This makes the film Juliet seem more mature and alienated, although the cinematic portrait of Romeo as somewhat estranged from his boisterous male friends, such as Mercutio's dim view of women, is consistent with Shakespeare's portrait. However, in the Renaissance Shakespeare, Romeo does not attempt to physically touch Juliet in the first balcony scene. In the film the more 'knowing' lovers soon transgress the physical boundaries of the balcony. The unavoidability of fate was an important idea of the Renaissance era during which Shakespeare wrote. Also important, well into the Baroque era was the question of how much respect and deference a child owed his or her parents in terms of selecting a marital partner. Shakespeare sides with the lovers in their passion, but clearly shows how Romeo and Juliet's love upsets the rulership of Verona, and how society is harmed as well as helped. Good aspects to society, such as the kind prince, and Juliet's more loving father and mother are upset when Juliet decides to eschew parental care. In contrast, Lurman's film shows such a gaudy, bankrupt world that Romeo and Juliet's love seems like the only good aspect of life in Verona Beach.

Also, although the themes of youthful alienation exist in both versions, but are more present in Lurman's cinematic re-telling, Shakespeare, as is consistent with the...

Had Juliet wakened before Romeo took the poison or had Romeo not killed Tybalt, things may have transpired differently, but because of the influence of 'fate' -- hence the star-crossed nature of the two protagonist's love -- the affair ends in tragedy and sadness. In the film, Romeo actually sees Juliet waking as she dies, and the two enter into a final moment of unity that appears, in its beauty, far more striking than the reconciliation that takes place after the two lovers are found dead. Their love seems less fated to end badly, yet bring their families together as in Shakespeare's play, but fated to end well -- but because society is so fragmented the cinematic lovers are permanently united only after death, leaving their families to put right the turmoil that the older generation has caused on earth, for many years.
Works Cited

Romeo and Juliet." Directed by Baz Lurman. 1996.

Romeo and Juliet." World Book Online Reference Center. 2005. World Book, Inc. 3 Nov. 2005 http://www.aolsvc.worldbook.aol.com/wb/Article?id=ar743567.

Shakespeare, William. "Romeo and Juliet." Originally produced 1594 or 1595. Shakespeare Homepage. Maintained by MIT 2003. http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/romeo_juliet