Introduction – From Canon to Queer: <span class='italic'>Romeo and Juliet</span> on Screen

doi:10.1017/9781009200905.002

Chapter 1 - Introduction – From Canon to Queer: Romeo and Juliet on Screen

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 October 2023

Victoria Bladen ,

Sarah Hatchuel and

Nathalie Vienne-Guerrin

Edited by

Victoria Bladen ,

Sarah Hatchuel and

Nathalie Vienne-Guerrin

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Victoria Bladen: Affiliation:
University of Queensland
Sarah Hatchuel: Affiliation:
University Paul-Valéry Montpellier
Nathalie Vienne-Guerrin: Affiliation:
University Paul-Valéry Montpellier

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Summary

The introduction provides an overview of Romeo and Juliet on screen, outlining the landmark adaptations as well as lesser-known adaptations and demonstrating the global, cross-cultural phenomenon of the play’s screen afterlives. It sets out the issues for adaptation that the Romeo and Juliet films have engaged with, such as: the intersections of love and violence that have proved continually relevant to the contemporary world, whether dealing with racial, ethnic, familial or gender violence in different cultural contexts; the challenges of translating Shakespeare’s language for the screen and across different linguistic and cultural contexts; how conventions of genre, gender and sexuality have been challenged and played with; what works can be classified as an adaptation or appropriation of Romeo and Juliet; and interfilmic dialogues. The introduction thus provides a framework within which to place the subsequent chapters and illuminate the central relevance of Romeo and Juliet on screen both for Shakespeare studies and for contemporary screen culture.

Keywords

Romeo and Juliet film screen adaptation appropriation canon genre queer series

Type: Chapter
Information: Shakespeare on Screen: Romeo and Juliet , pp. 1 - 30

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009200905.002 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2023

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