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Romeo and Juliet “Two households, both alike in dignity, in Fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. ” Romeo and Juliet is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous works. It has been adapted into screenplays, and remade countless times. Baz Luhrman’s and William Shakespeare’s versions of Romeo and Juliet are similar in theme, but differ in setting, mood, and character personalities. One of the similarities between the two versions is theme. Some of the themes are loyalty, friendship, and violence.
In both versions, loyalty is a significant issue. The loyalty of each character to their house ultimately leads to the downfall of Romeo and Juliet. The theme of violence is one of the most important themes. Because Romeo killed Tybalt, he is exiled from Verona and isolated from Juliet. Mercutio’s death resembles the play’s theme on friendship. It goes to show that good intentions from friends don’t always work out according to plan. While there are numerous similarities between the two versions, there are also many differences. One of the differences is the mood.
The mood of the play is dark, romantic, sad, and dramatic. While the play has a few puns, the main focus of the play is to present a sad, depressing story. The movie is much lighter and happier until the ending. The movie displays quite a few puns and the characters are always laughing or joking around. The play tries to focus on the dramatic and sad points while the movie tries to focus more on the happier aspects. Another difference between the two is character personalities. The majority of the characters in the play are sad and more sincere than those in the movie.
The movie has happier, more modern characters. The roles of the characters in the movie seem to be that of gangsters or mobsters whereas in the play, they appear to be no more than members of two distinct households. One of the most prominent differences is the setting. The play is set in the past, where swords were used and where a prince and his men governed the city. Old buildings, shops and a market place made up the greater half of the city. The movie is a much more modernized version of Romeo and Juliet.
Everything from weapons to buildings has been updated. Instead of using swords, each of the characters carried a gun. In the movie, there was no prince, but rather a police chief; whose last name was Prince. Although each version represents the same work, they differ in several ways. Baz Luhrman’s and William Shakespeare’s versions of Romeo and Juliet may be similar in theme, but they differ in setting, mood, and character personalities. The vast differences between the two versions make them each interesting, and entertaining experiences.