Synthèse Shakespeare revisited

Synthèse littérature anglaise

The theme I am going to deal with is “Characters and their transformation: Shakespeare revisited “. The term of transformation defines a profound and radical change which will lead the original work in a new direction. It implies a change of characters, places, time or the way of writing for example which will have little resemblances with its origin.

Romeo and Juliet is an early tragedy by William Shakespeare about 2 teenagers whose “untimely deaths” ultimately unite their founding households. This play was first published in 1597. McBeth is another tragedy by William Shakespeare. It takes place in Scotland in the Middle-Age and redraw in a very fictionalized way the reign of McBeth. This work was published in 1623. The question I wondered is: Exploring or exploding the canon? First of all, I’m going to compare the Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare to West Side Story by Arthur Laurents then compare it to the movie “Romeo + Juliet” by Baz Luhrmann. Finally, I will compare McBeth by Shakespeare to “The Thane’s daughter” by Mary Cowden Clarke.

A) Comparison between Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story

1) Similarities

→ Repetitions and rhymes (light, bright)

→ Lexical fields of time (night, tonight)/ of night (dream, sleep)

→ Presence of natural elements : Romeo and Juliet (water, air, earth)/ West Side Story (sun, fire, earth, air)

2) Differences

→ New time period and location : Manhattan/street

→ Less idyllic place that the bucolic location of the orchard

→ Change of language corresponding to the period

→ Change of characters and names

→ Social differences, ethnic states à father has more authority

→ Metaphors: Romeo and Juliet: “This but of love, summer’s ripening breath”/ West Side Story: “All the world is only you and me.”

3) Is West Side Story exploring or exploding Romeo and Juliet?

→ It remains quite close to Shakespeare’s play in terms of action, rhymes and themes

→ 2 opposite families, 2 communities, 2 religions, 2 economic status

→ West Side Story is an exploration à similarities : - both make protagonists climb a wall/stairs to meet their beloved/ Same passion : fire escape represents the mixture of passion and danger present in the original play

B) Comparison between Romeo and Juliet and the movie Romeo + Juliet

1) Romeo and Juliet

→ Realist aspect

→ Romantic atmosphere

→ Classic version

2) Romeo + Juliet

→ Romantic atmosphere + western atmosphere à parody

→ Parodic impression thanks to the music of western spaghetti

→ Modern vision (guns, cars, petrol pump at the beginning)

3) Exploring or exploding the canon?

→ Luhrmann pull in numerous references to recent pop culture

→ Both Shakespeare and Luhrmann endeavor to delight their audiences with beautiful costumes and familiar music, and to teach them with the basic moral precepts inherent in the story

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