Verona, Italy: Home of the Famous Lovers

Thanks to all of the readers today (and all the days we read aloud) for closing out the final few pages of our play. The action moved so fast in the last act that we managed to read about three more tragic, senseless deaths - four if you count Lady Montague dying of a broken heart at Romeo's exile. Romeo's wreckless attempt to "break the yoke of inauspicious stars" (shake loose the burden of fate) highlights the effects of his impulsiveness. The whole town is left to mourn their deaths and to have "more talk of these sad things."

Whether the setting is Verona Beach or Verona, Italy, the lessons are the same for the film versions of our play. You might agree, though, that the modern setting of Verona Beach and the visual effects presented in this more modern film version create some unique dramatic effects. I encourage you to blog about visual effects and symbols you notice in the film. I am curious about what you think of the artisic techniques and what you notice about the subtle changes made in the script.

If you click on this site, you can take a virtual tour of Verona, Italy. Toward the middle of the tour you will find pictures Juliet's home and Romeo's home. I wonder if this is how you pictured it all.

We will be blogging on Friday during class. This will give us a chance to share ideas about the play and film versions, the artistic interpretation of the modern film, study guide questions, favorite characters and lines from the play, and much more. Anyone who wants to bring up related topics of discussion is free to do so.

Tomorrow we will spend the class period taking the citywide benchmark test. We've done a tremendous amount of reading and writing this semester, and this is the best preparation I can think of for a reading comprehension and writing test. Rest well tonight, finish reading the play if you have not done so, and Friday we will blog.