the overview:
Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrmann, two revolutionary directors of their time, showcased their expertise in their film adaptations of Shakespeare's classic love story Romeo and Juliet. Although audiences praised their work, critics found reason to berate the films. Critics found fault with Zeffirelli for casting a voluptuous, 15-year old Olivia Hussey to play the part of 13-and-a-half year-old Juliet. Critics viewed Luhrmann's setting, Verona Beach, and its cast of colorful characters (including a cross-dressing Mercutio, played by Harold Perrineau) as too far removed from the dusty, hot streets of Medeival Verona, Italy. Although both directors took creative liberties with Shakespeare's play, including re-arranging or deleting scenes, removing or adapting characters, and editing lines or stage directions, they share a similarity: both men felt a need to present a beautiful story to an audience in a way which could be understood, and for this, they deserve praise.
the assignment:
We will think about and respond to the two film adaptations of Romeo and Juliet. Unlike previous writings, we will not create an outline or a rough draft, although I will offer to proofread/correct rough copies before the final is due. And unlike the other essays, this one will also be significantly shorter (500 words in length). No title page will be necessary. Include a MLA heading on the top, left corner of your paper and a title, centered, below the heading. Start your paper on the next line. And, as always, double-space, whether hand-written or typed. This essay is due on Wednesday, November 22.
No more than 1/3 of your sentences should contain "be" verbs. Do not include 1st or 2nd person pronouns in this piece. Eliminate statements such as "I think" or "I believe." Never write "In this paper I will tell you" or "In this paper you will find." Papers with statements of this manner will be returned, ungraded, for correction. As Honors students, you should be beyond this type of vocabulary / word usage.
In a true compare/contrast paper, you should have four paragraphs. Start with an introduction, complete with attention getter, background information, and thesis statement. If I wrote about both entire movies, I'd write a thesis statement like the one below. Remember, a thesis statement tells the subject of my entire paper. My goal is to compare and contrast the two movies; therefore, I must mention comparing and contrasting, similarities and differences, or some other terminology related to this concept, in my thesis statement.Although both directors took creative liberties with Shakespeare's play,
including re-arranging or deleting scenes, removing or adapting characters, and
editing lines or stage directions, they share a similarity: both men felt a need
to present a beautiful story to an audience in a way which could be
understood, and for this, they deserve praise.
My paper will follow the order of my thesis. If I mention differences first, my first body paragraph must be about the differences between both movies. A compare / contrast essay CANNOT contain a paragraph about one topic and a separate paragraph about another. You must include both topics in both body paragraphs.
You should include direct quotes from the play in this essay. You will need at least one quote from your scene in each of the two body paragraphs. Look at the example below.
"Where be these enemies? Capulet! Montague! / See what a scourge is laid upon
your hate, / that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love" (RJ 5.3.291-293).
As with all formal writings, include your word count at the end of your essay. To review my requirements for formal writings, visit the link below: http://english9h.blogspot.com/2006/08/format-of-formal-writings.html
the content:
Concentrate on one of three scenes: the balcony scene (Act 2, scene 2); Juliet and the Nurse's scene (Act 2, scene 5); or the fight scene (Act 3, scene 1).
extra help:
As always, if you feel like you need help beyond what is available in the classroom, I will be available before school 7:00-7:30 and after school until 4:30. I also check my email daily and may provide assistance this way as well. I cannot provide assistance if you do not ask; claiming to "not understand" an assignment and not asking for help is inexcusable. If you do not ask for help I will assume you understand the assignment and plan to turn it in, completed, on the due date. Again, this assignment will NOT be accepted late, so plan appropriately.
the value:
mini compare/contrast essay, including work cited page -- 100 points
work cited:
A work cited page must contain the resources cited in the essay. Look at the examples below for help. Remember, you must hang indent your entry. Also include the words Work Cited, centered, before the entry.
English office copy:
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1994.
No Fear Shakespeare:
Shakespeare, William. No Fear Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet. New York: Spark Notes, 2003.
Simply Shakespeare:
Shakespeare, William. Simply Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet. Hauppauge: Barron's Educational Series, 2002.
Cliff's Complete:
Shakespeare, William. Cliff's Complete: Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. New York: Hungry Minds, 2000.
resources:
Romeo and Juliet Trailer, Cast, Movies -- New York Times
http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=42021
Wikipedia Entry: Franco Zephirelli
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco_Zeffirelli
Wikipedia Entry: Romeo+Juliet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet_(1996_film)
Wikipedia Entry: Baz Luhrmann
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baz_Luhrmann
Indiana State Academic Standards met by this project: 9.1.2, 9.3.2, 9.3.3, 9.3.4, 9.3.5, 9.3.8, 9.4.1, 9.4.2, 9.4.3, 9.4.13, 9.4.5, 9.4.6, 9.4.7, 9.4.8, 9.4.10, 9.4.11, 9.4.12, 9.5.2, 9.5.3, 9.5.7, 9.5.8, 9.6.1, 9.6.2, 9.6.3, 9.6.4, 9.7.7, 9.7.8, 9.7.10, 9.7.13
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