Similarities Between Romeo And Juliet

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1. Shakespeare’s protagonist (Romeo) is presented as lovesick and wallowing in self-pity. In Act 1 Scene 4, he is still lovelorn over Rosaline. Romeo: “Under love’s heavy burden do I sink”. Romeo is blaming love for his melancholy state rather than Rosaline which suggests he has been hurt by love, and is therefore more in love with the concept of love than with Rosaline. This phrase can also be ambiguous and could possibly be an omen suggesting that will “sink” due to his love being “heavy, meaning that Romeo’s deadly downfall may be as a result of the intensity and depth of his love. When Mercutio insists that Romeo dances, Romeo refuses, replying, “You have dancing shoes with nimble soles. I have a soul of lead”. Romeo’s use of personification and oxymoron exaggerate Mercutio’s dancing talent. When he personifies Mercutio’s shoes, he exaggerates Mercutio’s dancing, suggesting that it’s so wonderful, that a normal person would need magic shoes to dance…show more content…
Similarly, in Baz Luhrmann’s interpretation, Romeo is presented as melancholy and heart broken. Several close-up shots of Romeo’s facial expression reveal the pained look in his face, as if he’s fragile and about to break. Romeo’s voice is unstable which suggests he is agony, particularly as he speaks of love. Romeo is wearing a pale silver colour which differentiates him from the other attendees and suggests innocence. Mercutio, on the other hand is dressed eccentrically as a drag queen, making him stand out in the crowd. He is constantly smiling and laughing as he dances about, trying to amuse both Romeo and the audience. Mercutio is not only dressed as a drag queen but also acts like a drama queen, which demonstrates Mercutio’s demanding and persistent character, traits that he carries with him to his grave. Equally, within the play and the film, Mercutio is shown as amusing as he attempts to cheer up Romeo, who is shown as a lost cause. This shows the lengths Mercutio would go to, just to cheer up his
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