KISS AND SIN SONNET

Comparison with film adaptations

100

Can you hear the whole sonnet in the 2 adaptations?

No, we cannot. In Zeffirelli's adaptation, Juliet's ending words ['You kiss by th' book.] are missing.

200

What do you think about the actors' body language in both adaptations?

The actors' body language embodies the words they are uttering [palms=hands touching, lips touching and kissing]

Comparison between the 2 film adaptations

100

What are the differences you can spot[=see] between the 2 film adaptations?

Some of them are: the clothes, the setting [medieval castle in Zeffirelli's =/= modern mansion in Luhrmann's - see the lift (=elevator) ], the rhythm [calmer in Zeffirelli's], the type of music [more medieval-like music in Zeffirelli's] ; in Luhrmann's both R and J are in fancy dress: Romeo is dressed up as a knight [in his shining armour or like a medieval knight going on a crusade to the Holy Land] and Juliet is dressed up as an angel [which refers to her being called a 'saint' in the sonnet] whereas in Zeffirelli's, just Romeo is wearing a mask [but the mask of a lion - the king of the animals].

200

What are the common points you can spot[=see] between the 2 film adaptations?

Some of them are : the fact that the 2 lovers go to places that protect them from the crowd [behind a pillar and curtain in Zeffirelli's and in a lift (elevator) in Luhrmann's], they are like 'enshrined', in their own little world [and somehow in the play the sonnet is enshrined as a moment of peace between moments of sound and fury - with Tybalt before and the nurse afterwards]; the fact that they meet at a party, like it's written in Shakespeare and that Romeo is wearing a mask ; the fact that there is music about love in the background.

Comparison between 2 written versions

100

Which version is written as a sonnet?

Shakespeare's. The Penguin Readers version does not use the sonnet form.

200

Which version do you like best? Why?

I like Shakespeare's best because, despite a language that can be difficult to understand, it's richer in meaning than the Penguin Readers' version.

Language

100

What's the English for 'pèlerins'? (2 words)

pilgrims = palmers (and Romeo might mean "pilgrim" as well)

200

What's the English for 'très indigne'?

unworthiest (line 90)

300

What's the English for 'faire du tort à'?

do wrong (line 94)

400

What's the English for 'saint'?

holy

500

What's the English for 'péché'?

sin

Love as a religion

100

Pick up all the words [= the lexical field] linked to religion in the sonnet.

profane / holy shrine / sin / pilgrims = palmers / devotion / saints / prayer / faith

200

What is the effect of this use of religious words on the viewers?

This use of religious words can have several effects upon the viewers. First, they may understand that Romeo and Juliet's love is sacred. Then, they may understand that somehow love is a religion for them and that instead of being truly in love of each other, they are "just" in love with the idea of being in love. Finally, especially when we know that Romeo was in love with another girl - called Rosaline - just a few minutes before meeting Juliet, the viewers may think that Romeo idolizes /aidelaiziz/ Juliet instead of truly loving her, that his feeling is a fleeting one.

300

What can be the effect of mixing religious references, the word 'kiss' and the word 'sin'?

This mixing can convey the message to the viewer that love is not all about purity. Especially in the 17th century when the Church weighed [= had a lot of importance] in everyday life and used to disparage [=criticize] physical love. And yet, because of the high frequency of religious terms, Shakespeare manages to convey the message that sins you commit because of love (for example, killing by love as it will happen later in the play) are transcended by the purity of your feelings.