Blog 13: Questions the hard

The novel My love my love of the peasant girl is similar, or have some kinds of connection with the fairy tale little mermaids. In the end of the little mermaids, the witch who traded the little mermaid with beautiful voice to human legs, told her that if she uses a knife to kill the prince, and let the blood flow, then she can go back to her palace deep in the ocean, and forget about everything that hurt herself.  She didn't. She loves the prince, and she doesn't even dare to think to hurt him. So does the same in this novel. The gods, play the similar role as the witch does. They are all magical and powerful. After Ti moune found out that Daniel "betrayed" her and he falls in love with another girl, her heart was broken. Then the gods, specifically Agwe and Papage gave her a shinning blade, and told her to kill Daniel. "Here, take this knife. Strike hard, strike deep. Let his blood flow heavy. Let it run down the sides of mountains. Let it spread over the land. He has betrayed you -- betrayed us all. Only then will the gods be assuaged." (Page 115, Chapter 15)She couldn't make that decision, but that was a trick made by Papage. and Lucifus, who was the god Papage throw her out. After she went outside, she still did not want to leave. She still wanted to have some chances to come back. But when Daniel came through, he did not recognize her, as usual. It's just like he never put Ti moune in his heart, but just a funny little girl, a friend or even a pet. Then she went in the city, soulless. The ending for her is coming closely too. She died, in the crowd of people. Then, something pure and beautiful comes out. "Suddenly,  swarms of papillons appeared on the hill. They winged over the crowd-- big, beautiful butterflies hit against the heads, the mouths, the eyes of peasants, policemen and guests." (Page 167, Chapter 16) Just like the bubbles when the little mermaid dies and changes into. Again, her ending of her beautiful life is just like the falling leaves. They are red, shinny red, falling down from the sky, and that red burn people eyes by its pureness and faith. 

I think this novel tries to tell us that in some way, everything we do and when we make decisions, we are trading and exchanging. Especially when it comes to the topic of extreme love, just like the last reading we did, Romeo and Juliet. They make their decisions to fall in love, and try their best even go through death as the only ending. So does the same with Desiree. She used to be a simple, pure peasant girl from a small village in an island. But when she met Daniel when he was in the car accident, her desire comes out. Her desire to have different life, to be rich, to be married with that stranger Daniel, the white horse prince of her. But one's desire is just like the Pandora's box. Once it opens, it never ends, unless the payment with death. So it's Ti moune's decision. She chooses to take advantage to the outside world, which just like the lyrics from the musical, "A fish swim in the land". 

4 Provoking questions

1. What difficulties are Ti Moune and Daniel facing in their relationship?

2. Do you think the gods in this novel really exist? Why?

3. What are the inside desires of Ti moune?

4. Why Ti moune fall in love with the stranger so fast? Why? 

My love my love is...

My love my love is a kind of realistically romantic book. It is related, or linked with the little mermaid, with the similar idea the plot from the novel. It is always sighing the depress of funny destiny, poor young cinderella falls in love with a handsome prince with white horse. But the difference is, the prince does not seem like that he falls in love with the girl in a same way. This book let walk through the inner world of a poor peasant girl, taste every shake from her heart. 

If you let me to mention and introduce my favorite chapter,  it must be the Forth chapter. Although I have only read not much from the book, I still like the early chapters from the book, especially the parts when the story has just started. For example, I like the balcony scene from the play Romeo and Juliet because it is the start point of the love between Romeo and Juliet, and their first announcement of their relationship and feelings to each other. I would like to call it "the golden point".

The story of this book goes smoothly, so does the same of the feelings of the beautiful peasant girl to the handsome, rich stranger Daniel. Ti moune was taking care of the young stranger. It was from her first sight of him when he was in the car accident in front of the village. Although other peasants don't care about the stranger from the "outside" world, she still tries her best to take care of him. She told her aunt and uncle that she will not let this young man die, and she won't let the god of death Papage takes him away from her. "Mon Dieu! the healer said when she saw the leg, "What to do now? Even in big hospitals where they say miracles are worked man die of such wounds." "He must not die?" Desiree cried. (Page 39, Chapter 4) The uncle and aunt realized that the young man is unusual, to the peasant girl. 

For several days of taking care, Ti moune cares more and more of the stranger. He even smiles to her when he was awake from the unconscious! Now this man is like a treasure to her. But also a door to the outside world which she always wants to experience and have a look. When she saw the car and touched it, she feels unreal: The "modernized" machine that she has never touched! Everything special to her from the young man tells Ti moune: this stranger means the chance of her special new life. Just looked at his face, Ti moune likes him more and more. Until a day, she prays to the gods. "Agwe, you who are responsible for my life. Erzulie, mother of love. Have mercy. Drive this demon of death from my sight. I swear I shall give my soul for the life and happiness of my love -- my love!" (Page 47, Chapter 4) When I read through this, I was totally shocked. I didn't know that her love was so true, real and hard! Love comes too fast, just like the tornado. The tornado is blowing in her heart, just like the fire on grassland -- never ends. 

The performance of gods

The story of the book my love my love seems so completed even though most of the settings are all made up. Even  the gods of the peasants believe in their small village. There are four gods in total, and two of them are goddess. They are Asaka, the goddess of Earth, plants and Erzulie, the goddess of love. And the two gods who are male. Agwe, the god of ocean and Papage, the god of death. The male and the female god are opposite to each other, for example the goddess of Earth towards to the god of sea; the goddess of love towards to the god of death. 

For me if I will stage them into a play, I think I will make them look significantly. The goddess of earth Asaka should wear a long dress with green color on it. It represents earth, plants and lives and also the color of hope. The god of sea Agwe should wear a kind of ancient clothes with water blue color. It represents the deepness of the sea. It is also in every fairy tales. This "pair" of the two gods are the true and real origin of life and our plant. Every places can't leave without them. So they should always stand together, and have a kind of connection. Because there won't be land for human beings to live without water, and in another way there can't be sea without land or even islands for human beings to live with. When it relates to the story of the novel my love my love, although the island is in the sea, but it's still dry out of raining and water. So if both of the two gods and goddess don't have close relationship, people can't live well. So this is also another reason why the native people set them into different gender. 

The goddess of love Erzulie can wear the dress with either red or pink color. She should make up or dress either with live happiness or romantic and mature. She should be bright warm, kind, and hopeful. Then her "partner", Papage the god of death should be silent, cold, strict and hopeless. Just like the opposite of the goddess of love. Because love and death are always opposite in our society right? He should wear a full white robe, and bring a sickle with him. His face should be strict, no emotion on it. A scared, strange mask would make this better. He is doing his job every second, and judge human beings sins. The face of the god of death would be remembered in everyone's heart, deep inside, with the name of fear. Both of the god or goddess of love and death are the symbols of two ending point of our lives. One part is the reason why we have chance to come to this world: love. The birth of human being's life is the collection of love. But then it also brings us death, as the same time we have our life. 

Pics

Final Draft

Rough Draft

    Romeo and Juliet is a play that was written by Shakespeare in 1597. It is one of the most famous performance in this world, and also one of the most successful play of his products, just like Hamlet. It is about two young, star crossed lovers story. They were born in the ancient city of Verona, Italy. Their families are enemies for century, and I would like to describe it with a word that fits really well: "feud". They are the well known families "Montague and Capulet". This play is a tragic one, with a kind of bad ending as most of us think. But the purpose of our project is to make it funny. This is our way to make the adaption creative. We staged Romeo and Juliet as a comedy rather than a tragedy because modern audiences view the play as unrealistic. To show this, we modernized the setting, made the characters ridiculously funny, and used music to change the atmosphere of the play.

    The first scene that our group chose to act is the Act 1 Scene 5 of the play. This is the important scene that Romeo and Juliet first meet each other, and also one of the most important parts of the play. It brings up the story of the star crossed relationship, and begin the main story of the play. Shakespeare shows through his script that their first meeting is really impressive, magic and beautiful.  But this is not helping our modern audiences can understand their feeling well, or a silly can make it more "impressive". 

    In our group work, we decided to set it into a club. The background is really crowded, which makes our Romeo and Juliet "can't hear each other well". So they have to repeat couple of times.For example "Romeo.." "What?" "Romeo!" "I can't hear you! What?" This is the one way we make it funny. There are four members in our group, and the first meeting only required two actors for both Romeo and Juliet, so others will participate as the friends who come to the club with Romeo. I am one of them. Romeo and Juliet repeat the lines again and again, in a crowded club, with loud background club music. Juliet shakes Romeo, people are dancing, and Romeo's friend are making fun of Romeo. In the this scene, me and my partner of "the mess group" dance in the scene, and we encourage Romeo to go for Juliet, and we are happy about the the well-done of their "sweet first meeting". My partner and I are dancing with the background club music, and I am wearing a pair of sunglasses which is really helpful about the "club setting".  Due to the setting about modern era, Romeo as a modern teenager is flirting a little bit with Juliet. " O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do " from line 114, Act 1 Scene 5 of the play Romeo and Juliet. Teenagers have their way to show their "interests" of each other. The well known first meeting scene is adapted by us with the extremely funny atmosphere and performance, I believe that is helpful to let the performance make more sense for modern audiences.           

    The second scene that our group choose to act is the Act 2 Scene 2, as one of the most well known and classic scene of the play Romeo and Juliet. They have already known each other, and the seeds of love are growing in their young hearts. But they are not sure about each other's situation and thoughts. They are thinking about each other all day long, they are excited about the feeling of love, although this kind of love comes quickly and unexpectedly. Until one day, Juliet was standing on the top of the balcony in her house. She speaks alone, only to herself and the moonlight. She tells her feeling of Romeo, how she feels bad about their poor situation about their feuding families which is making their relationship become impossible. "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. What's in a name? Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title" from line 36-39, Act 2 Scene 2 of the play Romeo and Juliet. But she does not know that her young lover was just under the balcony, just under her feet. Romeo was encouraged and really excited about her words. His goddess comes to him at that night, and tells him that she already falls in love with him, a poor mortal. 

    In our group work, we decided to use the same set in the original play. But we will act to make it funny. There are three scenes that we are doing in total, and the four members of our group we have 3 boys and 1 girl. So the girl needs to act Juliet in the first two scenes, and our 3 boys are acting as Romeo one by one for each scene. Unfortunately I don't participate in this scene. But I believe my group is doing great enough even without me in this single scene. In the beginning of this scene, Juliet shows up on the "balcony" first, and acts creepy about Romeo. To be honest, when we try to make this adaption funny without changing the scripts from the original play, the best way we can do is testing our acting skills. Obviously our group actors are good at this. The girl acts creepy when she was alone and says about Romeo, but when Romeo comes up to the top of the balcony, she acts "shocked as hell", then she changes into a "goddess" again, but being sweet to Romeo. In this scene, Romeo is funny by the way he shows when he climbs up the balcony with funny actions. And then we play the music Mission Impossible during his "climbing action" to make the nervous atmosphere. He also acts super scared when nurse shouts Juliet's name (In this scene we didn't make anyone to act nurse but just shout from outside of the stage.) for example he falls every single when he hears the voice of nurse shouting. As oppositely, Juliet acts warm and soft compares with the beginning of the play the "creepy acts".  

    The final scene that our group choose to act is Act 3 Scene 1, as the one of the biggest turning point of the story in the play Romeo and Juliet. In this scene, the style of the play and the destiny of many characters in the play begin to change a lot, and it towards to the tragic ending directly. In this scene, Tybalt and Mercutio are about to fight with each other with blades. Under the background of the feud between the two families, and the event of Romeo came in the Capulet's family party. Romeo arrives and tries to stop the fight, therefore he comes into the fight. However, he blocks Mercutio and unexpectedly Tybalt stabs Mercutio and makes him died.  Then the young Romeo can not control his anger any more, he pick up the blade and fight with Tybalt. Finally and unfortunately he killed Tybalt. Then he ran away. In the early of the play, it is basically peaceful. The young teenager's love, the feud without blood. But this is the first time blood comes out in the play, and the two important characters for both of the two families died one by one. The feud of the family brings up into the highest place. And the judgement from the prince is hurtful, too. He is kind, instead of giving Romeo a death penalty, he gives Romeo banishment to leave the ancient city of Verona. But for Romeo, within his words, "so much worse that death." He has to live without his lover, which is he can't bear about. Then their dangerous plan comes out, and towards to the tragic ending: both Romeo and Juliet died, and they buried their life in the same tomb. So I see this scene as the most important turning point of the play. 

    In our group work, we decided to use blades to fight, which was the same setting in the original play. I am the Romeo this time. The point of comedy that we thought about is the secret weapon: Background music. We let Tybalt and Mercutio almost fight with each other in the beginning of the scene, the first part of the music that we chose is from the movie Crows Zero, it is the fighting and excited music. We played this music when the two boys are about to fight. Then me as Romeo comes in to the stage. I am there to stop the fight and conflict. Our group choose to find a lot of lines that let me to say them together to make it long and peaceful, just like the old professor is teaching high level maths class: the key word is boring. "Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting. Villain am I none. Therefore farewell.  I see thou knowest me not... " from line 63-66, Act 3 Scene 1 of the play Romeo and Juliet. When I was doing my "speech", the two boys who were about  to fight start to act really boring and sleepy, they couldn't stand well even, and fell down couple times. As the most important, our secret weapon background music, we choose one from Spongebob Squarepants, which is really slow and peaceful. The big differences make the scene very funny, we really had a hard time try not to laugh when we were practicing. So I believe this can bring the best feeling for our audiences also.  

    These are our jobs. The creative and unique way to make modern audiences understand. Nowadays, this play now represents the young, immature and impulsive lovers with tragic ending. It shows us about how the teenager's inner world about how they think and consider "love" in their life. I believe that the teenagers never change, even through centuries. If you don't believe it, come and watch our scenes, and you will have a little bit different ideas.  

 

Revising!

There are two magical words can make your work better: review and revise. Because as the first time, not everyone can do it well or good enough to stop looking at it again. So then it takes the time for revising. I believe that every single professional writer revise their literature production lots of times, then it becomes a classic one. So probably every time when there is an important work waiting for me to do it, I will try to revise it at least once, then I can avoid a lot of mistakes. After I know the more mistakes that I have made, the less of them I may make in the future. So it is really helpful I believe. 

The words that the teacher of writing center gave me are really helpful. First of all, without a long time of reading my essay, she just asked about a little bit details about my performance, then she pointed out one of the most important point, which is also my English teacher told me in class: Due to the major style of our play is trying to be funny, I have to describe more about how I acted, how I performed to be funny, and the details of staging about the funny part of the play. I find a feeling that the teachers who are really professional at writing may have the similar ideas of what is the soul, and what is the most important part of the play. 

Then it moves on to the grammar part. This is the worst part of my English I guess. First of all, is the tense part. Just a simple idea to follow in this essay: Make it all present tenses when I talk about the analyze part of the essay, and then use all past tense of the performance part of my work. It makes more sense and more clear of my essay when I correct these mistakes. Then one of the most serious problems comes in. I can't write my sentences in a correct way. It means when I start to write, the structure of my sentences are really complicated. She tells me a "secret", when I have to write an essay, read it out loud after I finish it. Then I may find out where and why the mistakes of my sentences. This is probably the better idea that I have ever heard of! Imaging that I can revise by myself without any others' help! It practices my spoken language I guess. I feel like now I am clear about what I have to do, and how to revise. Revising is also a serious work, and I believe after that I may get better grades that I have expected about.

The feelings of writing and literature needs more practice and more reading. All the skills take much more time than I think, but the results are excited. The writing skills may come just like the first rain of spring, someday or somehow, but never late or absent to come. 

Peter Pan!

This is the first play of this new year that I have watched this fall. The play is Peter Pan, about a magical boy and a girl with two little brothers' advantage. I have to say that this is one of the best play that I have watched ever. Or probably I may have the same comment after I watch any new play. They are getting better and better, and also the drama group always have new blood coming in. For example I saw my friend John attended and participated well in the play. I have a kind of hope for me to participate in drama. Because all the other members in the drama, the "professional actors" seemed too far away from me. I don't know much of them. But a friend of me who I know a little bit more adapted from the "new environment and land" for performing. 

As a surprise, I never heard of the story of Peter Pan before. Before I came to watch the play, I asked several people about the story of Peter Pan. They all have the same kind of reaction: "Really? Not kidding you have never heard of Peter Pan? The flying little boy? Oh my god you don't have a childhood." Well, probably yes I don't have a kind of real childhood, because my childhood was spent in the force of learning Chinese traditional culture from the pressure of my mum. I am not interested about  the fairy tale story. But to be honest, I still would like to talk about the play because I like the way that our drama actors played it. There are two parts of the play as usual, but it is the first time I have ever seen that same group of actors performed two different characters in the different setting of the play. For example the poor mother acted Captain of the Pirate and the father acted a friend of Peter Pan. They showed their totally different, or opposite characteristics compares to their original character that they have performed earlier. I believe this is so much harder to figure out and also takes a lot of practice for them to adapt the feeling of a higher level of performing I guess. 

I really love the way their perfect participation there. Although I don't really know how to "taste" a play, but I was really getting in the play and I enjoy the atmosphere. I believe that I can learn from them and get better in the Literature and Performance class, at least the part of participation and trying hard.

                                                  (The Poter on the knee) 

      

Rough Draft

Romeo and Juliet is a play that was written by Shakespeare in 1597. It is one of the most famous play in this world, and also one of the most successful play of his products, just like Hamlet. It is about two young, star crossed lovers story. They were born in the ancient city of Verona, Italy. Their families are enemies for century, and I would like to describe it with a word that fits really well, "feud". They are the well known families "Montague and Capulet". This play is a tragic one, with a kind of bad ending as most of us think. But our purpose is to make it funny. This is our way to make the adaption creative. We staged Romeo and Juliet as a comedy rather than a tragedy because modern audiences view the play as unrealistic. To show this, we modernized the setting, made the characters ridiculously funny, and used music to change the atmosphere of the play.

The first scene that our group choose to act is the Act 1 Scene 5 of the play. This is the important scene that Romeo and Juliet first meet each other, and also one of the most important parts of the play. It brings up the story of the star crossed relationship, and begin the main story of the play. Shakespeare must try a lot to find a way to show that their first meet is really impressive, magic and beautiful.  But we don't believe that is helping our modern audiences can understand their feeling well, or a silly can make it more "impressive". 

In our group work, we decided to set it into a club. The background is really crowded, which makes our Romeo and Juliet "can't hear each other well". So they have to repeat couple of times. This is the one way we make it funny. There are four members in our group, and the first meeting only required two actors for both Romeo and Juliet, so others will participate as the friends who come to the club with Romeo. I am one of them. Romeo and Juliet repeat the lines again and again, in a crowded club, with loud background club music. Juliet shakes Romeo, people are dancing, and Romeo's friend are making fun of Romeo. In the this scene, me and my partner of "the messing group" dance in the scene, and we encourage Romeo to go for Juliet, and we are happy about the the well-done of their "sweet first meeting". My partner and I are dancing with the background club music, and I am wearing a pair of sunglasses which is really helpful about the "club setting".  Due to the setting about modern era, Romeo as a modern teenager is flirting a little bit with Juliet. " O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do " from line 114, Act 1 Scene 5 of the play Romeo and Juliet. Teenagers have their way to show their "interests" of each other. The well known first meeting scene is adapted by us with the extremely funny atmosphere and performance, I believe that is helpful and interesting for our modern audiences to enjoy the play.                     

The second scene that our group choose to act is the Act 2 Scene 2, as one of the most well known and classic scene of the play Romeo and Juliet. They have already known each other, and the seeds of love are growing in their young hearts. But they are not sure about each other's situation and thoughts. They are thinking about each other all day long, they are excited about the feeling of love, although this kind of love comes quickly and unexpectedly. Until one day, Juliet was standing on the top of the balcony in her house. She speaks alone, only to herself and the moonlight. She tells her feeling of Romeo, how she feels bad about their poor situation about their feuding families which is making their relationship become impossible. "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. What's in a name? Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title" from line 36-39, Act 2 Scene 2 of the play Romeo and Juliet. But she does not know that her young lover was just under the balcony, just under her feet. Romeo was encouraged and really excited about her words. His goddess comes to him at that night, and tells him that she already falls in love with him, a poor mortal. 

In our group work, we decided to use the same set in the original play. But we will act to make it funny. There are three scenes that we are doing in total, and the four members of our group we have 3 boys and 1 girl. So the girl needs to act Juliet in the first two scenes, and our 3 boys are acting as Romeo one by one for each scene. Unfortunately I don't participate in this scene. But I believe my group is doing great enough even without me in this single scene. In the beginning of this scene, Juliet shows up on the "balcony" first, and acts creepy about Romeo. To be honest, when we try to make this adaption funny without changing the scripts from the original play, the best way we can do is testing our acting skills. Obviously our group actors are good at this. The girl acts creepy when she was alone and says about Romeo, but when Romeo comes up to the top of the balcony, she acts "shocked as hell", then she changes into a "goddess" again, but being sweet to Romeo. In this scene, Romeo is funny by the way he shows when he climbs up the balcony with funny actions. And then we play the music Mission Impossible during his "climbing action" to make the nervous atmosphere. He also acts super scared when nurse shouts Juliet's name (In this scene we didn't make anyone to act nurse but just shout from outside of the stage.) for example he falls every single when he hears the voice of nurse shouting. As oppositely, Juliet acts warm and soft compares with the beginning of the play the "creepy acts".  

The final scene that our group choose to act is Act 3 Scene 1, as the one of the biggest turning point of the story in the play Romeo and Juliet. In this scene, the style of the play and the destiny of many characters in the play begin to change a lot, and it towards to the tragic ending directly. In this scene, Tybalt and Mercutio are about to fight with each other with blades. Under the background of the feud between the two families, and the event of Romeo came in the Capulet's family party. Romeo arrives and tries to stop the fight, therefore he comes into the fight. However, he blocks Mercutio and unexpectedly Tybalt stabs Mercutio and makes him died.  Then the young Romeo can not control his anger any more, he pick up the blade and fight with Tybalt. Finally and unfortunately he killed Tybalt. Then he ran away. In the early of the play, it is basically peaceful. The young teenager's love, the feud without blood. But this is the first time blood comes out in the play, and the two important characters for both of the two families died one by one. The feud of the family brings up into the highest place. And the judgement from the prince is hurtful, too. He is kind, in stead of giving Romeo a death penalty, he gives Romeo banishment to leave the ancient city of Verona. But for Romeo, within his words, "so much worse that death." He has to live without his lover, which is he can't bear about. Then their dangerous plan comes out, and towards to the tragic ending: both Romeo and Juliet died, and they buried their life in the same tomb. So I see this scene as the most important turning point of the play. 

In our group work, we decided to use blades to fight, which is the same setting in the original play. I am the Romeo this time. The point of comedy that we thought about is the secret weapon: Background music. We let Tybalt and Mercutio almost fight with each other in the beginning of the scene, the first part of the music that we choose is from the movie Crows Zero, it is the fighting and excited music. We play this music when the two boys are about to fight. Then me as Romeo comes in to the stage. I am there to stop the fight and conflict. Our group choose to find a lot of lines that let me to say them together to make it long and peaceful, just like the old professor is teaching high level maths class: the key word is boring. "Tybalt, the reason that I have to love dee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting. Villain am I none. Therefore farewell.  I see thou knowest me not... " from line 63-66, Act 3 Scene 1 of the play Romeo and Juliet. When I am doing my "speech", the two boys who were about  to fight start to act really boring and sleepy, they couldn't stand well even, and fell down couple times. As the most important, our secret weapon background music, we choose one from Spongebob Squarepants, which is really slow and peaceful. The big differences make the scene very funny, we really had a hard time try not to laugh when we were practicing. So I believe this can bring the best feeling for our audiences also.  

These are our jobs. The creative and unique way to make modern audiences understand. Nowadays, this play now represents the young, immature and impulsive lovers with tragic ending. It shows us about how the teenager's inner world about how they think and consider "love" in their life. I believe that the teenagers never change, even through centuries. If you don't believe it, come and watch our scenes, and you will have a little bit different ideas.  

Body pharagraph

The first scene that our group choose to act is the Act 1 Scene 5 of the play. This is the important scene that Romeo and Juliet first meet each other, and also one of the most important parts of the play. It brings up the story of the star crossed relationship, and begin the main story of the play. Shakespeare must try a lot to find a way to show that their first meet is really impressive, magic and beautiful.  But we don't believe that is helping our modern audiences can understand their feeling well, or a silly can make it more "impressive". In our group work, we decided to set it into a club. The background is really crowded, which makes our Romeo and Juliet "can't hear each other well". So they have to repeat couple of times. This is the one way we make it funny. There are four members in our group, and the first meeting only required two actors for both Romeo and Juliet, so others will participate as the friends who come to the club with Romeo. I am one of them. Romeo and Juliet repeat the lines again and again, in a crowded club, with loud background club music. Juliet shakes Romeo, people are dancing, and Romeo's friend are making fun of Romeo. In the this scene, me and my partner of "the messing group" dance in the scene, and we encourage Romeo to go for Juliet, and we are happy about the the well-done of their "sweet first meeting". My partner and I are dancing with the background club music, and I am wearing a pair of sunglasses which is really helpful about the "club setting".  Due to the setting about modern era, Romeo as a modern teenager is flirting a little bit with Juliet. " O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do " from line 114, Act 1 Scene 5 of the play Romeo and Juliet. Teenagers have their way to show their "interests" of each other. The well known first meeting scene is adapted by us with the extremely funny atmosphere and performance, I believe that is helpful and interesting for our modern audiences to enjoy the play.                     

Thesis and outline

Thesis: We staged Romeo and Juliet as a comedy rather than a tragedy because modern audiences view the play as unrealistic. To show this, we modernized the setting, made the characters ridiculously funny, and used music to change the atmosphere of the play.

First meet brings up the story of Romeo and Juliet

Funny, club setting

Balcony scene prove the relationship and love of Romeo and Juliet

Acting funny and music 

Fight scene foreshadowing and cause the tragic ending

Background music changing, act funny, the different characteristics  

The first draft ( I can't believe that I wrote almost 1600 words)

Romeo and Juliet is a play that was written by Shakespeare in 1597. It is one of the most famous play in this world, and also one of the most successful play of his products, just like Hamlet. It is about two young, star crossed lovers story. They were born in the ancient city of Verona, Italy. Their families are enemies for century, and I would like to describe it with a word that fits really well, "feud". They are the well known families "Montague and Capulet". Nowadays, this play now represents the young, immature and impulsive lovers with tragic ending. It shows us about how the teenager's inner world about how they think and consider "love" in their life. This play is a tragic one, with a kind of bad ending as most of us think. But our purpose is to make it funny. This is our way to make the adaption creative. Because we can't change the script but only the original text from the play, our group work is focusing on the performance to make it funny, and also set it into the modern era.  

The first scene that our group choose to act is the Act 1 Scene 5 of the play. This is the important scene that Romeo and Juliet first meet each other. This is also one of the most important parts of the play. It brings up the story of the star crossed relationship, and begin the main story of the play. Shakespeare must try a lot to find a way to show that their first meet is really impressive, magic and beautiful. Also the way they meet needs to be creative, because they are not used to have a chance to meet each other. It is incredible for them because they are from the two opposite and feuding families. In our group work, we decided to set it into a club. The background is really crowded, which makes our Romeo and Juliet "can't hear each other well". So they have to repeat couple of times. This is the one way we make it funny. There are four members in our group, and the first meet only required two actors for both Romeo and Juliet, so others will participate as the friends who come to the club with Romeo. I am one of them. Romeo and Juliet repeat the lines again and again, in a crowded club, with loud background club music. Juliet shakes Romeo, people are dancing, and Romeo's friend are making fun of Romeo. In the this scene, me and my partner of "the messing group" dance in the scene, and we encourage Romeo to go for Juliet, and we are happy about the the well-done of their "sweet first meet".  Due to the setting about modern era, Romeo as a modern teenager is flirting a little bit with Juliet. " O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do " from line 114, Act 1 Scene 5 of the play Romeo and Juliet. Teenagers have their way to show their "interests" of each other. 

The second scene that our group choose to act is the Act 2 Scene 2, as one of the most well known and classic scene of the play Romeo and Juliet. They have already known each other, and the seeds of love are growing in their young hearts. But they are not sure about each other's situation and thoughts. They are thinking about each other all day long, they are excited about the feeling of love, although this kind of love comes quickly and unexpectedly. Until one day, Juliet was standing on the top of the balcony in her house. She speaks alone, only to herself and the moonlight. She tells her feeling of Romeo, how she feels bad about their poor situation about their feuding families which is making their relationship become impossible. "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. What's in a name? Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title" from line 36-39, Act 2 Scene 2 of the play Romeo and Juliet. But she does not know that her young lover was just under the balcony, just under her feet. Romeo was encouraged and really excited about her words. His goddess comes to him at that night, and tells him that she already falls in love with him, a poor mortal. In our group work, we decided to use the same set in the original play. But we will act to make it funny. There are three scenes that we are doing in total, and the four members of our group we have 3 boys and 1 girl. So the girl needs to act Juliet in the first two scenes, and our 3 boys are acting as Romeo one by one for each scene. Unfortunately I don't participate in this scene. But I believe my group is doing great enough even without me in this single scene. In the beginning of this scene, Juliet shows up on the "balcony" first, and acts creepy about Romeo. To be honest, when we try to make this adaption funny without changing the scripts from the original play, the best way we can do is testing our acting skills. Obviously our group actors are good at this. The girl acts creepy when she was alone and says about Romeo, but when Romeo comes up to the top of the balcony, she acts "shocked as hell", then she changes into a "goddess" again, but being sweet to Romeo. In this scene, Romeo is funny by the way he shows when he climbs up the balcony with funny actions. And then we play the music Mission Impossible during his "climbing action" to make the nervous atmosphere. He also acts super scared when nurse shouts Juliet's name (In this scene we didn't make anyone to act nurse but just shout from outside of the stage.)

The final scene that our group choose to act is the Act 3 Scene 1, as the one of the biggest turning point of the story in the play Romeo and Juliet. In this scene, the style of the play and the destiny of many characters in the play begin to change a lot, and it towards to the tragic ending directly. In this scene, Tybalt and Mercutio are about to fight with each other with blades. Under the background of the feud between the two families, and the event of Romeo came in the Capulet's family party. Romeo arrives and tries to stop the fight, therefore he comes into the fight. However, he blocks Mercutio and unexpectedly Tybalt stabs Mercutio and makes him died.  Then the young Romeo can not control his anger any more, he pick up the blade and fight with Tybalt. Finally and unfortunately he killed Tybalt. Then he ran away. In the early of the play, it is basically peaceful. The young teenager's love, the feud without blood. But this is the first time blood comes out in the play, and the two important characters for both of the two families died one by one. The feud of the family brings up into the highest place. And the judgement from the prince is hurtful, too. He is kind, in stead of giving Romeo a death penalty, he gives Romeo banishment to leave the ancient city of Verona. But for Romeo, within his words, "so much worse that death." He has to live without his lover, which is he can't bear about. Then their dangerous plan comes out, and towards to the tragic ending: both Romeo and Juliet died, and they buried their life in the same tomb. So I see this scene as the most important turning point of the play. In our group work, we decided to use blades to fight, which is the same setting in the original play. I am the Romeo this time. The point of comedy that we thought about is the secret weapon: Background music. We let Tybalt and Mercutio almost fight with each other in the beginning of the scene, the first part of the music that we choose is from the movie Crows Zero, it is the fighting and excited music. We play this music when the two boys are about to fight. Then me as Romeo comes in to the stage. I am there to stop the fight and conflict. Our group choose to find a lot of lines that let me to say them together to make it long and peaceful, just like the old professor is teaching high level maths class: the key word is boring. "Tybalt, the reason that I have to love dee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage to such a greeting. Villain am I none. Therefore farewell.  I see thou knowest me not... " from line 63-66, Act 3 Scene 1 of the play Romeo and Juliet. When I am doing my "speech", the two boys who were about  to fight start to act really boring and sleepy, they couldn't stand well even, and fell down couple times. As the most important, our secret weapon background music, we choose one from Spongebob Squarepants, which is really slow and peaceful. The big differences make the scene very funny, we really had a hard time try not to laugh when we were practicing. So I believe this can bring the best feeling for our audiences also.   

My scenes and the improvement <3

This is the first IB exam project that I am doing, and also the third scene works we worked as a group. Because this year is the first year that I get in touch with performance, so first of all that I attempt to work on is how to get more comfortable on the stage. This is also what my dear English teacher wrote about me in the comment of first quarter. She said "I have slowly gotten more comfortable on stage, and that made a big difference in what you can accomplish in my scenes". 

I have never experienced about acting and staging before, so it is really fresh for me. And the most important thing is that I am getting use to it. For example, I can control not to laugh in the performance when the script is really funny, the face to the audience, the voice, tone, and also how to use body language like what we did in public speaking also. So I guess this is one of the most important part that I am attempting to accomplish in the performance class. Because I am poor on the skills of acting, so get more relax and natural is required to make a good scene. The things that I get succeed I guess is about the setting. Although I am not the person who wrote the script directly, but I participate more and more, and then I can give more ideas. For example, I am good at the sense of humor a little bit, so when we are trying to make the scene funny, I can provide some funny ideas and ways to act. I know my English skills still need to be improved a lot, so I think participate more is the way to get it better. I can do better in memorize the lines of the script, then I don't have to be that hurry and nervous when the lines goes on my part. I think the "professional actors" in our school plays are good. Then even can adapt the scene when they are acting several times in a row. 

I think the progress about the rehearses and final draft is important, and interesting too. For a scene, I believe we can't do it better only by memorize the scripts well. We need a lot of time to adapt into the emotional style of the scene, then we can put our emotion in the play to make it real, and live. We also need to set in the characters. For example, my role of the Romeo in the third scene, my lines are made to make the play funny. They background music and the acting of Tybalt and Mercutio are serious and nervous, but when I came in the stage, the music changes into a peaceful and funny one. I speak a lot in one time and try to make it boring, like an old professor having science class or something. Then the two fighters are pretending that they are sleepy and boring. I tried several times to make it adapt well in the play, so the progress of rehearses are important. 

How may I improve in my scene??

I was surprised about how successfully we did about our scene in the first draft. I feel happy because we did work a lot and now we deserve to have the "payment". But as a purpose to make it better and better, we still have a lot of things to work on. For example, it is always better for us to memorize the scripts and lines that we have. Because if we can perform without the sheet with script, then we can focus more on our acting. Also the accuracy about our acting. It provides the high quality of our play. 

In another way, our setting can be improve also. For example, in the first scene our background music, the club music is too loud compare to our scene, then the audience couldn't hear it clearly. Then we need to act it more naturally. Our ideas are perfect and funny I believe, and now it only take time our progress of acting.    

My role of the script

As our setting and the roles of the play, there are three scenes of our play, and we have Romeo as the main character for all three of them. We have 4 people in the group and 3 of us are male, so we play Romeo for each scene one by one. In the first two scenes there's not any other players should exist in the scene, so other actors of our group are participating as "environment". For example in the first meet scene which we set in some place like a club, the other actors are pretending that they are drunk and mess up the talk between Romeo and Juliet. So obviously, our work is to make the scene as funny as we can! It is a kind of creative subject that we are doing, and the best way to make it and adapt it better is to make it funny, as a style through all of the play.  

Scripts that we will do))

Scene 1.5

In this scene, we are going to show the scene that Romeo and Juliet first meet each other. 

Settings: Club, LOUD MUSIC, CROWD

Characters: Romeo(James), Juliet(Olivia)

Costumes: Casual

At least five people are acting funny. 

Romeo is talking to his friends. He saw Juliet and came to her. 

Because of the loud music, people can't really hear each other. Romeo and Juliet repeat the lines again and again. Juliet shakes Romeo. People are dancing. Romeo’s friends make fun of Romeo.

R: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand. To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

J: Good pilgrim. For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.

R: Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? 

J: Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

R: O then, let lips do what hands do 

J: Saints do not move.

R: Then move not. 

(He kisses her) 

my sin is purged 

J: Then have my lips the sin that they have took. 

R: Sin from my lips? Give me my sin again. 

(Kiss again)

(Juliet exits)

2.2 

Juliet acts creepy(obsessed with Romeo)

J: O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. What’s in a name? Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title. 

R: I take thee at thy word! 

(Runs to Juliet’s house and climbs up to the balcony) 

Music: Mission Impossible

I never will be Romeo! (his face and clothes are dirty)

J: (Juliet shocked as hell) What man art thou that? So stumblest on my counsel? 

Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?

R: Neither. If either thee dislike.

J: (Worried, and shocked) the place death, considering who thou art, if any of my kinsmen find thee here. 

R: Thy kinsmen no stop to me.

J: They will murder you thee!

(Nurse calls from within) 

(Romeo is frightened and tries to hide somewhere)

J: Stay but a little, I will come again.

(Juliet exits)

R: O blessed, blessed night! 

(3 seconds later she comes back)

Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed. 

R: If my heart’s dear love...

(from inside) Nurse: Madam! 

(Romeo is frightened again and almost crying)

J: I come---- A thousand times good night.

(She exits) 

Scene 3.1

Characters: Romeo(Joseph), Mercutio(James), Tybalt(Ryan). 

(though it is modern time period, they use sword to fight)

Walk in peacefully. (With a good mood)

Tybalt: Gentlemen, Good e’en. 

M: Make it a word and blow. 

T: You shall find me apt enough to that sir, an you will give me occasion. Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo. 

M: What? dost thou make us minstrels? An thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords. Here’s my fiddlestick ; here’s that shall make you dance. Zounds , consort!

M: Well, peace be with you, sir. Here comes my man . Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford No better term than this: thou art a villain.

Romeo walks in

R: Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage To such a greeting. Villain am I none. Therefore farewell. I see thou knowest me not. 

M: Tybalt, you rat catcher , will you walk? 

T: What wouldst thou have with me? 

Start fighting

R: Tybalt, Mercutio, The Prince expressly hath forbid this bandying in Verona streets. 

Romeo holds Mercutio.

Tybalt stabs Mercutio. 

M: I am hurt. A plague o’ both houses! I am sped .’tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as the church's door. M Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.
I thought all for the best.

R: This day’s black fate on more days doth depend . This but begins the woe others must end. Now, Tybalt, take the “villain” back again That late thou gavest me, for Mercutio’s soul. 

T: Thou wretched boy that didst consort him here Shalt with him hence.

They fight, Romeo stabs tybalt. 
Remember: when Romeo stabs SLOW MOTION 
Tybalt dies. 
Romeo is horrified, and he runs away. 

About the scenesss

Our group is really "unique and creative" in adaptation I guess. Under the lead of Olivia, we will change the set of the play Romeo and Juliet. According to the project, we will make it into a comedy, irony, sarcasm and make it as a modern setting. We may not have that kind of ability to make the script changed into a comedy, (actually we are not allowed to change the script either). So play and act in a irony way is what we should do. Probably we can act it "fate" or in an opposite way? This is what we should discuss about. We can find more interesting characteristics from the play I believe. For example Romeo and his immature, Tybalt and his aggressive, Mercurtio and his funny of expression. 

The scenes that we will make are the Scene from the play 1.5 first meet, 2.2 balcony and 3.1the fight scene. The purpose of our play is to make these three scenes connected and funny in another way. For example, the way our main characters "immature" can be set as " Immature boy and a rebel hip-pop girl Juliet". There are so many ways and chance for us to find the "the point of funny" in modern sets. And also some kinds of Shakespeare's humorous. For example when Romeo always try to say "Tybalt I love you with your family name" but finally he finishes Tybalt's life. 

We have four people in the group: Ryan, Olivia, me Joseph and James. I will play Tybalt, James for Mercutio, Olivia for Juliet and Ryan for Romeo. The lines and the exact scripts we will discuss more tomorrow in class.   

Ideas of scenessssss

1. Mercutio and Tybalt's death 

I will talk about how their death brings up the bad ending of the play. The first bloody event. And it starts to push the play into a tragedy. 

2. Romeo and Juliet's death

It does make the string and the style of the play. Either a tragedy or a comedy. It can be transformed into a totally opposite one. 

3. belcony scene 

The evidence of how Romeo and Juliet fall in love for real. Why we see this as the point of the play into "burning point". Romeo and Juliet's love are being proved. 

The immortal tragedy

Romeo and Juliet is an eternal story. It is well known in every parts of the world, and it is famous by its sad tragic ending. A pair of young lovers, sacrificed with their lives for their blazing true love. This story is like a model of extreme love, and it brings up a doubt about if it is worth to sacrificed for love, for relationship. Maybe "born shiny like the flower in May, and die like the falling leaves in autumn" is some people's  personal belief. But here, I want to discuss about is Romeo and Juliet's tragedy  was the result of fate and uncontrollable forces, or was the outcome a result of circumstance and strong personalities? 

I believe it is the result of fate and uncontrollable force, but I think circumstance was responsible for the tragedy too. The play of Romeo and Juliet was written by Shakespeare in 1595. It was a great a time for the western world to make literature products. But it was a tough time for people to live too. Just two years before the play was written, there was a huge plague happened in Europe. Under the horror of the "black death", any plague that were happened are related to darkness, hopeless and death directly. So the shadow of plague is hidden in the play. I guess this is the reason why the ending was a tragedy in that play. 

In the play, the characters are symbolic too. Our main characters, Romeo and Juliet are young. Juliet is about 13 years old, and Romeo is only couple years older than them. Although at that time , people marry much more early than our modern days, but they are still too immature. They are too young to have a relationship, to fall in love and the most important part: too young to take the responsibilities that they should take. They thought love is a simple thing as the game they played when they were young, " pretending that they are couples, or family members". We can't look forward a pair of teenagers to manage their relationships well, even they are trying to get married. If you let me to make a metaphor about their behavior, I would say they are like the Adam and Eve who tried to eat the forbidden fruit. And unfortunately they got their punishment: death.

I would say from the setting of the play we can see this is a tragic play. "In the ancient city of Verona in Italy, there were two biggest, strongest families in there. They are enemy, for centuries. Their feud would be solved only by blood and death." And unfortunately, always unfortunately, the two poor young lovers are from the enemy families. It seems like it is impossible for them to get together, even there's no chance for them to meet and know each other. But dramatically, they did figure out all of the "impossibilities". Maybe only god, or Shakespeare knows how this happen. Especially in that time period, there was not any thing like "free love, free relationship" happened. Youths didn't have that much freedom for them to choose their partners. Even they "fall in love" with someone, but the only thing they can do is to follow what their family require them to do. 

For all the factors that was impossible to be happened, it must be a tragedy if something shouldn't be combined but it did. It was just like their destiny, they are born to be together, try to get together and die together. Just like the butterflies, they admire light, and want abandon to darkness forever. Yes, forever. There's only one way to be with the light forever: Bathing in the blaze, let the holy fire clean their souls, and give them freedom to love, in the immortality. 

Test questions

Who killed Tybalt? 

Who helped Romeo and Juliet to get married?

Which city and which country this story was set?

Which guy that the Capulets want Juliet to be married with?

Where did Romeo and Juliet first met each other?

Why Romeo and Juliet fall in love that deep? What do you think?

Why Romeo and Juliet couldn't have a good ending?

How Montague and Capulet get in peace after the young Romeo and Juliet died?

What do you think the role of the Prince in this play?

Do you think this is the true love for Romeo?

 What do you think about Romeo and Juliet as a whole, why is well known in the world? Why it was called "one of the best Shakespeare's play"?

Is the tragedy avoidable? And why?

Staging is interesting hmm

This is the first year that I learned about staging and acting scenes. I have no idea and also no experiences about how to progress but fortunately I always have awesome teammates.  So from my group when we are making acting scenes, and also from other groups I started to learn. 

I guess the first is how to write the scripts about our scenes. This is based on the rules of the scenes of what we are making. For example the first scene we did as group work is to act the balcony scene. We are required to use the modern language and set the scene in the modern world, which is similar to the movie we have watched during class. That one the language can be very easy, and we have more freedom to stage and set the scene, but we have to be really creative, which is kind of hard to make to adaptation better from the original one. The next one we did is about setting the scene in Cheshire Academy, which is kind of funny and interesting. But we are required to use the original text from the script of Romeo and Juliet. This seems so hard for me to make the scene. Because we need to be really familiar about the book, and also we have to edit the lines together as a whole to make it coherent. This is just like the work of director of movies.  

I have a hard time about making the scene with original text. Because I am so bad at the "Shakespeare's language ". They are hard to understand, and also memorize, even practice to read it more familiarly. It takes such a long time for me to read it clearly, smoothly and familiarly. Another part is about staging. I always forget to face the audiences during the scene. This is because I don't have that much experiences about acting I guess. It takes time, and I will pay more attention about it .

But for a scene, I guess I feel easier to act. Yes, acting. I mean I may not have the talent about acting, but I feel the experience about when we are acting is funny. I enjoy the time of it. Probably it also includes to read the scripts emotionally. I had the public speaking class from my English teacher last year, so I feel this is easy and definitely I can do it better. 

A good scene. I have watched some work which is amazing that was made by the drama actors, and also some good ones from our class. I guess one of the most important part is to make the setting more creative. We come to watch the play to enjoy, and a new, fresh and creative setting is excellent. I had the experience about the setting of the movie which we watched in class about Romeo and Juliet. I feel the director is talented about making creative scenes. I guess think more, practice more and focus more on the play can make me do better on it. We always can do better ideas and better choices, and it only takes us a little time to try. 

Handmade scene!

Tybalt comes in the gym. 

Benvolio:  Oh my god, here comes in their group.

Mercutio: Yea but who the hell cares about them those clowns.

Tybalt: Hey you guys! I guess I gonna talk a little bit with someone amount u right? 

Mercutio: Only talk a little bit with us? Oh come on bro aren't you bored as hell? Let's do "a little bit" more that men usually do. Stop talking this like a crying baby begging for candy. 

Tybalt: You know why I'm here, and you will know that  I am not afraid of that kind of stuff. 

Mercutio: Oh I hope you don't , or your mum will be worried about you. 

Tybalt: Mercutio, you brought Romeo came in our party and..

Mercutio: I don't care and I don't really know what you are talking about. This is United States and we are citizens we travel wherever we want. Would you like to continue telling me your poor reason or something like an excuse really making sense?

Benvolio: Oh guys chill. Did you just see those people coming around? Let's go talk in a silencer place and I'm sure we will have a better conversation. If we can't then better do not talk like that. I feel shameful that people are watching us like that.

Mercutio: Benvolio I am telling you. I can't care less about the others' watching. The only thing I care is how we figure out this stuff and I won't leave just like pretending nothing happened. 

Romeo comes in the gym

Tybalt: Oh here he comes my boy. I don't have to argue with you right now because that is my target.

Mercutio: Yo what do you mean your boy he's not following you like your nasty servants.

Tybalt: Romeo, you know what you have done, and my hate makes me see u as a totally dumb. Only for you.

Romeo: Tybalt, we don't have any matter with each other. I even don't know you well lol. I could not bear this before but now I have my reasons not to mind on you. And I'm not a a dumb as you said, it's too obvious you don't know me at all haha.

Tybalt: All right but you really did insult me and you made me mad successfully. You can't just escape me by those pale words.

Romeo: I am saying here that I never insulted you. And I mean we are in the same school. There's no point about we fight like enemies. So what about we just let it go?

Mercutio: Oh my god you words are making me throw up. Only fighting can make me feel better. Yo Tybalt, you coward do you dare to fight me?

Tybalt: You want me to fight with you?

Mercutio: Just stop wasting of time I am so bored right now. Are you waiting until my hands punch you in the face?

Tybalt: No problem. You wanna fight? Let's do it.

Romeo: Oh please Mercutio, stop fighting.

Mercutio: Yea boy, let's see what you got. 

(Fighting)

Romeo: Benvolio! Come in and stop them!  What are you waiting for! My brothers stop it! Seriously? Mr.Dykeman just mentioned that fight with each other is the damage of major rule of our school in today's morning meeting!

Mercutio: Oh god. I'm hurt. I'm dying! Is he alright to go without injured? 

Benvolio: Ah! You got hurt my bro?

Mercutio: Yup, just a little bit. But still hurting. Ugh damn it.

Romeo: Oh chill bro. It does not matter that much.

Mercutio: Yup. "It does not matter that much." Did you see the blood out there? Yea it doesn't really matter. My blood is cheap like water. And I will be all right tomorrow right? Hope you can possibly see me in the hospital but not even in the health center. Damn you! Why the hell you came in and stop it? You got me injured by that block!

Romeo: I was trying to be good!

Murcutio: Benvolio! Bring me to health center! I'm dying here. Ugh, damn you all. I am dying because of your nasty stuff.

Romeo: Sigh. He is my brother, but he's injured so seriously like that. Is that my fault? What makes me become so soft.. 

Deathhhhh

I think that Juliet was really excited and she was waiting for her "husband", her true love Romeo at that day. As we have talked about it, night includes the meaning of sneaky changes, mysterious things. And it truly happened. When nurse came and brought her the news about the banish of Romeo, and his crime about killing her cousin Tybalt. She felt sad at first, and curse on Romeo then she regretted. She loves Romeo much more than her cousin, obviously. But the dealth and the punishment of Romeo foreshadow that Romeo and Juliet would not have a good ending. The word death, includes her fair of, they won't see each other again.

In class writing writing night

Vampires wear pajamas in the darkness. 

Moonlight brings homesickness when nightmare comes.  

The modern Romeo + Juliet

I have read about the movie version of Romeo and Juliet, and the name is Romeo + Juliet. The movie is from the adaptation of Willam Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, as we all know. It was directed by Baz Luhrmann.  It was made in 1996, which surprised me a lot. Because this movie is a kind of creative adaptation. The language is still kept as original, but the setting is totally different. The stage of the two families Montague and Capulet are both set in America in the modern time, but not as the play in the ancient city of Verona in Italy.  So it is interesting to say that the actors talk with each other with all the ancient English words and scripts but in a modern city. They fight no more with blades --- but guns. Everything seems incompatible, but also incredibly funny when I actually watch it. They have made the best "environment" for the comedy part of the play by Shakespeare.    

I love the way that the director change the adaptation in such a creative way. I mean it helps a lot when I am watching the movie with a purpose of using it as an assistant to read the script of the play. When I was reading the script of the play, I could not understand the language and content of it. But when I was watching the movie of the new adaptation, they are acting with the original script which just makes me understand automatically. I would say this movie is one of the best tool for helping us to study the script. As a kind of adaptation,  they also made something new. For example, they changed some names of the characters in the movie. For example, Lord and Lady Montague  and Lord and Lady Capulet are given first names, which makes it more lively and realistic. The Prince was "transformed" into a new identity in the modern world: he becomes the police office, the captain. I always remember when he was in a helicopter with other policemen and broadcast to force the servants of both Montague and Capulet stop their fight, "drop their weapon from their bloody hands". He seems like has changed into a kind of lower "social level", but he is still powerful and the representation of law and fairness of the city. 

It was a question that we have gone over in class, and I want to use it to bring up my feelings about the amazing setup about the movie: How does the movie show that the Montague and Capulet are in the same level in the society and wealth, power but as a relationship of enemy against each other? I would just give one example. When the movie showed a scene about the view of the city, I can see on the sides of streets they have advertisements and stores that both of the two families have. And the one of the most obvious one is they have two major buildings of both Montague and Capulet. The buildings are not even far away with each other, but they are as tall, grand as each other's. 

A movie is made to tell story more lively. I guess it is the value of the movie, as a kind of media and performance. Couple of good scenes of the movie may let audience remember it for a long time. This is what we called classic. 

Citation: "Romeo + Juliet." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2015.

Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. Romeo and Juliet. New York: Washington Square Published by Pocket, 1992. Print.