Romeo And Juliet Comparative Essay

‘Appropriations are often a reflection of our time’. This can be seen with Shakespeare’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, a play which was written almost 400 years ago. Although modern appropriations have been made; with Franco Zeffirelli’s, Elizabethan version (1968), and Baz Luhrmann’s (1996) more contemporary version, the essence of the play, and why audiences appreciate it remain the same. In order to highlight this, comparisons between the ‘Ballroom’ and ‘Balcony’ scenes of each film can be made. Although the setting, costumes and props are very different, the underlying themes remain true to Shakespeare’s original text.

In Zeffirelli’s ballroom scene, it is set in the Capulet’s mansion. This party is a really formal party, as it is a masquerade party, where everyone can do what they want without people knowing who it is, and showing who they are. The costumes of each characters symbolises something different, for the Capulet’s their main colours is red, orange and yellow, as for the Montague’s they are dress in blue light colours, which symbolises fire and water, two different households which can’t get along well. What Juliet is wearing is a red and gold dress which symbolises her love and passion, as for Romeo his wearing blue clothes and a cat mask, which symbolises he is hunting for women and his prey is Juliet. The props in
Juliet is not in her red dress anymore as she has found love and now she is wearing a white dress, which symbolises her virginity. Romeo is still dressed in blue as he was at the party. Here is where Romeo and Juliet are together and showing their love for each other, in this version it is less physical and more innocent. The props in the balcony scene are just ordinary props, there are, bushes, balcony, trees and windows. Again the significant of the touching of their hands when they have to go is the same as in the Ballroom when they first