Sex and Violence in Romeo and Juliet

I fear this solely a dream, too sweet to be substantial, are the emollient words uttered from star-crossed spangrs caught in the chaotic instability that permeates Franco Zeffirillis Romeo and Juliet (1968), Baz Lurmans Romeo + Juliet (1996), and John Maddens Shakespear and Love (1998). Although there are significant differences in each movies portrayal of Juliet and her Romeo, they accurately depict Freuds ideas concerning tell apart and mankind cristaldencies. In The Einstein-Freud Correspondence, Freud explains that in nature, ferocity rules everywhere.Einstein questions mankinds lust for destruction and Freud affirms that man has two basic instincts sex and military force. The constant state of instability and ill allow for mingled with humankind in nature makes peace unavoidable. In the case of Romeo and Juliet, esteem can enterprise to rebel against the specter of war, but it is always beaten down. Tragically, Romeo and Juliets delight in is inextricably entwined w ith the pugnacity that plagues their feuding families.both Romeo and Juliet try to fight the hostility with love, but all psychical acts (according to Freud) occur in an atmosphere of bashfulness, and the stress between singles impulses, and what company will allow, shits an unavoidable instability. Each movie is an interesting reading of Shakespeares masterpiece however, Zeffirillis Romeo and Juliet is the lift out representation of trustworthy love and human tendencies. Though extremely witty and entertaining, Maddens Shakespeare in Love does not represent professedly love and human nature.One of Maddens central devices is to create a background of events, large and small, drawn from go away Shakespeares daily life. For example, in the brusking horizons Madden shows Will strolling through town hearing lines sh step forwarded out from town criers much(prenominal) as a plague on both your houses Moreover, Madden poses Will as at a loss for inspiration. Hence, William gets the foundations of his next play (Romeo and Juliet) from a chance encounter with a refer poet. Maddens use of time and space is key to the progression of Wills character.The events in the queens quarters, the tensions between the two playhouses, and the auditions for Wills new play pay back up the meeting for the beautiful Viola. Madden creates a real narrative outside the realm of the story of Romeo and Juliet which explains how the masterpiece came to be. For example, the battle between two playhouses, The Rose and The Curtain, is commuteed into the feud between the two noble houses of Montague and Capulet in imaginary Verona. An another(prenominal) interesting theme is the idea of chaos.In numerous moments it seems all will be lost, but as Henslow says several times when asked how everything will work it, he answers, I dont know, its a mystery. Among the chaos, Wills love and inspiration for fair Viola is the fuel that keeps the go over burning. In other words, Romeo a nd Juliets modern adapters direct the spectators attention to what might have been the inspiration for Shakespeares work. Nevertheless, with love, uprises violence (as mentioned above). What produces the lovers calamity is the depth of their feelings.The truth is, even in a world built on such unfavorable foundations, it should take much more to destroy love. Williams and Violas love, on the other hand, is not the best testament to true love. It proves much weaker than the civilization. In the closing scenes, the queen decrees Viola emerge with her husband. Society succeeds in oppressing their love without resistance. If their love were true, they would fight with every last breath to be together. Lurhmans Romeo + Juliet, like Maddens Shakespeare and Love, falls short of true love as well.Unlike Zeffirilli, Lurhman set out with the intention of making a modern day Romeo and Juliet with great success. He plays brilliantly with love in coition to time and nature. He toys with time in the opening gang warfare scene, compete the typical montage introduction of the players through a series of speedy zooms that isolate, in turn, the important characters on screen. His use of color and chaos is perfectly representative of Freuds ideas concerning constant instability. Not only that, but his choice in music creates dramatic setting.The movie itself has numerous speed-up moments but is slowed down in fault describeing scenes to allow informants to soak up every bit of information. For example, the fight scene is particularly profound. elegant music backs the th low, clouds, and darkness that envelope the screen as Mercutio dies. It is a perfect example of nature culmination in and playing a role in the movie. Lurhman does an amazing job with his timing because he allows the viewer to slow down and soak every drop of the scene. One of the most important misreadings of Romeo + Juliet occurs during Mercutios fagot Mab speech.Normally interpreted as the drunken im provisation of a jesting wit in relation to dreams, here Mercutio is speaking about the do drugs ecstasy. Playing to modern times, Lurhman has Romeo take the ecstasy before gallery to the Capulet ball. The meeting scene between Romeo and Juliet is thus overshadowed by the fact that Romeo has just taken a drug that inspires enormous amounts of pleasure. Consequently, the implication is that the relationship is founded on artificial feelings. One could argue that Romeo washes away the effects of the drugs in the sink prior to the Juliet-aquarium meeting, but ecstasy does not wear off that easily.True, the rest of the movie h rares closely to the love tragedy that is Romeo and Juliet, but the drug-induced meeting is questionable in terms of true love. Finally, Zeffirillis old Romeo and Juliet is the best example of true love and human nature. Not to mention the style, dialogue, setting, costumes, and music in Zeffirillis version are closely related to the themes and feel of Shakespe ares famous play. From the opening scenes, the viewer is taken into the old world and shown the incredible violence and resentment between the two houses.Within the first ten minutes, the viewers are given a picture of the impermeable violence similar to that which Einstein wished to weaken in his correspondence with Freud. Perhaps love could settle the inherent violence that permeates human nature? In the case of Romeo and Juliet, there love cannot, but it is pure and true. The meeting scene between the lovers is one of despotic beauty. Romeos playful pursuit of Juliet is simple, yet elegant. The scene commences at the beginning of a serene margin call by a boy (incredible choice by Zeffirilli) leading up to the first act of aggression Romeos hand touching Juliets.Although their love is forbidden by their family names, it continues to grow. Unfortunately, their time and space is contain and the constraint on their bond is too great. Their suffering is due to the fact that they do not understand what love can accomplish. Instead of uniting the families, they cause a fresh slice in an already open wound. However, the reason they never progress and mature in their love is because of the tragedies of civilization and the violence inherent in it (as mentioned above). Hatred among men rages without restraint, and for Romeo, it causes him to kill Tybalt, a newly made family member.Censored wishes of the Id arise up and transform Romeo when he says, Take back the villain that thou gavest me, for fire, fury be my conduct now The acquit and eventual plot to unite the forbidden lovers is thwarted again by time and space. Zeffirillis final scenes are wet with tragedy as Romeo passes the donkey on horseback, which has the letter explaining the fathers plan. Finally, Romeo is unavailing to live without his Juliet because his love for her is something more. She is a part of him and without her he has no reason to continue breathing.The sum of one lovers bliss is rel iant on the life of his love. If he or she is dead and their love is true, then the lover has no choice but death. Both Einstein and Freud would agree that the Montagues and Capulets (in Zeffirillis and Lurmans masterpieces) represent civilization and human kinds natural form of aggressiveness. Juliet remarks after the potent love-at-first-sight scene in Romeo and Juliet, my only love sprung from my only hate. The brilliance of the two lovers story is the ancient hatred between their families.Conversely, the tragedy of them is that love connects the characters no more to happiness than it does to sorrow, turmoil and murder. Unfortunately, the two young lovers live under the illusion of physical freedom from the duties and constraints of their families/civilization. The hatred between the Montagues and Capulets is deep-rooted and rages on without restraint (much like society today). Romeo and Juliets love is eloquent and passionate but without solidity. It cannot hope to combat the aggression plaguing them.Freud states, love isbest understood clinically as a response to stimuli (Freud, 524). The issue is that the stimuli are too short lived. However, what is true love? It is the perpetual question that echoes through the corridors of time with answers always varying. Yet love has a correspondence with time. The way it begins, takes shape, and changes is relative to time and space. In each of the movies, the time and space of Romeo and Juliets love is visualised in the background as apposed to the foreground. The visuals, music, and emotion strike at the subconscious, leaving the viewer in awe.Madden, Lurhman, and Zeffirilli create masterpieces that people desire and want to see. In conclusion, Freud would argue the lovers must understand that human consciousness exists in perpetual tension and instability. Not only that, but true love offers complete happiness to the lovers. In his lectures, Freud gives a poem from Goeths Westostlicher Diwan as an example of real love So it is held, so well may be But down a different track I come Of all the bliss on earth hold for me I in Zuleika find the sum (Freud, 520). The lovers find the sum of all bliss in each other if their love is true.However, the power and sum of their love does not mean it can combat the nature of violence and society. Each film, respectively, depicts Freuds ideas on true love and human nature. Though, human nature can be redefined as violence and aggression. Freedom is limited in each one of the Shakespearean films because the tension between ones impulses and what society will allow creates an inevitable instability. Both Einstein and Freud would agree that try as the fiery lovers might, nature and violence of the instilled houses of Verona will stop there love from flourishing into something greater.