Romeo + Juliet (1996 film)

New Historicism, Cultural Studies

How are events’ interpretation and presentation a product of the culture of the author?

Event: families’ feud

            Romeo + Juliet is a 1996 film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The film is an abridged modernization of Shakespeare's play. While it retains the original Shakespearean dialogue, the Montagues and the Capulets are represented as warring business empires and swords are replaced by guns (manufactured by 'Sword').  (Romeo + Juliet)

The original play Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers. (Romeo and Juliet)

            I’m focusing on the reason of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, the families’ feud. In the original play and the film, it does not mention what the feud is about, or how it started. It is thought that the feud has been going on for such a long time that even the families don't remember what it was about. At the end, the families are reconciled by Romeo and Juliet’s deaths and agree to end their violent feud. For the hostile family reason, the families lost their children. Usually, they would be angry and more hostile to each other, but they are reconciled. We can think that the feud is not very important, or they don’t have the reason to keep the feud. In fact, the feud is not because the conflict of interest, also it cannot bring any advantages to them, too.  We can suppose the families want to end the feud, but they don’t have the opportunity to reconcile to each other. When they are reconciled, they already paid a heavy price.

            Why do they keep the feud when they both want to end it? We can find a clue in the play. “Juliet's cousin Tybalt incensed that Romeo had sneaked into the Capulet ball, challenges him to a duel. Romeo, now considering Tybalt his kinsman, refuses to fight. Mercutio is offended by Tybalt's insolence, as well as Romeo's "vile submission," and accepts the duel on Romeo's behalf. Mercutio is fatally wounded when Romeo attempts to break up the fight. Grief-stricken and wracked with guilt, Romeo confronts and slays Tybalt.” (Romeo and Juliet) We suppose Mercutio refuses to fight too. What will they gain? I think they will not gain anything without shame and insult, and they will lose their honour and dignity. I quote a part of the original play,

 “CAPULET

Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone;

He bears him like a portly gentleman;

And, to say truth, Verona brags of him

To be a virtuous and well-govern'd youth:

I would not for the wealth of all the town

Here in my house do him disparagement:

Therefore be patient, take no note of him:

It is my will, the which if thou respect,

Show a fair presence and put off these frowns,

And ill-beseeming semblance for a feast.”

And someone comment “Tybalt's first response to seeing Romeo at the Capulet party is to kill him. But, here we see that Capulet (Juliet's dad) doesn't seem to mind that a Montague is in his home. In fact, Capulet says that Romeo is basically a nice kid so Tybalt should just calm down and leave him alone. Hmm. Does this mean that the big Capulet/Montague feud isn't as big a deal as everybody thinks it is? It seems like the family drama is much more important to the younger generation (Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet) than it is to the older generation.” (shmoop) In the film, there is a same plot, but the weapon is gun, and the duel is like Cowboy duel. It is more exaggerated and ironic. Two people bet their lives to guard their honour and dignity. Is it really worth it? It is because it not the personal honour, it is the family honour. They don’t make mistake. The mistake is their families made, specifically, it is Romeo and Juliet’s parents made. The parents are the two families’ leaders. They indulge or support the feud kept between the two families.

            Romeo refuses the duel, and he knows it will harm his family’s honour. It is a nice try to solve hatreds between the two families. At the end of the story, he chooses death with Juliet but not revenge to Capulet (Juliet’s family). It is impulsive, but it is sane too. It is the best way to end their families’ feud (he thinks Juliet already died). He is a brave man. Someone needs to pay price if he want to end the feud. It is not Romeo’s fate, but Romeo chooses it. In the unlimited feud between Montague and Capulet, he is brave to try the first step of end it. The feud will result in the hatred, and the hatred will result in the tragedy. Only the brave man can endure the hatred and end the feud, and it prevents more tragedies.

Works Cited

“Romeo +Juliet” Wikipadia, The free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. June 25 2012. Web. June 26 2012.

“Romeo and Juliet” Wikipadia, The free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. June 21 2012. Web. June 26 2012.

“Romeo and Juliet” Shmoop, We Speak Student. Shmoop University, Inc. Web. June 26 2012.