As weird as Romeo + Juliet
is at times, I do have to give it credit for its portrayal of the tragic end, which
by adding the little fact that they had a moment alive together kept it tragic.
It seems that often today the label “tragedy” is either technical or negative
when applied to entertainment. It’s a sarcastic comment for something that has
so far overdramatized something sad that it’s not sad but boring or even funny.
The story of Romeo and Juliet has a
reputation for fitting in this category. I had never before read or seen any adaptations
of the tale and I still shook my head at references to balconies and the over
used “Wherefore art thou Romeo?” (thanks to Tin-Man). Before this I had read A Midsummer Night’s Dream for a different
class where Shakespeare himself makes fun of this kind of tragic scene. The
clowns of the play stage a play that is uncannily like Romeo and Juliet. The lover, Pyramus, kills himself with these
words:
Thus die I, thus, thus,
thus.
Now am I dead,
Now am I fled;
My soul is in the sky.
Tongue, lose they light
Moon, make thy flight.
Now die, die, die, die,
die. (5.1. 295-302).
At this the nobles laugh; it is so overly dramatic
and badly constructed.
So I was surprised how genuinely
tragic the film managed to make their deaths; I watched it over breakfast and
that scene ruined all that day and half the next. Someone in class (I don’t remember
who. If it’s you take credit; if not take it anyway) said that they tear up every
time they see this scene. Perhaps a major part of what keeps Romeo and Juliet
alive is the fact that they die. It not just about love, but it’s about a sad
end to love, and sad endings things seem to stick around better than the happy
ones (not in all cases I’ll grant). Sadness in love is a very common but potent
feeling one that Romeo and Juliet can
appeal to over and over again.
Maybe I'm just an unfeeling asshole but the death scene was among the most played out and boring for me. Yes, I appreciate the lighting, the drama and the stylistic choices Lurhman made, especially the addition of the gun but in the end, two people were dead and I was OK seeing them leave. One of the problems I had with the play was the way it sort of glorified what they did; I'm all about free will but killing yourselves due to a screw up does not lend itself to the holy way it came across, in the play and in the film. Again, Juliet had more agency with the gun, which I appreciated and Romeo poured his heart into that scene and then just missed her but in the end, the died and it was over.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably just me
I found myself thinking a lot about A Midsummer Night's Dream as well (makes sense as we're both in the Shakespeare class where we read it) while watching and reading this again. I found that I was able to enjoy Romeo and Juliet more after seeing the connections between the two plays.
ReplyDeleteIris thinks that Lloyd is right, He is an asshole. The setting brought the viewer in by having a huge space with such an intimate act. Plus the horror of having them both recognize what the other is doing made it hella sad.
ReplyDeleteI want to specify that I don't have some strange tendency to write in third person, my mom was listening to me rant and decided to type out what I was saying. Cheers mom.
Honestly, I don't like the story of Romeo and Juliet, the original or the adaptations. I have an appreciation for them, but the story itself is duuuuumb. But, I do have to admit that the Baz Luhrman rendition did make me cry at the end. Your'e right, tragic love sticks with you a lot longer than happy love.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it was interesting that you found that connection with Midsummer Night's Dream. Very cool.