Romeo and Juliet's Forbidden Love
Thursday, February 18, 2010

What could have been done to prevent all the deaths?

The prince of Verona should have tried to stop the fight once and for all instead of warning them that he would behead them if they fight in the street again. He did nothing to resolve both the Capulet and Montague families' hatred for each other. The prince could also make one of them move out of town so they would not meet and break the peace in Verona by fight again. This would slim down the chances of them fighting and killing.

The deaths could also be prevented if Juliet tells Lord Capulet that she is not mourning for Tybalt and crying for Romeo and the man she love is Romeo and not Paris. If this is done, Lord Capulet might not allow Juliet to marry Romeo, but he would also not let Juliet marry to Paris as he probably does not want Paris to love someone who does not return his love and since Paris is a relative of the prince, Lord Capulet did not want to be guilty of lying to Paris saying that Juliet loved him too. Lord Capulet mentioned to Paris that he would ask Juliet if she wanted to marry him before he organize the party, Lord Capulet should stick to his promise and not forcing his own daughter to marry Paris. This would prevent the death of Juliet and Paris, or even Romeo.

Since Lord Capulet easily make peace with Lord Montague at the end of the story, it could also be that the hate between both families started by something petty. Being the heads of the family, they should be more wise and mature enough to know that the hatred between their two families would cause a lot of deaths. They could be more generous and forgiving as the hatred is started by something that is not important. This would prevent the tragic ending of the story and the story might have a happy ending.

Angry Tybalt should also be blamed for his death and others, since he is so impulsive and always ready for a fight. If he did not kill Mercutio, Romeo would not have been at the verge of killing him because he wanted revenge for Mercutio. The two deaths would have been prevented, not to mention that Romeo would not have been banished by the prince and the cause of the deaths directly or indirectly later in the story would have all be prevented.

The Capulets family should also teach their servants some manners as in Act 1 Scene 1, the servants of Capulet started the fight by pulling a face at servants of Montague for no particular reason and comparing their own master with theirs. When Tybalt arrived, they said deliberately that their master is better as they do not want Tybalt to think of them as friends of Montague and tried to make peace.

The nurse should be able to observed Juliet acting weird before she actually drank the potion and stop it. She should also informed Lord Capulet about it and then he would perhaps knows what Juliet really wanted. Romeo, Paris and Juliet would not have died.

Would and Should your character have done anything differently?

When Juliet first met Romeo and wanted to marry him, she should tell her parents about. At that time, Juliet was too young, so she should consult her parents first about the big plan she was going to do. As a child, she should obey her parents. If she managed to convince them that it was Romeo that she wanted to marry, they might not even reject their marriage, and some deaths would not have happened.

She should also have done something different when she woke up from the vault. When she saw that Romeo had already tried to reunite with her, she should've tell Lord Capulet, his father, that she do not want to marry Paris. Though Romeo had died, Juliet shouldn't follow his path and plan to die, by drinking the poison, or taking the knife found on Romeo body and push it into her body.

Planning to drink the potion the night before she marry Paris could not solve the problem of not wanting to marry him. Juliet should tell Lord Capulet that she was already married to Romeo because it is a crime to marry two men. Also, Juliet would not want to betray Romeo. Lord Capulet would therefore not force Juliet to marry Paris.

Done by: Zonghong
Edited by: Yi Feng and Shermin
on 11:49 PM

Thursday, February 4, 2010

The fight started in Verona where Mercutio and Benvolio arrive with Abram and Balthasar. Benvolio suggested to go home because it's very hot and the Capulets are in town. He does not want them to have a fight as Benvolio is a peace maker who is peace loving. Despite Benvolio's advice of not fighting, Mercutio refuses to go and say that Benvolio is usually the person who likes to start a fight. A few minutes later the Capulets arrive. Benvolio was worried but Mercutio was not. Tybalt only wants to talk to them but Mercutio asked him whether he really only wants to talk. Mercutio challenged him to a fight but Tybalt claims that he will only fight when he is angry. Mercutio took out his sword. Benvolio told them to go some where private where there are no people. Mercutio did not listen to him. Tybalt said that he is not interested with them but to Romeo who had just arrived after Mercutio decided that he's not leaving. Whatever insult Tybalt said to him, Romeo ignored it. Romeo did not get angry to how Tybalt had greet him but Tybalt is angry to how Romeo had acted to him.

Tybalt told Romeo to take his sword out but Romeo did not listen to him. Mercutio thought that Romeo's actions was weak. Mercutio command Tybalt to go to him. At last, both of them fought but Romeo told them to stop. They did not care about what Romeo is telling them. Romeo steps between Tybalt and Mercutio. He puts up his arms to stop the fight. By chance, Tybalt pushes his sword into Mercutio. Tybalt ran away quickly with Sampson and Gregory. Mercutio's cut can cause him to die. Mercutio told Abram to get a doctor and he blames the cut he got on the Capulets and the Montagues. Benvolio hurried to Romeo and told him that Mercutio is dead.

The angry Tybalt came back. Romeo thinks that it is not fair because Tybalt is still alive. Romeo challenged Tybalt to fight. They fought. Romeo kills Tybalt and Tybalt falls down. Benvolio alerted Romeo that Tybalt is dead. Romeo was told to run before the townspeople arrive. The townspeople was confused. The Prince, Lord Montague, Lord Capulet and their wives arrive. The Prince asked who started the fight. Benvolio told everything to the Prince. Lady Capulet told the Prince that a Montague's life should be taken since Romeo killed Tybalt, a Capulet. Lady Capulet accuses Benvolio that he is lying.

The Prince has decided to banish Romeo from Verona. Romeo will be killed if he is found in Verona.

At the starting of Act 3 scene 1, as Benvolio knew that the Capulets were in town, he'd already advised Mercutio to go back home. He tried to prevent the Capulet and the Montague from fighting again. However, Mercutio did not heed his advice. Romeo did not accept Tybalt's challenge to a fight. He tried to escape from it by remaining calm and walking away. However, Tybalt kept pestering him. Being Romeo's friend, Mercutio could not stand seeing his friend being so weak by not accepting a challenge, so he stood up for his friend by fighting with Tybalt. Romeo asked Benvolio to help stop the fight and asked the two gentlemen to put their swords away.

I don't think Tybalt deserve to die. Firstly, Tybalt had already warned Mercutio that he would fight if someone made him angry. Mercutio already knew that but yet, he still continue to say words that made him angry. Secondly, Tybalt did not want to fight with Mercutio, but Mercutio invited the fight by himself. If he did not do that, he would probably not die. Lastly, the fight was supposed to be between Romeo and Tybalt. But Mercutio interrupted the conversation between Romeo and Tybalt, causing Tybalt to get angry and fight with Mercutio.

Done by: Adib Asy-Syahid B.Ali
Edited by: Shermin Sim and Hu Yi Feng
on 4:08 AM

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Give a short account of the fight that happened during Act 1, Scene 1.

This fight started when the servants of the Capulet family tried to provoke the servents of the Montague family. Firstly, Sampson, a servant from the Capulet family, calls the Montague dogs and says that he is ready to fight them. This shows that the hate between the two families was great and it also shows that Sampson is belligerent. Sampson wants to make a rude face to provoke them, and Gregory, another servent of the Capulet's family, tired challenging them by asking Abram, one of the servent of the Montague family, if he wanted to start a fight with them. Next, they tried to boast about their master. When the Tybalt and Benvolio appear, Sampson told Gregory to take out his sword and start fighting. The Montague servants were provoked and started to fight. This fight is meaningless and avoidable. The servants were petty and frivolous. The Montague family servants are easily agitated so they were tricked into this fight. This fight will not only hurt each other but it also hurt others who tried to help. For example, Benvolio saw the fight and tried to stop it but Tybalt thought he was in the fight too and took out his sword to start fighting. He misunderstood Benvolio. The Capulet family servants started this fight with no particular reason, only hatred. This shows that they are unreasonable. This fight had also broken peace between the area. It is also a bad influence to younger children who sees it.

Who's fault and who started the fight.

This is the Capulet family's servants' fault because they started this fight by provoking the servants of the Montague family. However, it was Tybalt's fault too, as he accused Benvolio that he was in this fight too when he saw that Benvolio's sword was out. Benvolio was just trying too keep the peace and stop the servents from fighting. Tybalt and Benvolio then started fighting. Seeing that the Capulets and the Montagues were fighting, the townspeople then joined in to support the family that they supported.

Punishment for the people who started the fight.

Yes, they should be punished. The fight is a bad influence to children, and it breaks peace in the street, indirectly hurting the people fighting. There are a lot of negative effects to this fight. For example, their fight causes the passer-bys to fight, too. People will get injured and have to pay for medical fees. If the servants get injured, the two families, Capulet and Montague, might also increase their hatred for each other. Hence there should be punishment to act as a reminder the people that fighting is a negative act and it might hurt others and so that the two families can learn a lesson and stop fighting against each other.

Done by: Wen Xin
Edited by: Yi Feng and Shermin
on 1:45 AM

Thursday, January 21, 2010

The character we are being assigned to do is Juliet.

Introduction of Juliet

Juliet is the main character of the story. She's thirteen years old when she first met Romeo and would be fourteen in 31st of July. She had bright eyes like two of the brightest the stars in the night, lips as red as rose, skin as fair as the snow, blonde hair streaked with black, a pointed nose and chin. Juliet begins as a naive girl that depended on her family. She matures over the play and she is determined to get what she wants. She was willing to desert her family to be with the man she loves, Romeo, later in the story. Juliet is the daughter of Lord Capulet, the head of the Capulet's family. Lady Capulet is Juliet's mother. Juliet has a nurse that looked after her since she was born. Tybalt is Juliet's cousin, the nurse's best friend.

Being the only daughter of the Capulet's family, Juliet is Lord Capulet's only hope. When Lady Capulet, Juliet's mother, asked Juliet about marriage, Juliet was surprised and replied that she had never thought of marriage. This shows that she is not prepared for the marriage and it also shows that she did not think about the future. At the Capulet's party, Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio went to the party with their masks on. The time when Romeo and Juliet met was the time when the tragedy begins.

After Juliet asked the nurse to ask Romeo his name, she went to the balcony to think. Juliet says that she would not be a Capulet anymore if Romeo does not want to say Montague is not his name. This shows her determination to be together with Romeo, the man she loves. She is willing to sacrifice her name for the man she loves. When Juliet realised that Romeo was there listening to her thoughts, she was worried that her relatives would find Romeo and kill him. This shows her concern for Romeo. Before going back to her room, Juliet told Romeo that her love is as deep and as endless as the sea. This shows how deeply in love is she with Romeo. Juliet shows that she's loyal to Romeo when she say that she would follow Romeo all over the world after they get married.

After Romeo and Juliet got married, Mercutio and Tybalt was about to fight when Romeo stopped them. Tybalt pushes his sword into Mercutio when Romeo put his arms up. When Romeo got the news that Mercutio was dead, he blamed himself for being weak and acted like a woman when he saw Juliet's lovely face. This made him fight Tybalt. Romeo killed Tybalt. The Prince had to banish him from Verona for committing this crime. As a result, the couple could not meet at night in Juliet's room. The most intense moment of Juliet's transformation takes place in Act III scene 2, she is both joyous and tense. Then Juliet's nurse breaks the hopeful mood with the news of Romeo being banished as he killed Tybalt. Juliet says that she would die too if Romeo is dead, she also says that Romeo's banishment is more terrible than the death of ten thousand Tybalt's. She would also cry about Romeo's banishment even after her parents' tears are dry. This shows that she's devoted. Juliet scolds the nurse for cursing Romeo. This shows that she is protective and loyal to Romeo. Juliet gives the nurse her ring and tell her to find Romeo to inform him to see her for the last time. When Juliet accepted the fact that she might never see Romeo again, she started to become mature.

After saying good bye to Romeo, Juliet's mother told her about marrying Paris. When she refused, her father threatens to throw her out of the house, her mother nearly disowns her and the nurse also advice her to marry Paris. She has no idea how to survive on her own. Through all this, she also matured a lot.

As Paris was the Prince's relative, it was an honour that he wanted to marry Juliet. Also, it would be a huge opportunity to be closer to the Prince, who runs Verona. This was the reason why Lord Capulet forced Juliet to marry Paris. The day before their marriage, Juliet asked the nurse and Lady Capulet to leave her alone so that she could drink the potion Friar Laurence gave to her so that she could meet Romeo at the Capulets vault and not marry Paris. This shows that she is brave and willing to sacrifice. Unfortunately, Romeo did not receive the message the Friar sent. He thought that Juliet was dead and bought a strong poison to join her in her death.

Paris was being killed by Romeo as Paris did not want to leave Romeo alone. Romeo was feeling upset by Juliet's death. He drank the poison soon after he kisses Juliet for the last time. Soon after he died, Juliet woke up and pushes a knife in to her body.

Details of other character

Juliet's nurse is a caring and funny character in the story. As Susan, nurse's daughter, is dead, the nurse care for Juliet like her own daughter. She knows Juliet better than Juliet's mother, Lady Capulet. When Juliet's parents forced Juliet to marry Paris, the nurse advice Juliet to marry him. This shows that she cares for Juliet's future. She did not want Juliet to follow Romeo as he is being banished from Verona and never coming back. To add on, Romeo is also the son of the Capulet family's enemy, the Montague. The nurse is also frank because she say out all her thoughts. That is why she is so talkative.

Lord Capulet is a cruel and unreasonable man. He is Juliet's father. He indirectly caused the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. In order to be closer to the Prince of Verona, he forced Juliet to marry Paris despite Juliet's unwillingness to be with him. He also threaten Juliet that he would throw her out of the house if she does not marry Paris. As he and Lady Capulet's age has a big gap, their relationship is not good.

Lady Capulet is a gentle and wise woman. She is scared of Lord Capulet as he often scold her for no valid reason. When Lord Capulet orders for his sword at the fight in the streets of Verona, Lady Capulet stops him, which is a wise thing to do.

Tybalt is aggressive, he likes to fight and he is as hot-tempered as Lord Capulet. He also likes to accuse people. When Mercutio, Benvolio and Tybalt met at the town square of Verona, Tybalt accuse Benvolio of wanting to start a fight as he is holding a sword. During the party, Tybalt spotted Romeo and wanted to start a fight. But, luckily, Lord Capulet stopped him. He is irresponsible as he runs away after killing Mercutio.

Sampson and Gregory are the Capulet's servants. They are supportive and loyal as they are willing to fight the Montagues for their master, Lord Capulet.

Make up information

Lord Capulet:
Lord Capulet is Juliet's father and the head of the family. He usually wears a fierce and stern look on his face, and his lips will turn into a grim line. He is violently harsh to Juliet as he has some temper issues. His hair is black and there are some strands of white hair at both side of his head. The man often scolds the Nurse and his wife, as well as Juliet. He do what he thinks is the best for Juliet. He set the date for the marriage of Juliet and Paris without Juliet's consent.

Lady Capulet:
She is Lord Capulet's wife and Juliet's mother. She is never a good mother as she isn't supportive. The reason might be because she didn't want to be pregnant with Juliet. After all, she was only thirteen years' old when she had her. She looks much younger than Lord Capulet as she's only twenty-eight. She has blonde curly hair and a pointed chin and nose, like Juliet's. Her skin is also as fair as snow. She likes to wear a pair of white pearly earing which her mother has passed it down to her.

Tybalt:
Tybalt is Juliet's cousin. He dosen't like peace so he is always walking around the streets of Verona looking for fights. He likes to fight because he wants to defend his reputation as the toughest of the Capulets. Mercutio, a relative of the Prince of Verona, hates Tybalt, and nicknamed him "Prince of Cats". Tybalt has a pair of chocolate-coloured eyes and is muscular. His hair is also brown and curly.

Nurse:
She is Juliet's Nurse. Although she's fifty-five, she is one of the most funny and also talkative character in the play. She has a daughter named Susan who died and a husband who also died 5 years after their marriage. She has wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. She wears a black-framed glasses and with a circled-lens all the time. She likes to talk and gossip. She dislikes Mercutio as he makes fun of her.

Peter:
He has short brown-reddish hair and is Lord Capulet's servant. He likes to wear tight clothes in light colours. He is easily bullied, especially by Lord Capulet and the Nurse. Luckily, he is a happy-go-lucky person who doesn't worry about things much.

Sampson and Gregory:
They're both the servants in the Capulet's family. They're also a twin. They both have the same green eyes and brown hair. Though they're twins, they're character is absolutely opposite. Sampson is more talkative than Gregory and thus he often didn't think before he speak. Sampson is stubborn whereas Gregory is more wise and bold than him.

Done by: Shermin and Yi Feng
on 2:59 AM