How Shakespeare through the Centuries Still Lives On

How Shakespeare through the Centuries Still Lives On

by Mary Hatfalvi

How Shakespeare through the Centuries Still Lives On

Romeo and Juliet on the balcony (1886) by Julius Kronberg Romeo and Juliet balcony scene (1884) by Frank Dicksee by Mary Hatfalvi

Abstract

The goal for this project was to compare two performances of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet that were performed in London in two different time periods. I used my knowledge in Theater Workshop class and from past performance creations to compare both performances. Through this research into the current and past performances, I founded the message of Shakespeare that still lives on today.

Introduction

The story of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet has been told around the world for hundreds of years. It is a beautiful story about two lovers who are torn apart because of their families quarrel. Because this play is timeless in its message of love, war, conflict, fear & pain, there have been many different adaptations and storytelling techniques for this play. The question is even with all of these different adaptations, does Shakespeare's original theme and message still live on? I am going to answer this question by diving into the story, its inspiration, and look at two artistically different interpretations of the play to find the real theme & message that still lives on today.

I researched the performance details, style, costumes, mood, theme and overall message of the two interpretations of Romeo & Juliet. I found through my research two London plays which appear very different in style and technique and used those to compare in depth into the message of the story of Romeo & Juliet. One interpretation of Romeo and Juliet that I found was performed in 1867 as an opera at the Covent Gardens which is now know as the Royal Opera House. Another interpretation was a 1950's style performance done at the Garrick Theatre in 2016. Despite the drastic difference in interpretation and performance, I found that the original message that Shakespeare want to give through this play still lives on.

Section 1: Background

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Story & Inspiration

To find the message of Romeo & Juliet, I first looked at original play's story for a basis of themes & to outline what to find in my interpretations.

Story

The plot for the play of Romeo and Juliet is about two star crossed lovers who are forbidden to be together by their families quarrel. The two families, the Capulets which is Juliet's family and the Montagues which is Romeo's family, have been quarreling for years. Romeo and Juliet meet at a masquerade ball which is put on by the Capulets and they fall in love at first sight. They eventually decided to secretly marry and plan on running away. Sadly though Romeo ends up killing Tybalt, who is Juliet's cousin, and is sent to exile. Juliet is then forced by her family to marry Paris. She then decides to fake her death, to escape the arranged marriage, so that she could run away with Romeo. Unfortunately, Romeo never receives word that Juliet's death is fake. He finds her dead then poisons himself. When Juliet awakes and see's her Romeo dead she then ends her own life for real. In the end, both families do reconcile but sadly at the cost of Romeo and Juliet's lives.

Romeo and Juliet by Francesco Hayez, (1823)

Inspiration

The story of Romeo & Juliet is a tragic romance that beautifully told but what was the inspiration behind writing it? William Shakespeare wrote Romeo & Juliet around the 1590's. Researches to this day still cannot exactly pinpoint what inspired the play. While researching Shakespeare's possible inspirations I found three main researched possibilities. One being the time period, another being real lovers Shakespeare knew, and another one which is a poem that Shakespeare could have read.

In the time when England was growing in arts & culture, according to a Shakespearean study done on the historical context of Romeo & Juliet, England was suffering from religious persecution towards the Catholics. When Henry VIII became the head of the English church, Catholics were then threatened to either convert to Protestation or die. When Mary I succeed her father after her brother Edward VI, she didn't persecute the Catholics because she was Catholic herself, like her mother, but instead persecuted the Protestants. This was why she got her nickname "Bloody Mary". Then when Mary I died, Elizabeth I succeeded her. Elizabeth I brought back the Protestant church but started to executed Catholics again like her father. It is recorded in Shakespeare history that Shakespeare's father was a Catholic. Now no real proof exists for William Shakespeare's religious views but it is a thought that he did base Romeo and Juliet because of this conflicting time period . Think of the names Romeo (Rome, where the Catholic church is based) and Juliet (Anglican English church of England).

Another possible inspiration is a true story about two real lovers that Shakespeare knew. According to the Luminarium Encyclopedia, Henry Wriothesley the 3rd Earl of Southampton was a close friend to Shakespeare and was a courtier to Queen Elizabeth I. His mother was Mary Browne whose father was the 1st Viscount Montagu (does this sound similar to Montagues). Henry fell in love with a woman named Elizabeth Vernon who was one of Queen Elizabeth I's ladies-in-waiting. Ladies-in-waiting were no allowed to marry and an alliance between Henry & Elizabeth was not favored by the queen especially since both family were different in religious views (Henry's family was Catholic and Elizabeth Vernon's family was Protestant) . Henry was the ward of William Cecil and he already arranged a marriage which Henry refused. When Cecil died in 1598, Henry and Elizabeth then married. This did not make the queen happy and she put them both in jail. They were eventually released and their love story ended happily with a long life and children.

The poem "The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet" written by Arthur Brooke in 1562 is consider as the most likely inspirational source for the story of Romeo and Juliet. The story plot based in Verone is close to the same as Shakespeare's plot for Romeo & Juliet. Some things are different like for example Juliet is wooed by Romeus two weeks instead of just one night. The words that the characters speak are different in the poem then the play. They do though convey the important theme of timeless romance and tragedy.

Each of these inspirations share a similar theme and message for the story, love, tragedy, conflict, and war. These are the original themes & message that is needed to be conveyed for the story of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet to live on through the ages. To find out if this message is living through the ages, I will go into review of two interpretations that are different and give a summary of performance, dramatic elements used & the overall message conveyed through the researched play. The first play I researched was an 1867 opera performed at the Covent Gardens. After a investigation in the 1867 opera, I will talk about the research and investigation on another interpretation that was performed at the Garrick Theatre in 2016.

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet at the Covent Gardens (1867)

According to the annals of the Covent Gardens Theatre from 1732 to 1897, the opera "Romeo and Juliette" by Charles Gounod was performed at the Covent Garden on July 11 1867. Adelina Patti played Juliet and Signor Mario played Romeo. The opera was newly composed by Charles Gounod with words by J.Barbier & M.Carré and received many fantastic reviews at the time. One praising review was published in the Watson's Art Journal in London at the time stating that "it is impossible to speak too highly of the manner at which Roméo e Giulietta is placed upon the stage at Covent Garden Theatre". This opera was a new rendition of the story of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet in 1867.

Performance Summary

The opera is composed in five acts and performed in french. Before the first act, a chorus sings the prologue. The first act then starts at the Capulet's Place at a Masquerade ball. Romeo sneaks into the ball with his friends, meets Juliet and falls for her at first sight. The second act is the balcony scene when Romeo woes Juliet. The Third Act starts in the friar's cell where Romeo & Juliet secretly marry. The act continues with Romeo's page going to the Capulets house and fights with one of their servants in combat. The combat grows by the addition of Romeo, Tybalt and others. Eventually, Romeo kills Tybalt. The act ends when Romeo is then banished by the Duke. Act four is in Juliet's bedroom where Romeo visits her for the night then leaves before her father and the friar come to tell her that she will marry Paris. The friar, after Juliet's father leaves, gives Juliet a potion to take to fake her death and she consumes the potion. The fifth and final act is in the Capulets tomb where Juliet is buried. Romeo enters and after believing Juliet is dead, consumes poison. Before the poison kills Romeo, Juliet awakes to finds her Romeo dying from the poison. They speak heartfelt words and, while Romeo dies, Juliet stabs herself with his dagger. Ending the opera with them both dead.

Press Illustration of 3rd Act (1867)

Dramatic Elements

The opera opened in the the late 1800's in Paris, France. The words are sung in french and the style of the opera & costumes is of the Shakespearean time period. The set probably looked like late 16th century Verona, Italy. Gounod did the same approach with Romeo & Juliet as he did with another one of his famous operas called Faust. He toned down the supporting characters in the play. Except for the Friar and Mercutio, the supporting characters are as is said only supporting. Juliet's nurse for example her character is taken down to the point where she is almost non existent. This is Gounod's way of emphasizing the main characters of the opera. Romeo and Juliet are either one of them or both of them in every scene of the opera with entire scenes to themselves mutable times.
The music sets the theme for the opera in every act. The first act starts in a triumphant Forte with goes then to an Andante when the chorus starts singing. This is the ball scene so then the music goes back to a happy upbeat sound. The second act is performed soft and Dolce. Two scenes are in the third act. The first scene part starts with the sound of Dolce music for Romeo & Juliet which then grows to a triumphant Forte with trumpets ending the scene. The second scene is more tense and speeds up growing louder with the chorus. This scene is the fighting scene. The forth act has a beautiful parting sound with Romeo and Juliet together for the first time since their marriage before romeo leaves for banishment. Then the scene goes to Juliet with her father and the Friar. The music for that scene becomes the feelings of Juliet, the sound of desperation and hopelessness. The Friar with a deep bass voice gives hope to Juliet. The fifth act starts with a sad and slow trumpets when Romeo finds his Juliet "dead". The scene is very dramatic and shows the passion that both Romeo and Juliet have for each other. The opera ends with sad triumphant horns emphasizing the end of the classic love story.

Balcony Scene from Gounod's Romeo & Juliet (1867)

Overall Review

An opera is a style of theater performance that can create a more dramatic and heartfelt storytelling experience. By drawing out all of the words in song, the viewer is more captivated and emotional about the story and its characters. Gounod, by making Romeo & Juliet an opera, created a way of telling the story where the audience could become more emotional to the pain and loss of love. He also showed this theme by ending the scene not when the Montagues and Capulets reunite, but when both Romeo & Juliet die. The message that Gounod wanted to send through this opera is the passion of the loss of love, tragedy, drama and the sadness of war & conflict.

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet at the Garrick Theatre (2016)

For the 2016 year at the Garrick Theatre in London, an interpretation of Romeo and Juliet was performed with directors Kenneth Branagh and Rob Ashford. Rob Ashford was also the choreographer in this production. This interpretation got mixed reviews. The Guardian newspaper's, published in London, theatre critic Micheal Billington said that "The whole thing is done with a speed and vigour that ensures we are never bored;...." Another review from The Independent newspaper's Arts and Features writer Holly Williams, said that "The pair power through with appropriately teenage high drama, but the show never plumbs the full depths of tragedy." Despite mixed reviews, this interpretation of Romeo & Juliet was unique in its style and approach to the classic tale.

Romeo & Juliet Plays at The Garrick

Performance Summary

Richard Madden and Lily James played the star roles. The performance follows the same script of the original Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet but with some of the original lines cut and some added humor. The play though keeps to the same Shakespearean words and sayings. One added part for Juliet is that in Act 1 Scene 5 she sings a song at the party where Romeo sees her for the first time. The characters are kept the same as in the original play however, Mercutio is not a young man but a sarcastic and nicely dressed older guy. This creates an approach to the story where Mercutio is the loyal older friend. A person who speaks from experience and Romeo looks up to him for advice.

Dramatic Elements

The set and period the play is done in is 1950's Verona Italy. The men wear dark suits and the women wear petticoats.The main scenic design looks like a roman building with white marble columns and steps. The whole play keeps this main set and uses props & lighting to change scenes. The background music throughout the play is modern. Different kinds of passion can be shown throughout this interpenetration. The passion of love, war, conflict, fear and pain. There is a theme of darkness and light that is shown through the stage, lighting and characters, especially in the Romeo & Juliet death scene. The white light emphasizes Juliet's white gown is contrasted with Romeo's dark black suit. The supporting characters are given more notice and development. For example, the Nurse, according to actress Meera Syal in an interview, is portrayed as a comic caricature but is shown to be human and have great feelings towards Juliet who she considers as a daughter. Meera Syal portrays the Nurse in Garrick Theatre's Romeo & Juliet 2016 performance. The mood throughout the play changes from serious, to energetic, to passionate.

Overall Review

The message that this performance gives is that the story of Romeo & Juliet is timeless. Throughout the set, music, costumes and speech, the play doesn't stick with just a single time period. The play also gives the themes of different types of passion within love, war, conflict, fear and pain. For example, Romeo speaks with two different types of passionate love for Rosaline and for Juilet. He says about Rosaline in Act 1, Scene 1 with a boyish love:

""...O, she is rich in beauty, only poor"
"That, when she dies, with beauty dies her store.""

Then says about Juliet in Act 1, Scene 5 in a starstruck passionate love:

"...Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight,
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."

Section 2: Deliverable

Comparing both interpretations helps with finding the message of Shakespeare that still lives on today. The most obvious comparison to start with are the differences in performance & dramatic elements. The differences in these adaptations expand from how characters are portrayed to how the sets were designed differently. After finding the differences, then the similarities where the message of Shakespeare lives on can be found.

The Differences

Performance

Balcony Scene from Gounod's Romeo & Juliet (1867)

Both of the performance executions for each interpretation are very different. That alone could be explained by the fact that they were done in different time periods and different places. However, in the 1867 interpretation the performance is written entirely as an french opera. All of the words are sung and even though most of the original Shakespearean writing is kept, a lot of lines for the performance were newly written just for this interpretation. For example, in the original script of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, Juliet speaks this beautiful speech on the balcony from Act 2, Scene 2:
"Ah me!

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.".

However, in the same setting in the opera Juliet sings in french (Act 1, Scene 2):
"Ah me! - And still I love him!
Romeo, why art thou Romeo?
Doff then thy name, for't is no part,
My loof thee! What rose we call
By other name would smell as sweetly:
Thou'rt no foe, 'tis thy name!"

For comparison, the 2016 adaptation doesn't have a big change from the original lines from the Shakespeare script. For example, the same part (Act 2 Scene 2) Juliet lines in the 2016 adaptation are:
""Ay me!"

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name.
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy.
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.".


As shown, the big change is only the punctuation. Another point of difference that is found when comparing the opera and the 1950's style adaptations are the roles of the supporting characters. The opera in 1867 has only 10 supporting characters besides Romeo & Juliet. The chorus and background non speaking cast are not counted. The supporting characters in this adaptaion, which the exception of the Friar Lawrence and Mercutio, are not given great emphasis on their growth in character throughout the story. Unlike the main characters Romeo & Juliet. In the 2016 version, there are 18 supporting characters with speaking roles including the main two characters. These characters are also given the opportunity in the play to have human characteristics and to grow in virtue or in hate depending on the character. More emphasis in supporting characters is given in the 2016 interpretation then the 1867 interpretation.

After looking at the different performance techniques for each adaptation, we now look at the different dramatic techniques.

Dramatic Elements

Scene from a 1994 performance of Romeo and Juliet

The two interpretations both use very different dramatic elements. To start is style for each, the 1867 interpretation is an opera in 16th century Verona. The music & singing is a vital role in character communication & the story plot. Music is the main component in delivering the mood, theme and style. In the 2016 interpretation, music is used to set the mood but regular speaking is main form of communication. Elaborating & empathizing the spoken words creates the mood, theme and style of the performance.

The costuming styles are not the same for each of these adaptations. The men and women in the 2016 interpretation are in 1950's style wear. Whereas, in the 1867 opera all of the characters are in Shakespearean style clothing. Romeo and Juliet in the 2016 adaptaion where contrasting cloths of black and white. The scenery places for each are both in Italy but, the 2016 set design looks more like a roman marble palace which helps in setting the contract of darkness & light that the creator and directors wanted to portray. The 1867 opera set design was Verona Italy in the 16th century with a fancy dance parlor, balcony and tomb. The mood lighting is also different in both interpretations. For the 2016 play, lighting gives the contrast of darkness vs light as shown in Romeo & Juliet's clothing. Whereas, in the 1867 opera, lighting & costumes are chosen just to tell the story not to give contrast or symbolism.

The Similarities

Overall, what has been said have been the differences in the adaptations. What was found was many different dramatic elements and styles that were used to tell the same story. What is interesting though is that despite the obvious differences, both interpretations do give the same message through their performances of fear, love, anger, loss, and death. To prove the point, we need to look at the similarities in the performance style and dramatic elements.

Performance

Despite the different time periods, clothing & performance differences, the interpretations have many similar performance styles and qualities that are used. Besides being performed in London, both plays still keep most of the original Shakespearean wording and the overall message. Lets go back to the example as before when Juliet speaks from the balcony. In the original balcony scene from Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2), Juliet speaks these words:
"Ah me!

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?

William Faversham & Maud Adams in Romeo and Juliet, Empire Theatre, Broadway (1899)

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.".

Now what the message Juliet is trying to get across? She is calling out in search for Romeo. She then asks him to turn his back on his kin (prejudice and spite for her family). Juliet then says that hers and Romeo's names as meaning their family names are their enemies.She tells herself that names are just names. Names should not keep them apart since a "rose by any other name would smell as sweet?"

The opera still gives the same message above. What changes is the wording and delivery. In Act 1 Scene 2, Juliet conveys the message in french:

"Ah me!-And still I love him!
Romeo, why art thou Romeo?
Doff then thy name, for't is no part,
My loof thee! What rose we call
By other name would smell as sweetly:
Thou'rt no foe, 'tis thy name!"

What is the translation in this speech? Juliet still calls out for her Romeo and that she loves him. Juliet then asks Romeo to turn back on his name (family prejudice and spite) for names are just one part. Would a rose with any other name smell sweetly? She ends with stating that Romeo the person is not the enemy the name Romeo Montague is. This wording still conveys the message that Shakespeare originally wrote for Juliet in this scene. In the 2016 adaptation, as shown in the differences section of this page, the original Shakespeare script and wording is kept as in this scene. Punctuation is the only difference.

Another similarity we find is that the supporting characters in both plays still keep the same character roles & personalities despite the difference in importance between the adaptions. For example Mercutio, is still portrayed as the friend and companion to Romeo. The interpretations give importance to his character growth and development for since he is a major plot changer. The two interpretations don't change the way the characters interact with Romeo & Juliet either.

Performance similarity is important to the message that Shakespeare wanted to convey when he wrote Romeo & Juliet, however as important as performance is style and dramatic elements need to be looked at also.

Dramatic Elements

The 2016 and 1867 interpretations are both set in Verona, Italy. Both adaptations have the main plot settings that are needed for the story line: a balcony, grave, Juliet's bedroom and dance floor. Both versions have music that help with portraying the mood and style of the performance. The costumes for Romeo and Juliet for both performances are different but also similar in the way that they show personalities of Romeo and Juliet. For example, Juliet's dresses in both plays are kept light and innocent. Whereas Romeo's costumes are kept masculine and strong. In the 2016 adaptaion, Juliet's light costume contracts Romeo's dark one.

The big similarity that can be found in these performances are the mood and theme. The mood found in both interpretations are the different passions of love, war, conflict, fear and pain. Despite interpreting the play differently, both plays come to this same theme portrayal. Through the opera, words and music bring this mood to life as true as in the 2016 interpretation. This theme for the play comes out as the highlight and takeaway for both interpretations. If we look back to the inspirations of Romeo & Juliet, we find the same theme in them: loss, war, love, and pain. This then must be the message that Shakespeare wanted to give when writing Romeo & Juliet.

Conclusion

What is the message from Romeo & Juliet? That love conjurers all despite human folly. That human conflict and wars are wrong in their conquest for justice.That love is the most important thing in the world. Those sayings come from the mood and theme that is portrayed from both interpretations. Despite the many differences in performance style and dramatic elements, both interpretations still portrayed the same message. Going back to the original story and inspiration, Shakespeare was someone who was against conflicts and the wars going on. He was a romantic who wanted to make people happy. He was a writer who wrote every play for a purpose. This story as is shows gives great lessons and messages for anyone in any time period. That is why the message still lives on. Through different interpretations through different time periods, the message of the pain of conflict and passion for love still stays strong.

There are so many more interpretations that could not have been looked at. For example, the Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet or Macbeth could also be used to find other messages Shakespeare wanted to convey. To compare a movie or other Shakespeare play interpretations would also be a great research direction.

Overall Shakespeare's message still lives on and it continues to grown through new and different interpretations.

External Links

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Image Gallery

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  Romeo and Juliet on the balcony (1886) by Julius Kronberg

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  Romeo and Juliet balcony scene (1884) by Frank Dicksee

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  Romeo and Juliet by Francesco Hayez, (1823)

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  Press Illustration of 3rd Act (1867)

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  Balcony Scene from Gounod's Romeo & Juliet (1867)

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  Romeo & Juliet Plays at The Garrick

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  Scene from a 1994 performance of Romeo and Juliet

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  William Faversham & Maud Adams in Romeo and Juliet, Empire Theatre, Broadway (1899)