My group used a double monologue to help illustrate the similarities of Romeo and Juliet and the clear love that they have for each other. Both of the monologues used came from separate scenes where they talk about our love for each other without being heard by any other character, which shows that the two characters were speaking honestly about their feelings for one another. The double monologue my group used also benefits more than presenting the similarities between the two characters and their love for each other. It also helps directly relate the two very similar monologues that are included in two completely different acts and scenes in the original play to the audience to support the ideas about the common characteristics and strength of their love between the two characters. The double monologue also shows the short time span in which the play takes place, as it illuminates the majority of he unrelated action from being performed on stage typically in the play and converts it into off-stage activity that is mentioned infrequently during the double monologue. This is also supported by the three characters throughout the performance referencing the short amount of time that has taken place since Romeo married Juliet. The use of a double monologue in our performance provides extremely important support to the idea that Juliet is very similar to Romeo and they are deeply in love with each other.
The language used in our performance of the double monologue contributes to the ideas that Juliet is very in love with Romeo and they both has many different similarities between one another. Both characters' monologues used very similar ideas, such as the sky and its relationship to their significant other, like when Romeo describes Juliet in his monologue as "the sun [who] kill the envious moon," relating her beauty to the sun and that it is no compare to the moons (2.2.3-4). Juliet also says a similar line about Romeo in her monologue as she compares "when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun," as she describes Romeo as being more beautiful than the sun and would should be made into stars (3.2.22-27). These references to the sky helps support the idea that is presented throughout the play that Romeo and Juliet were destined to fall in love with each other and die, as Shakespeare often refers to them as "star crossed lovers." The idea that there are many different similarities between Romeo and Juliet and that they had a strong love for each other is supported in our performance by the language involved in the double monologue.
The body movements the performers did during the double monologue provides evidence to the idea that Romeo has many different things in common with Juliet and that they have a passionate love between them. When either Romeo or Juliet would say anything extremely important or related to the other character' dialogue, the person playing that character would say their lines louder and turn on the block where we were citing to face the audience. This put an emphasis on certain lines, such as when Juliet says "Think true love acted simple modesty./Come, night; come, Romeo; come, thou day in night;" about the idea that Juliet thinks that the true love she has for Romeo is not very ostentatious, but she is extremely excited to see Romeo (3.2.16-18). These lines also answer the previous lines Romeo said which he said in a louder voice and sat towards the audience, which was "The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars" about his option that Juliet is more beautiful than the sky (2.2.18-20) . This lines were "I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks," where Romeo thinks that Juliet is talking to him from her window, but realizes that she is not talking to him, which corresponds well to Juliet's other lines from this section of the scene. Both Bryn and I took pauses that were very important as they helped line up sections of dialogue from both characters. This allowed Romeo and Juliet to almost have a conversation using unrelated and unconnected . It also allowed Romeo and Juliet both talk about similar topics and ideas when they are not with the other or any one else. The body movements used by both of the actors in the double monologue also helps support Shakespeare's idea about gender roles and equality between men and women that he gives examples to throughout the play. This is because of the fact that Romeo and Juliet, as the body movements both the characters do is the same in our performance, despite the different gender that they both are.
The costumes used also played an important role in supporting the idea that Shakespeare created the Romeo and Juliet as very similar characters in our double monologue. Both Romeo and Juliet wore mostly red Medieval clothing to help illustrate the common traits that both characters share. However, Juliet's dress was a deeper shade of red and also had some gold scents to it. This was very different from Romeo, who wore a darker shade of red and black pants. The darker colors that Romeo reflects the idea that Juliet is a more innocent character than Romeo, as she has not killed anyone as Romeo has, which is what the later scenes performed centers around. This highlighted difference shows that despite this, their love for each other is so strong that it triumphed over the difficulties that they faced. The similar colors of their costuming being very different from the counselor's costume in the other scenes performed, who wore a white robe, shows the similarities in the traits that they have, versus the other characters throughout the play. The color schemes used for our portrayals of the characters' costuming supports Shakespeare representing Romeo and Juliet as very similar characters who are deeply in love.
The set pieces used in the double monologue is an example of an aide to show that Juliet is a similar character to Romeo. There was a rehearsal block used for the double monologue placed in the center. This divided the stage into two separate halves, one belonging to Romeo's scene with the convector and the other for Juliet's scene with him. This represented in another visual way the two characters' common traits, as on both of their sides the only set pieces used was one bed on each side that was an almost exact mirror image of one another. The set was also very minimal, which reflected the idea that Shakespeare presented throughout the play, that Verona is the center of the world for the characters and what they know. This fact becomes increasingly important in the later two scenes done and that it is especially prevalent in Romeo and Juliet's views with of the world. The ideas about Juliet have a deep connection with and many similar traits was sh,own by the set pieces that were used in my group's performance.
The use of a double monologue, the language involved in the double monologue, the body movements done by the two actors done in the double monologue, the costumes used for our performance and the set all reflect the idea that Juliet is very similar to Romeo and that they are each other's true love. This is extremely important to the play, because the strength of the love between its two main characters is the reason that it is so famous today. This is because their love allows them to connect to its audience, no matter the time or place where it is performed, as almost all people experience some type of love in their lives and the strength of the love that these two characters is what most people aspire to have in their own lives. The similarities between the two characters is also extremely important to the play, as Shakespeare uses it to explain the reason that their love is able to be as strong as it is. These two observations are then the reason that Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" will forever be known as the most famous play of all time.
Shakespeare, William, and Richard Hosley. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. New Haven: Yale UP, 1954. Print.
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