do think love is the very first factor to consider about. So did Juliet. For Juliet, why did she love Romeo and absolutely disagree to marry Paris? Because of love, which unfortunately is the factor that Mr. Capulet would like to ignore. Juliet would not consider to not loving Romeo because he was an enemy of her family, nor would she fall in love and marry Paris because he was a relative of the prince. So, do the love between lovers benefit their children’s living conditions? In physical perspective, no. but it do benefits children’s emotional conditions. Some lovers think the good mood and relationship between themselves are way more important than their children. This also makes sense.

Completely different idea from her father, isn’t it? Mr. Capulet was right, marry Paris was good for family. Juliet was also right, marry Romeo, because she loved him! One is realism, one is romanticism, and it is impossible to answer who is correct anyways. This is a social, philosophical question, but it is interesting, which is the truth of marriage. And Shakespeare brought this truth to the public through his play.

“Romeo and Juliet” is an intense ride. Everything hits you hard. At the party, you can see how much Juliet and Romeo love each other, even though their families hate each other. It is so obvious in the movie. 

But you know it is all going to end badly because they both die in the end. It gets even more stressful when things can calm down but do not. It is tough to watch the tragedy happen, especially the last moments of Romeo and Juliet. 

You feel hopeful seeing how much they care for each other. The movie shows that nothing can get in the way of their love. It also shows how Shakespeare keeps pointing out how terrible things happen when people do not communicate well. 

Watching “Romeo and Juliet” makes you feel a lot of things. It is not just about love; it is also about how hate can mess everything up. Even though it is sad, it is also nice to see how strong love can be even when there is so much hate around. 

The movie also makes you think about fate and whether Romeo and Juliet could have avoided their tragic end. It makes things even more complicated by showing how misunderstandings can cause big problems. 

The movie shows how society’s rules and expectations make life hard for the characters. It makes their struggles seem more real, with families fighting and responsibilities getting in the way. 

“Romeo and Juliet” stays with you, even though it ends sadly. It reminds us how terrible things can get when people hate each other and how powerful love can be. This old story always gets to people, making us think about being kind, understanding, and making peace in a world full of conflict. 

The film adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet” triggered in me a waterfall of feelings and reflections that resonate deeply with the timeless themes of love, fate and tragedy. When I saw the iconic balcony scene, the scene transported me straight to Verona, where the star-crossed lovers grappled with the turbulent forces of passion and society. As I read the book, I was not only captivated by the emotional writing, but I also came across words I didn’t recognize, which were gladfully explained by the side. The prologue served as an internalized prelude to the unfolding tragedy and suggested the inevitability of their catastrophic love. When I presented the prologue, I felt nervous. The prologue had a recurring rhyme that I would stick to and repeat the words I had internalized. But during the lecture and practice, the meanings of uncertain words became increasingly clearer to me. While watching the film in combination with the book, I was struck by the deep empathy I developed for Romeo and Juliet two souls caught in a century-old family strife of love and happiness. Their passion burned, if only momentarily, with an intensity that transcended time and circumstance and left an indelible mark. This play is the epitome of tragedy.

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy that has been extremely appreciated worldwide throughout the years. While reading one of Shakespeare’s masterpieces, watching the movie, and reciting the prologue, I could not stop and wonder if they really talked like that in those times, or if it was only Shakespeare trying to show off. Even though the formal language that was used I enjoyed the play. Reflecting upon the movie and thinking what was the changing point that made all the terrible consequences of Romeo and Juliet’s death. Was it the hate these two families hold, or Tybalt’s death? After thinking for a while, I knew that the most important reason was the fixed up marriage that Lord Capulet made for Juliet and Paris. So now the question is, what could have been worse Juliet’s death or her marrying a man she did not love? Questioning what would I do if I were in Juliet’s shoes, I definitely would not have taken the same decisions as she did. It’s really naive to think that by acting dead all of the problems would be solved, and I guess it’s true love makes people do crazy things. So here is my ending from a more neutral point of view, and without a doubt more mature than Juliet’s only solution. Lord Capulet had already told Juliet that she would be dishonored if she did not marry her new fiance Paris. So, instead of doing all of this stunt, she should just have gone with Romeo and live far away from Verona. I guess it’s a huge sacrifice, they would not have the lifestyle they are used to, and they could not meet their family again. The question here is, what sacrifice would you make for love?