Romeo And Juliet: What Is A Youth?

1622 Words7 Pages
Romeo and Juliet: What is a Youth? There are many classic romances and love stories that have been popular though out time. Easily, many can name off modern romances such as The Notebook, Titanic, or When Harry Met Sally. Above all others, Romeo and Juliet will come to mind when someone mentions the word love story. Luckily, like other love stories, Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, was released for audiences to view and enjoy in 1968. The film does a great job bringing the play to life. The main characters, Romeo and Juliet, were casted at a similar age of as the play intended. Plus, the wardrobe of the characters matched the time period when the play was written, causing the film to be true to its time. The…show more content…
By doing so, Zeffirelli is implying to viewers that there is significance to what the music is going share. Yet to present Romeo and Juliet in the scene, the performer sings, “What is a youth? Impetuous fire. What is a maid? Ice and desire. The world wags on. A rose will bloom, it then will fade, so does a youth. So does the fairest maid” (Zeffirelli, Romeo and Juliet). Within the song, the first question asks, what is being young? Though, viewers quickly get the answer that nothing endures forever. Therefore, the few lines foreshadow what Romeo and Juliet will share together. Hence, the word rose represents love while youth and maid stand for a young boy and girl. In all, the song resembles the young love that is about to bud between Romeo and Juliet. Professor Malone, and educator adds, “The song fits in well with what the play presents: that even a love as deep and passionate as that of our two 'star-crossed lovers' has an end, whether through tragic circumstance or choice” (Malone 1). Therefore, Zeffirelli strategically picks this music to show how Romeo and Juliet will only have young love and in the end, die. As the scene goes on, the music will continue to impact the attitude of both the viewers and…show more content…
Then, Zeffirelli has an extreme close-up of Juliet’s eyes. During this extreme close-up, Juliet’s eyes slowly close and open to show the pure desire and pleasure she is getting out of Romeo confessing his passion towards her. Though, her eyes only close when Romeo mentions his lips. Therefore, Zeffirelli is revealing that Juliet is as hopeless to meet Romeo as he is to meet her. Just as Romeo is going to kiss Juliet’s hand she pulls it away. The camera cuts to Juliet about to be angry but she finds herself looking down at Romeo on his knees. The slightly high angle creates the sense of ease in the scene. Then, the background music of “What is a Youth” amplifies. The music gets louder to intensify the moment of love at first sight. Zeffirelli has the actors in complete awe as they first see each other because he wanted the feeling of love to be felt by the viewers. Furthermore, Juliet is drawn into the pillars to reveal to the audience that they both are together at
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