Romeo And Juliet Movie Adaptations

Romeo And Juliet Movie Adaptations Visualize guns firing, convertible cars speeding down the freeway and families (that are more like gangs) feuding. These two families loath each others very existence. The very cause of the guns firing is the pure hatred built up inside of the members like a caged tiger eyeing its escape. The scene built in your head is probably that of the Fast and the Furious. In reality what I am describing is a scene from the classic Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeaeres play are represented in many different ways, each producer altering the script to add their own flair. While the play is typically placed in 13th century Italy, Baz Luhrmann took a very unusual, yet correct, approach to his 1996 production of Romeo and Juliet. I say correct because Shakespeares plays never truly have a set script and were written in a way for the reader to interpret them how they feel fit. There never was a final Romeo and Juliet, a single authoritative or authorial version of the play. There were only versions, from the start (Hodgdon 203). Modernizing the classic, Luhrmann set the play in the 1990s. Weaponry such as swords were replaced by guns manufactured by the company Sword as well as transportation changed from horses to convertible cars. While these details of time were altered, the characters lines stayed in their original Elizabethan English form. While this may appear odd for the setting, Shakespeares plays were intended to be performed in typical clothes of the time. Therefore, when his men acted they wore clothes that a typical individual would have worn. Baz Luhrmann used this idea and created his own version that had the character in typical clothes of the 1990s. The vital information was kept intact for the play and even though the props were greatly altered the film is most definitely a correct form of Romeo and Juliet. One may look at the Baz Luhrmann version and think that it is a polar opposite to film that Franco Zeffirelli directed in 1968. Although Zeffirellis film took place in the 1400s there are multiple changes from the play to his production. His changes are far more subtle than Luhrmanns so the typical viewer may not notice them at all. But in reality, there were major cuts made from the play. Actually, Zeffirelli may have altered the script more substantially than Baz Lurhmann. Zeffirellis production has multiple instances where whole scenes are altered with the complete removals of large portions of lines. For example, Lord Paris never dies in his movie. Zeffirelli completely deleted the fight between Romeo and Paris in act 5 scene 3 instead he skipped to Romeo entering the tomb of the Capulets. Also in the play, it is let known that Lady Montague dies of a broken heart which is never acknowledged. In fact, Lady Montague is seen later on in the film during the funerals of Romeo and Jul iet. When looking at the big picture, these scenes do not change the overall outcome of the play which justifies their exclusion. Another scene that was altered resulted in the removal of a character entirely. Apothecary, the infamous character that sells the poison to Romeo against his will because he needs the money is completely cut. Instead Romeo takes off on his horse to Verona with the potion already in his possession. Where he got the potion is not disclosed to the audience. The flow of the film was kept intact by removing this scene. Instead of slowing the rising drama by making Romeo and a new character have a conversation; Zeffirelli opted to rush act 5 scene 2 which kept his audience interested. The editing of this scene did not stop there, and Act 5 scene 2 is actually far different from the original scripts. As seen in the film, Friar John simply takes too long on his journey to Mantua allowing Balthazar to pass him and tell Romeo the false news. There is no mention of a quar antine slowing his progress, which had been the explanation given by Shakespeares play script. Recall Mercutios death. If you simply watched Zeffirellis production you would see nothing peculiar with the scene. Mercutio dies in Romeos arms and questions Romeos intentions when coming between him and Tybalt. This never occurred in the book. Franco Zeffirelli chose to have Mercutio die in the presence of Romeo while the script had Mercutio and Benvolio leaving then Benvolio rushed over to Romeo to inform him of the unfortunate news. Why change the scene? Most likely this adaptation was used to simplify the scene and to add emotion. The presence of Romeo personalizes Mercutios death, adding drama for the audience. The most common change in both films is the deletion or reduction of lines. By reducing the length of the characters lines, viewers sustain their interest and do not have as much trouble deciphering what the characters are actually saying. The point is that the acting text of a play always was different from the written textà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Shakespeare habitually began with more than he needed (Hodgdon 203-4). By cutting down the script, the story becomes more understandable to the audience. This method is quite often in both the Luhrmann and Zeffirelli versions of Romeo and Juliet. In the final scene of the play, Juliet commits suicide to be with Romeo in heaven. Prior to her killing herself, she has a lengthy sequence of lines that Zeffirelli reduced to the simple line, Love give me strength. Juliets Reduction is the most noticeable of the line cuts where others are very minor adjustments for the audiences understanding. One aspect of movies that is very influential in the performance is music and sound effects. The tone of individual scenes is set by the music. Early in Zeffirellis version the music was slow and very calm because the level of action was low. This set a calming atmosphere for Romeo to talk about his problems with love and Rosaline. As fights break out and the drama surrounding Romeo and Juliets forbidden love, the music gradually takes on a frantic pace which emphasizes the growing issues of the story. Gloomy music that could make the whole crowd cry is used as the films credits begin rolling. This allows the viewer to understand the pain that each member of the Capulet and Montague family is feeling as Prince is addressing them. Notice though, that in that final scene while Prince is still talking, there is silence. The sudden absence of music puts a great deal of stress over what Prince is saying which signifies his words importance. Silence was used to grab the attention of the sp ectator because music had been used constantly and the silent background was abnormal. Music was a vital part of the presentation keying important lines and setting the mood. Baz Luhrmann also utilized music in his modern production of Romeo and Juliet in 1996. Used in similar ways,the addition of music illustrated the mood throughout each scene. Music as well as director editing make productions of Romeo and Juliet very diverse. They take on the personality of the director but overall maintain the most important details of the classic. There is no wrong way to interpret Romeo and Juliet because it was written to be interpreted in many different ways.

Sleepwalking Essay -- Research Psychology Essays

Sleepwalking Somnambulism, or sleepwalking, belongs to a group of parasomnias. This disorder of arousal is characterized by complex motor behaviors initiated during stages 3 and 4 of non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep (slow-wave sleep) (3). Behaviors during sleepwalking episodes can vary greatly. Some episodes are limited to sitting up, fumbling and getting dressed, while others include more complex behaviors such as walking, driving a car, or preparing a meal (2). After awakening, the sleepwalker usually has no recollection of what has happened and may appear confused and disoriented. The behaviors performed while sleepwalking are said to be autonomous automatisms. These are nonrelfex actions performed without conscious volition and accomplished independently from the I-function (3). This insinuates that everything done while sleepwalking is involuntary because the exhibited behavior is not a result of the I-function's output. Therefore if the I-function is not involved what causes people to sl eepwalk? What happens to the I-function during sleepwalking? What does this imply about brain and behavior? Sleep is a succession of five recurring stages: four non-REM stages and the REM stage. Researchers have classified these stages of sleep by monitoring muscle tone, eye movements, and the electrical activity of the brain using an electroencephalogram (EEG) (4). EEG readings measure brain waves and classify them according to speed. Alertness consists of desynchronized beta activity whereas relaxation and drowsiness consist of alpha activity (4). Stage 1 sleep includes alternating patterns of alpha activity, irregular fast activity and the presence of some theta activity. This stage is a transition between sleep and wakefulness (4... ...it can function independently from it. Despite my greater understanding of somnambulism I was unable to determine why the nervous system causes people to sleepwalk. It has been shown that no dreaming occurs during these stages of sleep. Therefore I do not understand what sleepwalkers are acting out. This question still remains open for investigation. Works Cited 1)Bassetti, C., Vella, S., Donati, F., Wielepp, P. Weder, B. SPECT during sleepwalking. Lancet 2000 Aug 5; 356(9228):484-85 2)3)Masand, P., Popli, A., Weilburg, J. Sleepwalking. American Family Physician 1995. v5 n3 p649. 4)Carlson, N. Physiology of Behavior. 7th ed. Allyn and Bacon. USA, 2001 5)McCarley, R.W. and Hobson, J. A. The form of dreams and the biology of sleep. In the Handbook of dreams: Research, Theory, and Applications, edited by B. Wolman. New York: Can Nostrand Reinhold, 1979.

Assessing Youth’s Education Relative to Health-related Issues and Concerns

Almost half of the world’s population today is being occupied by the young people, or also known as the youth. As a matter of fact, almost three-billion people around the globe are within/under the age of twenty-five years old, 85% of whom are living in developing countries (United Nations Population Fund, 2005) – and such is expected to rise for another thirty years (Ashford, et al, 2006). In a World Youth Report (2003) of the United Nations, it was cited that around half of the world’s inhabitants are less than twenty years old. Furthermore, in its 2006 data sheet, the World Youth Report specified that it has been projected that people under twenty-five years old will reach a population of 3. 13-billion in 2010 and will increase to 3. 13-billion in 2030. Basing the aforementioned figures, it can be deemed that the world is being comprised by the younger generations. In hindsight, one can gain the idea that nearly half of the world’s human resources are the youth (Van, 2000). It is in this juncture that one can realise the importance of taking good care of the young since they are the present and the future of the world. Their becoming can shape the world’s future; thus, they play a crucial role in the present society. It is even believed by many that youths are the prime movers towards global integration, and prosperous future for their respective organisations and nations (Fenech, 1998). One of the best ways of taking good care the young people is by looking into their needs. Notably, the high school age youth are more vulnerable to changes and the things that are happening around them. In this transition stage, they are exposed to physical changes, and the abrupt developments in their emotions, intelligence and sociability (Cox, 1999). It is also in this phase wherein they are searching for their identity and seeking for intimacy from the opposite sex. They become more aggressive and curious for the things that they have not experienced or known. In this effect, young people need proper guidance in how to cope up with these changes. They need support system that will understand their pains, dreams, frustrations and ideas (Familydoctor. rg, 2000). They need someone who is open-minded enough to understand what the young people are undergoing within the context of this modern time. It is in this basis that proper education should be served most especially to the young people. Accordingly, education equips the young for adulthood as it aids for their development of physical and cognitive skills (Lloyd, 2005). Thus, proper education is the basic need among the young peo ple. According to Lloyd (2005), schooling also plays an essential role in the young people’s health. Health concerns among this young generation is mostly brought upon by unsafe sex and, sometimes, the promiscuous lifestyle caused by raging hormones and pressure from peer groups. In some youth assessments, it was found out that students who are in high school are most likely not to indulge in sex than those out-of-school-youth within that age bracket. Meanwhile, in order to check whether the need of the youth for proper education is really being served to them, it is only proper to have assessments for such. And since education plays an integral part for the health among the youth (as mentioned earlier), taking surveys and field researches on the health status of these young people can be one of the tools in assessing if, indeed, the need for proper education among the youth has been met. Youth, Sex Education and Health One of the most prevalent issues besetting the young nowadays is their exposure to the hazardous health problems brought upon mostly by the lack of good education for proper health care. The common dangerous health problems facing the young people are caused by unprotected sex – leading mostly to acquisition of HIV and STDs, early childbirth, and forced abortion. Most cases of death rates claimed by unsafe abortions happened in developing countries (Population Reports, 1997). Furthermore, it was accounted that each year more than 1-million girls (15-19 years old) have unsafe abortions (Murphy and Carr, 2007). Murphy and Carr also cited that only a meager percentage of 35% among 15-19 years old girls use contraception, making them more susceptible to STDs and HIV. It is also not surprising that when it comes to young people getting affected with HIV/AIDS, women outnumber men (Rizvi, Inter Press Service Agency), since gender discrimination and lack of education among women is still much happening in some countries where norms and cultures prevail most of the time. With all of these health risks facing by the youth nowadays, one can construe the importance of health education in schools and in homes – specifically, sex education. According to Murphy and Carr (2007), more educated young women have fewer children and are most likely free from reproductive risks. It was also known that one of the main reasons why many teenagers acquired STDS is because of the lack of knowledge and awareness for safe sex. In the United States, the most common STD among teenagers is HPV with Chlamydia and Gonorrhea (dbtechno. com, 2008). Also, some studies showed that sex education, indeed, help for the decrease of unwanted pregnancies (World Youth Report 2003). Right for Education Seeing the importance of proper education to further uphold the good health each youth deserve, it is only but right to say that education is a right of every young person. Each child, whether in a developed or developing country, deserves free access to education. In this manner, he/she will not just be equipped with the proper knowledge of academe but also the basic learning for value formation, decision-making and health care. Meanwhile, providing free access to basic education does not only contribute the well-being of the youth as he/she grows older, but also the community where he/she belongs. By providing proper education to their citizens as early as nursery, nations, in effect, are actually molding the future of their country. Having a profound educational background, these citizens will be able likely to contribute for the development of their nations by being productive and pro-active members of the community, and not merely as liabilities (Ahmed, 2006). Furthermore, their wide knowledge and awareness to the problems of the world such as the growing number of HIV/AIDS victims enablea them to realize the ill-effects brought by such disease to themselves, to their families, and to their community where they belong at. Free access to education also enables the young to be better citizens, helping for the policy formation of their countries. Being educated will give them the confidence to voice out their opinions and ideas that can help shape the world to be a better one, not to mention upholding the true essence of democratic expression. By this positive result brought upon by proper education, it is, thus, necessary to assess this basic need among the youth by giving attention to the current statistics of youth development (one of which is healthy life). Maltese National Youth Policy The National Youth Policy of Malta is being considered by many as an ideal approach in reaching out to the young generations. Good results and positive feedbacks were gained from this said policy as Maltese youth are becoming more educated and active (especially in politics) in advancing the needs of their fellow youth, onshore and offshore (Euro-Mediterranean Youth Platform). The National Youth Policy of Malta is comprised of provisions, programs and policies that set for the development of the young people within a holistic approach. It oversees the economic, social, cultural, and educational development of the youth as it encourages them to be active citizens in Malta. Importantly, the Maltese National Youth Policy also comprises set of policies that involves for the betterment of the healthy living among Maltese youth wherein it emphasizes the essence of a proper health education. It also recognizes the hazards brought upon by promiscuity and unsafe sex, and the importance of education and promotion of safety standards (National Youth Policy 2005). The Maltese Youth Policy is also being well-taken by the Maltese youth and, even, foreigners who see the effectiveness of such. According to Malta’s Parliamentary Secretariat for Youth, Sport, Culture and the Arts, Mr. Reuben Fenech, the Maltese Government gives importance in increasing awareness amongst youths on the essence of healthy living. He also cited the government’s strategy in mobilizing its young people to participate in government affairs, as well as its commitment for free education to all young Maltese citizens (Fenech, 1998). Notably, young people age 5-16 years old are enti tled for free education in all state schools of Malta as it is every right of a child to have good education (Education in Malta, European Union). Furthermore, the Maltese government also touches on sex education amongst its youths to promote the prevention of sex-related health risks. A youth organization in Malta even ventured for a youth exchange program with Estonia wherein issues on sex, health and gender issues were tackled (Suda, 2006). This practical approach of the Maltese Government towards sex education also opened other people’s perspective on the importance of standardized sex education programme in secondary schools (Medical Association of Malta, 2006). This came on the reality that HIV is a global issue which youths should be made aware of. Furthermore, cases of teenage pregnancies in the country triggered others, especially teenage girls, to embrace the importance of sex education (Bernice and Kim, 2004). The Maltese National Youth Policy has been one of the world’s most recognized youth policies especially in the Euro-Mediterranean Region wherein it serves as basis for programme implementation for the youths outside and within the periphery of the said Region (Swedish Diplomatic Missions Abroad, 2005). It is in this reason the many find it as the better way in dealing with youth needs. The policy has been tried and tested, and viewed effective by many as the natural approach in youth developmental concerns, specifically the relative relationship between proper education and healthy living. It shows that education, above all, is the most important tool in building the being of a young person so that as he/she grows older, his/her decisions will be bounded within the realm of logic and values. Furthermore, free access to education enables the young to be distant from health risks, especially those acquired through unsafe sex. Just like in Malta, youths are being opened to issues of sex and the maturity that goes with it through sex education and making the youths’ inputs relevant in the government’s policymaking. Conclusions The Maltese National Youth Policy is one proof that constant research, surveys, and monitoring is effective in assessing that the needs of the young people are generally being met. It also shows that through proper education, youths will be knowledgeable in their dealings with their community and how to have a healthy lifestyle. With all those abovementioned details, one can still conclude that the basic need of every young people in this world is education. And living within the context of the modern time, sex education should be included in every school’s curriculum. This is to prevent teenage pregnancies and abortion, and the acquisition of HIV/AIDS/STDs (World Youth Report, 2003) as many young people are living with great risks for sex-acquired health problems (Ashford, et al, 2006). As a matter of many opinions, sex education should start as early as the child turns 2-year old, and that parents should be the first â€Å"educators† for such (Varner, 2008 and REC, 2006). The effectiveness of sex education can also be construed by surveys that reflected low incidents of unwanted pregnancies among schools that taught sex education (BBC News, 2007). It cannot be prevented, though, that there are still some individuals who are conservative and are not receptive on the idea of sex education and distribution of contraception among the youths (May, 2008). The need for a proper education can also have multiply effects to the well-being of the youth. It primarily affects how one should take care himself/herself, and to keep one’s body and mind always healthy. Thus, assessing the need for youth education is also, in a way, can trickle down in the assessment of youth health – as shown in most studies that unhealthy living and acquired diseases are mostly caused by lack of knowledge and education. Seeing this intertwining relationship of education and health needs among youth, one can surmise that investing in both aspects in the lives of the young people is a must (Nair, 2002). Educational system should be designed within the context of the modern time as the needs of these young people are changeable as years passed. There should be an open communication between the young people and their respective governments so that both will know what to expect from each other, making policymaking and programme formulations for the youth a lot easier. The government should be present all the time to assist and facilitate the needs of the young people as they face challenges that are far greater than they were still children (Bush, 2007). To assess if the basic needs for good education and proper health care among the youths are being met, there should be consistent surveys and accurate first-hand accounts in the grassroots. In this manner, it would be also easier to immediately identify further problems and concerns besetting the young people as time flies.

Closed Economy Free Essay Example, 3000 words

Interestingly, North Korea is a completely nationalized state and the state owns all the assets of the country. Moreover, the citizens do not have to pay any taxes. More importantly, it has trade relations only with countries like Iran, Russia, Syria, Vietnam, and China (Library of Congress, pp. Significant here to note is that all these countries are the Anti-United States and that is why their names are there. Quite understandably, North Korea does not have all the resources that they require and they also do not have all the buyers for their products and services but being a closed economy means that North Korea has somewhat found a way to fulfill their needs with the existing resources. Moreover, they do not export much to other countries, try to consume as much as they can in their internal market and export little to the above-mentioned countries. Despite the fact that the North Korean model does not fulfill the ideal and perfect definition of a closed economy but there is no country, which is closer to being a close economy than North Korea. We will write a custom essay sample on Closed Economy or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now However, this same list includes countries like Cuba, Iran, and Bhutan, which are somewhat close to being an autarky. This paper moves on to the next section since the former section has presented a complete introductory picture of a closed economy and this would serve as the basis of discussion for the latter sections of the paper. The next section of this paper would discuss the impacts of three economic policy decisions on interest rates, the price level, and the output of the economy. Money is one of the most interesting and fascinating topics of economics. Nominal quantity of money simply refers to the money supply of the economy. Quite understandably, the money supply has a lot of importance in economics whether studying open or closed economy. This is because of the fact that almost all of the monetary policy depends upon the alteration of the money supply.