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RxJ is one of my favorites of the season.

Yeah Juliet finally gets to kick some ass!

I like it when we get to see a strong girl and as you point out, in the original she wasn’t very strong at all.

My friends hated me in English Lit because I aced it without trying. Well the older texts like Shakespeare and Chaucer. I didn’t do so well with the Modern, well mainly The Midwives Tale. NEVER I mean NEVER read that book its so damn boring!

As for ruining a classic, c’mon its been reinvented so many times I fail to see how people can be upset about it being re-imagined yet again.

Do Henry the 5th next, or Othello. Now those were great plays ^-^

I think modern society is overly critical of how Juliet is protrayed…mainly because now we are so full of a relatively new wave of feminism, where we are raised with the conviction that biological sex should NOT pre-determine a person’s social identity or socio-political/economic rights; whereas in those times the sex you were born in practically shaped EVERYTHING.

You view Juliet as spineless now because you have a different perspective. They didn’t know better…in fact, think about it, would you drink some unknown dubious beverage, that might as well kill you instead of just simulate your death, in the hopes that your exiled beloved will rescue you in time so that you don’t have to spend your life in an arranged marriage?

For those times, I don’t see her as docile…in fact, even for modern times, it takes guts. People still give in to whatever their families expect of them. Plus, she wasn’t even FOURTEEN (a rich, pampered 14 yr old). My baby sister is fourteen and she can’t, for the life of her, talk back to anyone except me (the lil brat).

Here are some lines I found on Wikipedia a while back when I did one of my thesis on this play: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliet_Capulet)

“The play takes place over a time span of less than one week. Within these few days, young Juliet is thrust into adulthood with little warning. During the play she is courted by a potential husband, falls in love, marries illicitly, loses her virginity, experiences the death of a cousin she is close to, is threatened and nearly disowned by both of her parents, is betrayed by the nurse who raised her from infancy, becomes suicidal, spends nearly two days drugged to unconsciousness, is widowed, and commits suicide next to the body of her husband. Shakespeare’s Juliet is a headstrong and intelligent character, though she often seems timid to the audience. She is considered by many the true hero of the play, acting as a sounding board and a balance against impulsive Romeo, and taking control of situations with an ease. She sets the boundaries of behavior in her relationship with Romeo. She allows him to kiss her, she pledges her commitment before he, she suggests their marriage, she accepts Romeo even after he kills her cousin, she bravely takes a drug that simulates her death, and she does all this while fending off her parents’ plans for her wedding, lying when necessary. Juliet believes she is doing the right thing all along. Finally, when she is left with no one and Romeo is dead before her, she ends her life, and in a violent manner at that(…) Juliet is intelligent and can be very calculating. At several points, she misleads others without actually lying(…)When Romeo gets lost in poetry, she brings him back down to reality.”

Yes, I know this is an anime blog, not a Shakespeare forum, I apologize…but I really do need to defend Juliet.
I’m not saying I dislike this adaptation, I have enjoyed a lot what I’ve seen. I just dissagree on the fact that this necessarily is better because it shows a strong Juliet, whereas the Shakespearan version is weak. There are different strengths, different circumstances, different upbringings for both versions. And let’s not forget more screen-time for the anime that allows more character development ^_^

You are right, after reading your post I have to admit that my statement of Juliet being spineless is baseless. The truth is, the Juliet in my mind isn’t formed by reading the original work, but from a lot of other mediums. Spineless may not be the best way to describe her.

Nonetheless. I am very much a product of the twentieth century, and I’m afraid I quite still dislike her, even if she is strong for Elizabethan standard. Purely from a personal POV. I have to admit, though, that from the wiki description she sounds more headstrong and foolish than spineless and weak.

First they bastardize Eastern literature (not from their own country), then they bastardize Western religion, and now even Willie is not free of it. Bastardize your own culture and religion for once, now will ya? It is not like Japan lacks both.

The only good thing for me in this show is the opening song. Even if people say how they like the “new” angle on star-crossed lovers destined to fight eachother, this so call “newness” is so overused that it is not funny. The Count of Monte Cristo was a better bastardization than this despite how they made the Count gay with his own frigging son just for fanserives.

I will get down to properly reply and elaborate more on my points…but right now it’s too late at night, so I’ll get to it in the morning XD

“At the very least you are better partner than Romeo could have been.” nevermind the fact that I’m not a guy lol I do agree Romeo is an idiot T.T and I just want to leave clear that I’m not trying to justify suicide.

It’s about evaluating things in context and get inside their heads, understand the circumstances and rules of that time. To understand their world in their own terms. To be scholarly responsible. Understand the real meaning behind the play, which was not really to be meant as ‘the ultimate love story’ as it is considered by many.

Juliet was portrayed uncharacteristically young precisely to highlight the foolishness of teenage infatuations and rash actions of that age, and how they can lead to tragedy. Her suicide is not meant to be taken as an example to follow. Arguably, it is the consequence of the feud, highlighting not only the heir’s youth-attributed foolishness, but their families’ as well.

You are comparing a 17 year old (or so) to a 13 yr old (and both are within different circumstances). Gonzo’s Juliet grew up among the lower classes, knowing their suffering and situation. Shakespeare’s didn’t. She knows no better, and you can hardly blame her if she was never exposed to it.

Juliet’s strength as a female character in that time begins by her not being a passive Petrarchan lady, thus being an innovation back then. We are bombarded with over-the-edge, super independent female characters (because it’s what we now expect women to be like), and so Juliet seems like no big deal.

Yes, she committed suicide, yes such an act is wrong, but no one meant it to be her glorious moment to begin with. It’s not really because she killed herself that she is an immortal character (scholarly speaking), but because as a whole, she is a three dimensional character, with flaws AND virtues in the whole package, an innovative character for that time that took an active role in the wooing and entire play (instead of the impossible, unattainable and even cruel women in pedestals that conformed the norm then for sonnets).

And I really have a headache now, because it’s late and I shouldn’t have written anything to begin with at this hour XD I got carried away once I began. I shall continue in the morning if further discussion-points come up XD

@ MarsBattyAngel, I guess I should have said naive instead of not strong.

And I agree, her nature really is a product of the time period in which she belongs to and its my modern standards that cloud my judgement of her character.

Besides if she were to act like a modern woman they’d probably haul her off to an aslyum!!!! ^-^

As a result though she’s not a character I really liked. But then that isn’t really her fault ^-^ I did have some sympathy for her though being that she was due to be married off against her will.

I have to admit despite being made to read it, write about it and perform it, I never found much love for it as a play. Actually being made to perform it in class was probably what made me hate it.

At 13 there was nothing more embarrassing than being paired up and having to perform in front of everyone. Thankfully the poor boy was as embarrassed as I was which made it easier I guess. And of course as embarrassing as it was then I have more of a love for guys now ^-^ But at the time I wasn’t happy.

But as you said it does still carry modern relevance in its portrayal of the naiveté of youth.

I was much fonder of Henry the Fifth, Othello and The Merchant of Venice, with Othello being my favourite.

Iago was just such a great character and it was very easy to get into his head and his motivations.

So its probably my personal preference coloring my view of the play and its characters.

@ Crusader, scarily it wouldn’t surprise me if an anime based on hawt jungle love actually existed! LOL ^-^

And as for Iago I have to agree (besides he has to be my favourite character since my essay on him got me an A on my exam. Which really pleased the teachers since I was the only pupil to get an A at A LEVEL English Lit for four years in that school!)

I know some people watch the play and think poor Othello. But really he was an idiot, a prideful idiot. His reputation was worth more to him than the truth.

Of course he really never had a chance with someone as manipulative as Iago, pulling his puppet strings.

I just posted my thoughts on this anime in another blog, and here they are:

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I’m not saying that Romeo x Juliet is a bad anime…but if you happen to be a fan of the original source then making comparisons might be inevitable, and not for the better. The thing is I might not have a problem with the anime if they changed the title just a little bit…but since it’s Romeo x Juliet, then I end up unconsciously making comparisons and looking for the characters I knew from the book…and I can’t recognize any of them in Gonzo’s creation, save their names.

Case in point- the 1986 anime movie, Windaria, had more in common than this version of Romeo and Juliet…and it wasn’t even Romeo and Juliet any more than West Side Story or Pyramus and Thisbe was.

Some issues I have with the anime:

1) Juliet as a tomboy- Yes, I saw no reason to turn her into a swashbuckling hero and it’s ridiculous to expect the original Juliet to kick ass, since she was a character of her time. Not many women from the 16th century carried swords- but to be fair, the original Juliet was not passive compared to her counterparts- yes, she was obedient but what would one expect from a 14 year old girl living in the 1500s? She does go against her parents though, and makes the effort to be with Romeo, which was considered rebellious for that time.

Overall, it’s strange how others would be tired of seeing the original Juliet the way she truly was depicted, considering that that was the realistic way to portray her in the first place.

I have nothing against the Juliet in the anime. She can be adorable and heroic for all I care, but she’s not Juliet, is all.

2) The circumstances that affect characterization. Since the character’s actions were influenced by the circumstances that surrounded them, the ones in the anime had practically nothing in common with the ones from the book. It’s not even a question of transplanting them into a different world. The characters in Bridget Jones Diary were definitely different from the ones in Pride and Prejudice, but you could at least see remnants of Elizabeth Bennet in Bridget, because she went through the same circumstances (misjudged 2 men, etc.) Austen’s heroine went through. And the themes between P&P and BJD were similar.

On the other hand, what makes Romeo and Juliet different from Antony/Cleopatra, Pyramus/Thisbe, etc…are the events that every character has to go through. Juliet’s disobedience (which was radical for that time), Romeo’s conflict at having killed her cousin, Mercutio’s fiery monologues and constant bickering with Tybalt…the Nurse’s presence and influence in Juliet’s life…

all these things make the characters in R&J distinct from other star crossed lovers in fiction. And since they don’t go through the same things in the anime, since they don’t experience the same problems, the same ways of dealing with the situations…then they are simply not the same characters anymore. Just characters with the same names.

3) The war between two houses. Another distinctive situation in the original R&J is that both houses were EQUAL. That’s what made everything so hard for R&J and everyone else involved. The fact that both were equal meant that it would be harder to achieve peace since they were constantly vying for power and at each other’s throats. This is also what influenced Friar Lawrence to perform the secret marraige. It was the only way (at least, that’s how his reasoning went) that they could achieve peace, by a marraige between the two power houses. None of that is found in the anime.

Even Mercutio’s characterizaton is influenced by this never ending tiff. His sarcasm, his wit, his monologues…it’s interesting how one can’t tell whether or not he loves or hates the petty quarrels. He revels in it, but detests it simultaneously, IMHO.

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I guess what I’m trying to say is- the Romeo x Juliet anime is not necessarily a bad one. It can even be considered good, if one does not compare it with the source. But my problem is, since Gonzo changed it so much to a point that it has no similarity with the play, then why on earth name it Romeo x Juliet in the first place?

Makes no sense to me.