The Balcony Scene

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The Balcony Scene is certainly known to the general public.  I would like you to have a look at the following cartoons and choose the one you find the funniests.  Say why.
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You can certainly play with Shakespeare's famous scene and make it your own.  After having read and analysed it, appreciated the bard's magnificient language, I asked you to unleash your front3imagination.  You had to pretend you were either Juliet or Romeo and write the entry to that important meeting.  You all did a great job, thanks.  Post them.
diary

If you were asked to choose a painting representative of the balcony scene, which one would you choose? Why? It could be a painting that envisages two lovers, not necessarily in the same setting chosen by the Elizabethan palywright.  You are free to choose the one you wish.  Let me have the title and the painter, so that I can then post them on the blog.  The one I have chosen for you is by Ford Madox Brown. 
tsIf you were asked to write a parody of the Balcony scene, what would it be like? What comic aspects would you introduce?  Look at the following cartoon it may inspire your.  It is not a parody, but it can certainly fuel your imagination.

The following song may certainly sound outdated to you.  What kind of song would you suggest for the balcony scene? What kind of soundtrack would you use in your film of “Romeo and Juliet”?  What would your setting be like? What about the clothes worn by both Romeo and Juliet during the balcony scene? If you were asked to change the names of Romeo and Juliet to make them more contemporary, what would you come up with?

I hope you will enjoy this post as much as I did when I created it!
Looking forward to seeing you diary entries posted and to reading your suggestions about paitings and songs.

20 Replies to “The Balcony Scene”

  1. Dear diary,
    today I saw the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life. She is something really rare and precious, like a rich jewel or a snowy dove. She is a holy shrine and my lips are the pilgrims that want to reach her. Did my heart love till now? Oh, certainly not; I've never seen true beauty before tonight. Her beauty stands out against the darkness, just like the sun does. Arise fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is sick and pale with grief, because you are far more beautiful than her. Oh, she is my love, I wish she knew how much I love her. Her eyes are so fair and bright, just like the stars. If her eyes were in the night sky, they would shine so brightly that birds would start singing, thinking it was the light of the day. And the brightness of her cheeks would shame the stars the way the sun shames a lamp. Her voice is so sweet and delicate, that it makes me doing whatever she says. So from today I am no longer a Montague, if that's what she wants. I hate that name, because it is her enemy. If I had it written down, I would tear the world. She is afraid that her relatives could kill me, but they are no obstacle for me, because they can't win against love. But if she doesn't love me, then I hope they will kill me. I'd rather die than have to live without her love.

    Valentina Lupieri

  2. Dear Diary,
    Dear Juliet, I am writing here what my mouth can't say in your presence;: a great, absolute, unique, perfect, present like you. Today you comforted me from all possible grief, from your absence it erased all doubts, all pain. Finally I understand that you are my only love, my only hope the only reason of my life. You are my light, the only one over any star, over any sun, you are my right way. There are no words to express my love, my admiration, mt feelings dear Juliet, my heart is too small to bear all this. The world is too small to bear you!
    Any word, any picture, no person, no one can compare you! Beautiful is only a small word in a person so big like you. I know my name can be a problem, for us, but no! No, no, no, it can't stop us, we have to pull down every type of obstacles, that the destiny can put in front of us, we are stronger than destiny, when we are together, we are stronger than anyone!
    When I'm with you I feel something that is more than love, is more than having the girl of my dreams in front of me. In you, there are all the feelings, all the aspects, all the things of the world, all in you!
    I saw your eyes and I felt my heart pounding this night, I understand that we feel the same emotions, the same sensations, the same feelings.
    Juliet, don't deny me, take all myself, I want to live every single moment, of the rest of my life, with you!
    Now, I can't write anymore, but not because I'm tired to write, but because I'm repeating the same things and so my Juliet can appear a boring person, so, to avoid this, I will put away my pen and in my heart, in my body, in my head, I will continue to dream of Juliet!

  3. Dear,
            I've just seen my beloved Juliet. She was there, in her balcony, looking at the sky and dreaming about us, with her sweet cheeck on her hand. I'll never forget her blue eyes, her dreaming glance.
    despite the fact that the Montagues and the Cpaulets have always been enemies, I could never lead a life without Juliet, her love seems to be my oxygen, her body my only reason to live, her perfume makes me feel the luckiest man, the only one who can breathe the beauty to live a love with a woman like my beloved.
    in her elegant balcony, she seemed to be an angel, I wanted to reach her, to embrace her and to touch her lovely face, but I had to hide behind a bush, looking at her, below the night and the stars. At the beginning, she couldn't see me, she was deeply overwhelmed with her toughts and loudly dreaming aabout our life together, I could hear her voice saying she wanted my whole love, she wanted me to take her all. I want it too. I would love to make her body mine, to give her the longest kiss I could, I can'y imagine my life without her presence, without her touch.
    Nevertheless, I'm a Montague, our love would never be allowed, our families would never accept our relationships, this life seems to be useless, the pain, is becoming bigger than me, I can't stand it!
    But Juliet succeeded in making me hopeful, she said we should forget our names, our origins if necessary. If they won't help us and permit our staying together in the same soul, they should forget us!   Moreover, if it is the only way, I'm going to elope with her, far away from this sad world, plenty of hostility, and I'll reach my only purpose, accomplishing my desire to make her mine. Otherwise I would rather die…
    Now that I know she actually feels the same sentiments I feel about for her, nothing would stop me, neither my surname nor anything else, I won't live an existence with this pain…she's my heart, she's my mind.

                                                                                                 With love, Romeo

  4. I like the second image where a mum tells to her children the tale of Romeo and Juliet in a modern key. I find it funny because it also remarks the difficult relationship men have with technology nowadays.

    Adua

  5. I find the funniest image the third one where ther's a mum that tells the story of Romeo and Juliet adapting it to our century, pointing out that the communications and also the relationships are going to be more and more virtual.

    Silvia Salvador

  6. I like the second image where there is romeo that is drinking a bear and Giuliet want to speak with him but he doesn't care about her. I find it funny because I think taht can be the traditional situation between a boy and a girl also today.

  7. I like the last image where Juliet asks Romeo if he was wi-fi and the young man stares at her with a puzzled expression in his face. I'm keen on it because Juliet's play on words is really funny!!

    Alice Piccolo

  8. I find the last cartoon the most funny because it emphasises the fact that the conception of love is changed in some ways during the century.
    The feelings and the emotions are remained the same, but the means to communicate our love are developed. We certainly have more opportunities, but for this very reason sometimes there is the risk that the real feeling becomes out of focus.

    Erika

  9. I like the third one when a mum tells a boy the story of Romeo and Juliet. I find it very funny because It's original and because It's another way to tell a story adapting to ours years!
    Eroina Giada

  10. I like the the third cartoon, where the story of Romeo and Juliet is told by the mother in a modern key. Nowadays lots of people begin ther love story on Internet and so representing an "old" story like Romeo and Juliet in this way I think it's very funny.

    Valentina Lupieri

  11. I like most the third image beacuse I think it is the funniest one and also because it is simplier to understand. I don't like so much the one of Google because in my opinion it is a little bit banal. However, in the third one there's a mum who tells her kid the story of Romeo and Juliet and I enjoy the way she adapts it to our days: everything nowadays regards Internet and so also the tragedy of the two lovers is put in this contest.
    Sara Perin

  12. Dear diary,
    today I’d like to tell you a story. It is a very short story, but it is one of those that can change a life forever.
    “Once upon a time there was a little princess. She came from a very influent, well-off background, lived in a huge rich house in the centre of a picturesque town in Italy and was served and cuddled, but her family was locked in a violent longstanding feud with another family of the town. This feud had never worried the princess so much, since that day.
    Her family had organised a Great Ball for her fourteenth birthday and had invited almost all the city, except the rival family. The party was obviously cured in every detail, from the food to the decorations, and all the guests are disguised. Despite the general excitement that lingered in the air, the princess felt bored, lonely in some ways. She was surrounded by so many people, but none of them were really interested in her. She began to think that it would have been one of the usual party, where she had to greet everyone and make one of her fake corteous smiles to accomplish her parents, when she saw him. He was standing by the doorway, staring at her intensely and insistently. She looked away, embarrassed. But, as she looked up again, he was still gazing upon her. That day she did not behave in the way she was used to: she dared to expose herself and they kissed.
    Since that moment she could not help thinking about him.
    But, like in every fairy-tail, there was an obstacle, which was not a secondary one: the mysterious boy belonged to the rival family of her city. This feud had by than became unbearable. After all, what was the real problem? A name? And, what was a name? She thought it was also a convention: a rose, even if it is not called rose, it will smell exactly the same. So, it is only a problem of human beings to assign a name to everything, because it is related to appearance and not to the real essence of things. But she is a princess and, as a princess, she is supposed to care for her appearance only.
    “Oh, if only he could have another name!” She was pronouncing these words, full of feeling and hope on the balcony of her house, when she suddenly heard a male voice from the underneath. She did not recognise it immedately, and her heart began to palpitate. He did not pronounce his name, he was too afraid to lose her; he only told her he would not be Romeo anymore, if only she had expressed this will.
    With these words, Juliet was now less wavering, more secure. She knew it was a difficult situation, she was aware that the context would have influenced them a lot; despite of all these obastacles, though, she felt easy, refilled with sensations that she had never felt before. These feelings gave her the strength to set her thoughts free. She declared her love for him. Her words were intense, warm, and also measured in some ways. She was afraid for the opinion of her that the boy could have, because it was contrary to all expectation that a young girl behaved in such an uninhibited way, but she could not hide her feelings anymore.
    It was one of those secrets that must be shared and treasured by two people, or if it had remained a half-love.
    That night was astonishing: Juliet knew that the road of love was very steep, but she took the courage to forsake all the convention of courtly love, all the behaviours appropriate to a princess, in order to impose her real personality and will.”
     
    This is the end of the story.
    Did you like it? I didn’t.
    And do you know why? Becuase it is a story, a simple fairy-tale.
    But, if I add that the princess’ name is Juliet, the mysterious boy is called Romeo and that the rival families are the Montague and the Capulets, I absolutely enjoy it, because it is my story.
     
    Juliet Capulet

    (Erika Capovilla)

  13. Dear diary,
    i'm dazed by the beat of my heart, I'm stunned by what happened tonight.. her words are still ringing inside my head.
    "Oh Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
    Deny thy father and refuse thy name".
    Oh birght angel.. I'll be a no-named soul if it is your desire.
    "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title".
    Juliet, my sweet love, shining star.. What does a name mean? What is a name compared to our love?
    It would mean compare the sun to a candle, a match or to a puff of weak light..
    I hate my name because it is your enemy, just call me love and I will never be Romeo again.
                                                           Romeo (Adua Dalla Costa)

  14. Tonight I have loved as if I couldn’t do it again in my life.
    I have seen her and maybe also touched her. No, that was only in my dreams. But what if all of this were just a dream? It isn’t possible. She was so real: my love, my angel, my Juliet.
    I was hidden behind a bush, but it was just as if I was next to her: I could smell her sweet perfume and hear her melodious voice. Beautiful.
    “Deny thy father and refuse thy name.” Oh Juliet, if only I could, I would do it straight away so that you could be my lover and I could be yours. I’m not Romeo anymore if you don’t want to. For you I would come to life again under a different name. Speak again bright angel and rock me until I fall asleep because now my heart is pounding so fast that I can’t calm down.
    I close my eyes and the only image I can see is Juliet on her balcony so beautiful and pure.
    Just a few hours ago I was there with her, I spoke to her and she spoke to me. It was dark, but she lit everything around her. I was in heaven with an angel. How can she make me feel like that? She guided me through the darkness with her voice and I didn’t think about our families because I’m not a Montague; I’m just in love with her.
    Now I’m blind because there isn’t my sun anymore, I need you Juliet otherwise I’m lost. So shine bright sun and love me even if you hate me because my life depends on you. 

    Romeo

    (Sara Perin)

  15. Dear diary,
    this night I saw my love.
    I was out, on my balcony, like other nights.
    I was there thinking about my love, Romeo.
    He wasn hidden behind a bush watching me from below.
    I didn't know there. I talked about him all night. And when he revealed himself I blushed because I had just said that if he did not deny his father and refuse his name I would no longern be a Capulet.
    He was so beautiful, so fair. I declared my love, oh, how sweet he is. And he was also kind. Maybe tonight I will dream him, his voice, his words, his face. I will sleep thinking of him.
    Goodnight my diary
    Write you soon.
    Juliet

    (Nicoletta Pagura)

  16. I like the third image because a mum tells the beautiful story of Romeo and Juliet to a boy. I find it very funny because it shows a modern way to tell an old story in our years. Too much people meet each other in internet so I think that it is simplier for a kid.

    Nicoletta Pagura
     

  17. After that Romeo has killed Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, he is banished from Verona to Mantua.

    Meanwhile, Juliet's father is organising her daughter's marriage with Count Paris, although she does not want to marry him.

    The young woman is desperate and asks priest Laurence for some help, who knows everything about Romeo and their secret love.

    The friar suggests she should take a drug that makes her seem dead, on the day of her official engagement with Paris.

    In fact, after a noble person's death, his family waits about 4 days before burying his body. So friar Laurence thinks that in the days before Juliet was buried, he could help her to leave from Verona and reach Romeo in Mantua.

    Juliets agrees and takes the poison. The friar sends a messanger to Mantua, but before he arrives Romeo was told about his lover's death and was going back to Verona.

    He arrives there before Juliet has woken up.

    He manages to get in the Capulets' house, but when he has nearly reached her room, he is surprised by 3 guards. Romeo is terrified and suddendly he takes his dagger and stabs one of the soldiers. They arrest him straightaway and brings him to Juliet's father, who sentences him to death.

    The guards hang Romeo at dawn.

    Two hours later, Juliet wakes up and sees friar Laurence near her with a sad expression on his face. He tells her what happened to Romeo and she bursts into tears.

    Near her room there is her nourse, who hears her voice, so she runs straightaway to Juliet's father, in order to tell him that her daughter is alive.

    Sir Capulet reaches her room and finds her crying. As soon as she sees him, she runs towards him shouting that she loved Romeo and wanted to spend her life with him.

    He does not say anything, he just leaves her room.

    The next day he makes her daughter enter a nunnery. Juliets is tired of living and now she does not want to fight against her family any longer; she will become a nun and will spend her entire life in the convent.

     

    ALICE PICCOLO

  18. Dear diary,
    Why do names have so much power? Love should be the strongest power at all, shouldn't it? But my world isn't fair, households prevails over my love for Juliet.
    Last night I declared my love to her, I managed to let her understand that I'm not a Montague yet, that I'll be new baptised and so hencefor I will never be Romeo.
    I climbed the garden's walls and I saw her beauty there in the distance, leaning her cheek upon her hand. She wore a white gown, and she was like the sun breaking with a powerful light through the window. The moon would be envious compared to her, because Juliet is far more fair. I was looking at her, contemplating her beauty, when she started speaking but I couldn't ear what she was saying. I would have answered, but I would have been too bold! So I continued gazing at my love, who was now looking at the stars that were beautiful that night just like her eyes.
    Suddently I heard her voice: she was complaining about my name, that is her real enemy. A name isn't a part belonging to a man, so she thinks I would retain my own perfection, even if my name were not Romeo. Oh God, she had just said that I'm perfect! Than I answered, and she blushed when she understood I had heard everything. Than she declared that I'm her true-love passion.
    And I know I love her, I would scream it and repeat it every singol second in my life. But this passion isn't the right one. There is too much rivalry, and I don't want to ruin everything. If only I could deny this enemy name!
    Romeo (Alessia Testa)

  19. Dear diary,
    How can I live without my love?
    The light in those eyes, the gentleness of those words, the brightness of that long smooth hair…as smooth as velvet!
    I love her, my bright angel..my sweet love!
    Tonight I overheard her gentle words, which charmed my eyes and my heart started to beat faster and faster as if it could burst out of my body. I saw her figure walking up and down on the landing and saying my name and praising me because she loves me as I love her.
    And there isn’t a better thing than the love between each other.
    I could touch her body, her hands and look into her eyes. Yes, her eyes and her smile shone in the dark. She is the sun, she is my happiness, my freedom because we’re free to love each other and nobody will put obstacles on the way of our love. I would die if someone kidnapped my fair. The perfect fair who lights up everything around me.
    And if you want, I won’t be a Montegue…I will be just your love! Call me “love”…call me with another name but stay with me! I call you “Haven”, my heart’s haven. I cal you “Light”, my light illuminating my existence. I call you “Sun”, my sweet warm sun!
                                                                                                                                     (Romeo Montegue)
                                                                                                                                               Eroina Giada

  20. She was amazingly beautiful, sweet, elf-like: young, very young. I remember I thought she couldn't be much older than me. I was 10 at the time and I couldn't possibly know that the lovely creature on the stage was just a young boy, I couldn't possibly know women were not allowed to act. nowadays it makes me laugh: my first love was just a shadow, just what I wanted to believe it was.

    But that day I was completely caught up by the story. there weren't the stage and the yard anymore. There was just Juliet, Juliet and me. I'd been standing for three hours, staring amazed at the action's knoting. Juliet, Romeo, Juliet again. The ball scene and then Romeo standing under HER balcony: "see how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!".

    my ten-year-old eyes hadn't seen anything more beautiful before. when Friar Laurence worked out the drug's plan, I jumped up with joy and relief: "everything is going to be fine, they're going to work it all out. Juliet is not going to die". Juliet, she was my great worry. Juliet. After all, if Romeo would have died, I knew there was another one ready to help Juliet forget. A little young in truth, but within two-three years…

    That's why I didn't grieve so much when everything came to head: the fight between the young Montague and Paris, Romeo who poisoned himself…I lived everyday among fights, scruffles, murders at the time. London's streets were my home and I had to learn early how to make my way.
    But later, when Juliet woke up, I couldn't bear her pain, the grief of finding out that Romeo was dead. I couldn't understand: "Why do you do that? The world is out there! Everyone will help you, everyone will love you. Bliss is not void, bliss is not death! don't do it, Juliet. Do not!".
    But nobody was listening to me, Juliet was not. Most people around me wewr shouting and waving and I was only a little boy, dressed  in rags, less important than anyone there. And what was happening on the stage seemed something inevitable. "O happy dagger. This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die".

    The playhouse was deserted. No one on the yard, no one in the galleries, no one at the backstage. No ona but me. I was lying on my back, questioning the moon, wondering if somebody in the world could have saved her.

             Silvia  maglio

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