Why Did Romeo Go to The Capulet Party: Critical Essay

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In the second scene, Romeo and Benvolio meet a servant who is supposed to make invitations to the Capulet ball. He asks Romeo to read him the list. Romeo discovers that Rosaline will be at the Capulets’ party. They decide to attend – even though it is a Capulet party, they will be able to disguise their identities by wearing masks. Later at the party, Romeo mopes in the corner, away from the dancing. From this point, he notices Juliet and falls in love with her immediately.

Romeo approaches Juliet and touches her hand. They speak together and Romeo eventually earns Juliet’s permission for a kiss.

Romeo calls Juliet a ‘holy shrine,, his sinful lips two devoted ‘pilgrims’ ready to repent with a kiss. However, before they can talk further, the Nurse calls Juliet to see her mother. After Juliet leaves, Romeo asks the Nurse her name and is shocked to learn that his new desire is a Capulet. In this scene, Paris a wealthy young man, or Romeo would wear a doublet ( close-fitting padded jacket). Juliet and Lady Capulet would have worn taffeta ( crisp, smooth, plain fabric), silk, gold, or satin gowns, and everybody would have had hats and gloves. This is because it was set in a European country at about the same time Shakespeare wrote it, the audience who might have watched the play would have been happy, and they would have been authentic for the play during that time. Shakespeare uses this scene to show the mask as a metaphorical and symbolic place for Romeo and Juliet to meet. The Capulets ball is a formal game in which the guests try to figure out who’s who and by doing this leads to Romeo and Juliet falling in love.

However, Baz Luhrman uses a different cinematography to attract the viewers to the party’s backdrop and atmosphere. The opening scene begins with an extreme close-up and a low-level shot of Mercutios car – this immediately establishes his character and personality. This also shows Mercutio’s queer aestheticdefined by disco music, glittery clothing, and theatricalityto shape the scene of the entire Capulet masquerade ball, as well as draw out a theme of love and drugs. Luhrman also utilizes an extreme close-up of the drug/pill with a red love heart on it, this expresses the significance of love within Romeo and Juliet and also the theme and idea of how love is like a drug: addicting. Furthermore, when Romeo enters the party, the camera movements become very slow and unsteady, the camera shot constantly moves back and forth between the close-up of Romeos face and the media shot of the party. The close-up of Romeos face shows him blinking his eye repeatedly, this indicates he is high on drugs These drugs are quick , reaffirming that he has no control and is in his own world. The ballroom is a key location as it is the setting in which Romeo and Juliet fall in love. The film set was designed to provide a contrast to the purity of the two young lovers. The difference between the two is Baz Luhrmann uses symbolism to present Shakespeares ideas in a way that makes sense to a modern audience. the most effective is the costumes at the masquerade party. Juliet is dressed as an angel, representing her purity and divinity, as described by Romeo, who is dressed as a knight- this is to represent him being Juliets savior, Lord, and Lady Capulet are dressed as Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, is to represent that not only are they both rich and powerful individuals, but they are a couple too. Luhrman adds more excitement and detail to the Elizabethan play by adding fast and thrill-seeking camera movements.

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