Reading Notes on EF's Visit To a Small Planet

The play can live in any time and space.  It can live in another world.  The article is to teach people how to read literature or read the play.

1. Language is not the barricade of understanding the play

2.  Too tight a focus on language will make the play hard to know

3.  Too tight a focus on creating character make the play so easy to understand.

4.  To understand a play, read the whole play first to understand what is mainly about of the play.  Secondly, know the detail of the story, such as the time, place and climate in the story.  In the end, regard the play as a whole thing, and understand the micro perspective.

5.  Do not understand the play the way that you think it should be.  You have to find the evidence to understand the play.
6.  Conflict and Central figure of the characters should be the main point you are looking to.  
7.  Language habit can also be worthy for you to pay attention.
8.  The change of the play should grab your attention because most of the questions will ask you to analyze the change.  The change mostly happens in characters, time, and place.  In addition, the change can also happen in the tone and the mood of the language.  
9.    The play is not independent itself.  You will always find the shadow of you in the story.  Sometimes, you will find the character's personality is kind of similar to you, or what character did is what you expect.  It is common to have the feeling.  Moreover, the play is a reflection of the world, of the human being.
10.  Every assumption you make about a character must reflect the conditions of its world, including the way psychology functions in that world.  The reaction and the action that character make must have reasons behind it.  
11.  The play or literature is conscious, determinate, limited. 

Management of a Party

Tea and Drinking Party

Theme

The party is mainly divided into two parts.  One to chat with each other to share their living stories and the other is to have fun.

Where

A big garden that near a big glass house for entertainment.

When

Spring and Fall for a whole week

Who

Anyone from the same country speaking the same language.  The people should be from different class and have different jobs in the different clothes.  The party will be held in every country.

Decoration

The decoration of the garden is toward old fashion, such as Versailles, or the Chinese courtyard that contains a lily pool.  The decoration of the entertainment building is modern style.  There are KTV, dance pool, and mini golf in the building. 

Food

We will drink tea in the garden, and drink wine, peer and so on inside.

Activity

We can have communication to inspire our idea.  The party is mostly like to favorite the artist, musicians, and writers and so on.  They can create a lot of new art and literature by sharing people's different living stories.

Blog 7 Cast and Props

Our Casting and the Objects match to characters:

1. Romeo--Sword
2. Juliet--A bunch of flowers
3. Tybalt--Swords
4. Mercutio--Wooden Sword
5. Benvolio--Pipes
6. Friar Lawrence--Potion
7. Nurse--A letter
8. Capulet--over exaggerated golden necklace
9. Prince--Crown
10. Paris--A golden goblet of wine

At the beginning of our discussion, we follow the story's line to think the casting and the objects for the characters.  Therefore, Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, Mercutio, Lawrence, and Nurse are irreplaceable for casting, and swords will be the main props for objects.  For casting, there are four more positions to let us choose the character.  Paris's existence is a threat to Juliet's love, so he is important; Prince makes the banishment to Romeo.  They can be the turning point in the play, but Capulet and Montague are more like a symbol.  The member of each family should stand on the stage to make peace with each other.  Therefore, we chose Capulet and Benvolio.  When we think about Capulet, we do not think of Lady Capulet or Lord Capulet at all because they are like one thing for us, which is the power and reputation of the family.  To be more specific, Lady Capulet and Lord Capulet share same finance and make same decisions in the family.  The only difference between Lady Capulet and Lord Capulet is the reaction when Juliet shows her attitude about her marriage to Paris.  Lady Capulet can talk to Juliet in peace, but Lord Capulet cannot, but all in all, it does not matter.  The reason is that Lady Capulet has to listen to Lord Capulet, and Lord Capulet wants Juliet to marry Paris.  The situation is the same if we have Lord or Lady Capulet either. 

For Montague, we do not have a clear memory about the Montague because they hardly show up in the play.  In addition, Lady Montague is dead in the end.  Therefore, we forgot the existence of Montague in our discussion until Ms. Guarino mentioned it.  After a reconsideration, I still want to keep Benvolio instead of Romeo's parents.  Firstly, Benvolio is also a member of Montague so he can represent the Montague.  Secondly, I believe Romeo spend more time with Benvolio than his parents.  I can see it in the play when Romeo's parents worry about Romeo but they do not go for a conversation with Romeo directly but let Benvolio talk to Romeo.  It is easy for Benvolio to chat with Romeo, so Benvolio is really important for Romeo.  In the end, in the play, Benvolio has a clear personality which is peaceful and calm, but Shakespeare did not write too many lines for Montague to identify Montague's figure.  Therefore, if we let Montague and Capulet all wearing necklaces and diamond ring in the black dresses, the audience can mix characters' identities.

For the object, especially for Romeo, our group wanted to choose sword for him because the play need it.  However, we did not think that Romeo can pick up someone else's sword to kill Tybalt.  Then, I prefer to let Romeo wears the suit of armor, which is the idea of Cassidy's group.  I like their explanation, and I also agree that a Knight figure really fit Romeo.  Moreover, I would like to point out the differences between Tybalt and Mercutio.  Tybalt is a real soldier in my mind, he is good at fighting, but he does not abuse his power.  Tybalt is pretty serious.  Therefore, the swords for him should be the double swords that carry on the back or a long katana swords that only belong to a real Japanese soldier who follows the Bushido.  Even though Tybalt is not a Japanese soldier, I want to show his honor and the spirit to the audience by carrying really long fancy swords.  For Mercutio, I will give him a tagger, or a wooden sword because he is not a real soldier in my mind.  Mercutio is like a childish boy, who will say what he wants to see and get temper immediately when he feels mad.  A mature person can speak a word or show his or her emotion after a consideration, and they will react properly in a proper situation.  Therefore, Mercutio cannot have a sword as same as Tybalt's.  

Next, I would like to explain the golden goblet of wine for Paris and a pipe for Benvolio.  Paris in the play also shows up with the propose of marriage.  Every time he speaks, he talks about the marriage with Juliet.  Therefore, it makes Paris seems like he does not care anything else but his marriage.  I pick a goblet for him because I think drinking wine is the most important part of the wedding.  I used to think Paris can carry the diamond ring all the time, but the ring is too small to show his figure, so I change the idea to a golden goblet.  In addition, a golden goblet can show the feeling of happiness because people only use the fancy ware in an important party or meeting to show his welcome and his reputation.  Benvolio has a pipe, and the pipe shows his peaceful identity.  In many movies I saw before, a lot of fighting between men will be solved when a person hands out the cigarette for them.  "Calm down! Cigar?" One person says.  After a short time, the men who want to argue with each other will sit on the sofa in a silence with a cigar.  Benvolio has the ability to stop people from fighting, so he is like a cigar, pipes or cigarette to calm people down.  

In the end, I think our group's casting and objects can be used for the play as long as we change the swords of Romeo to suit of armor.  Other group's meanings of objects are too vague, which can make the audience confused, such as the kaleidoscope.  Although kaleidoscope is a new and interesting idea, you have to explain to the audience in the words directly.  However, the audience will understand our group's objects.  In my opinion, the objects should be easy to understand, and they also should be useful for the characters to use.

Reading Note on Act 5

Plots:
1.  Balthasar brings the news of Juliet's death to Romeo.
2.  Romeo is in great pain, and he prepares to run back to see Juliet.
3.  He buys a poison.
4.  Friar Lawrence asks John to send letter to Romeo
5.  Friar John does not send the letter to Romeo
6.  Lawrence goes to Juliet's tomb with an iron crow.

Note:

The reading makes me so nervous and anxious because I know the truth as a reader, but I cannot tell Romeo to stop suicide.  Even though we do not know Romeo is dead in the first half reading of Act 5, we can see his purpose when he buys poison.  He is reckless, he is too rush.  If he can wait a moment, or if he comes late, the end will be changed.  At this moment, it seems like that fate cannot be controlled by the human.  It is the willingness from the god.  

When an emotion gets too hot, people cannot maintain their intelligence and patience.  The love comes too quick, and the irrational love cannot live in the world too long because some irrational love will cause accident or death like Romeo and Juliet, and the other irrational love more often will change to regret in the reality.  Therefore, if Romeo and Juliet do not die, can they live together happily like they expect?  I do not think they will still continue their love because they do not know each other well in such a short time.  When they really live under a roof, they have to worry about living, they have to worry the finance, and they might worry about their children's education.  All of this can bring pressure to them and cause contradictions between Romeo and Juliet.  It is a reality.  Then, for love, I think it is a happy ending for them because they die in love.  Even before they live at the last second, they know they love each other.  The real tragedy is for the people who drop into a love like Romeo and Juliet, but they have to see their love goes to hate and void in the end.  

Reading Note on R & J 3

Plot:
1. Capulet allow the marriage between Paris and Juliet, and they sign the wedding day on Thursday.
2. On the other side, Romeo goes to Juliet's room.  He climbs to Juliet's bedroom
3. After a long conversation, Romeo climbs down and say farewell to Juliet.
4. Juliet drops into the sadness because of Romeo's living
5.  Mrs. Capulet comes to Juliet.  
6.  In the conversation, Juliet has to pretend she is sad about Tybalt and she is furious about the ugly devil--Romeo.
7.  Mrs, Capulet sends the information of marriage to Juliet, and Juliet refuses the marriage.
8.  Mr. Capulet comes.  He is extremely angry with Juliet's attitude.
9.  Mr. Capulet ask Juliet to marry Paris, or he will not recognize Juliet as his daughter.
10.  Nurse comes to stop Mr. Capulet.  Nurse cannot help Juliet.
11.  Juliet ask her mom for help, but Mrs. Capulet stands on Mr. Capulet's side.  Mrs. Capulet cannot help.
12.  Juliet looks for Nurse's opinion.  However, Nurse suggested that Juliet should marry Paris.  Romeo is a banished man, and he will not blame on Juliet's change according to Nurse's opinion.
13.  Juliet agrees.
14.  When Nurse leaves the stage, Juliet is mad at Nurse because of Nurse's suggestion.
15.  Juliet does not change her mind of loving Romeo.
16.  Juliet goes to Lawrence.

Note

Juliet in this scene is totally changed.  In my opinion, she is more quiet, more stubborn, and she is hiding herself from everyone.   It is a surprise for me that Juliet agrees Nurse's suggestion.  I know the agreement is fake, but I cannot believe Juliet even lie to her the closest person in her life.  You even if do not trust your closest person or best friends, who else you will trust?  It is really sad to see Juliet is covering her missing to Romeo while cursing Romeo with her mother.  It is also sad to see Juliet endures the marriage and covers herself with lies to keep a distance with everyone.  I can imagine that Juliet now is alone and lonely.  Even though Romeo will be the strong back up for her in spirit, Romeo cannot help her practically.  Therefore, we can understand how strong Juliet is because it is extremely difficult to fight against a whole world in order to keep faith and love.  I admire Juliet so much.   

Paragraph Practice

The beginning of the tragedy is always with someone's death.  Therefore, the people or the events that cause the death should be under the spotlight.  In Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio is the person that should be blamed.   He started an argument with Tybalt first and triggered a fight with him, and then Tybalt stabbed Mercutio to death.  If Mercutio learned to control his temper and did not argue with Tybalt, Mercurio would not die, and then Romeo would not kill Tybalt and get banishment.  Before the scene, even though there is a fight between servants, people stayed in peace.  Tybalt saw Romeo in the dance party, but he did not rush to Romeo and beat him; Although Benvolio could not stand with Capulets, he advocated peace.  Tybalt has a bad temper, but he can control it.  In the scene, when he comes to find Romeo with anger, he treats Benvolio and Mercutio politely.  Tybalt says to Mercutio and Benvolio, "Gentlemen, good den, a word with one of you."  Clearly, Tybalt did not want to get trouble with any of them.  However, Mercutio plays words game with Tybalt to trouble him.  Tybalt gets steps back, but Mercutio did not stop annoying him.  Finally, Mercutio suggests a fight, and he dies.  His death causes Romeo's fury, and the serial consequence comes after leading the story to tragedy.  

Review of Les Miserables

Review of Les Miserables

October 7, 2017

Bushnell Theatre, 166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106

Produced by Cameron Mackintosh

Directed & Adapted by Laurence Conor & James Powell

Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean

Josh Davis as Javert

Melissa Mitchell as Fantine

Matt Shingledecker as Enjolras

Phoenix Best as Eponine

Joshua Grosso as Marius

Jillian Butler as Cosette

Les Miserables is the musical which adapted by the book, Les Miserables, that is written by Victor Hugo in the 19th century.  Base on the June Rebellion in Paris in 1832, the story talks about an ex-convict from Bastille, Jean Valjean's experience of redemption.  In Valjean's life journal, he adopts a girl, Cosette, from a poor woman who dies in syphilis and brings her up.  When Cosette becomes an adult, she meets Marius, and they fall in love with each other.  However, the rebellion happens right away after they confess to each other.  Marius joins the ABC rebellion team and almost dies there.  Valjean comes and saves him in time.  The rebellion fails, and many people die in the event, but Cosette and Marius still alive.  Cosette and Marius get married after many years, and Valjean dies in peace.  Back to the story, there is another character who is as important as Valjean, Javert, a captain of the army.  Javert devotes himself to arrest Jean Valjean to keep the society in order according to his faith.  However, when he sneaks into the ABC team and is captured by the people in the team, Jean Valjean let him go.  Javert then starts to doubt his faith.  Afterward, he jumps out of the bridge, drowns and dies.  The reason that I would love to go back to the story and point out Javert's experience is that the story can be mainly about the faith, which is the theme of Les Miserables.  Relate to the class about Single Story I had last year, if there is no Javer's monologue, we can easily judge that what a justice that revolution has, and we can criticise the first class's abuse on people.  However, Javert's monologue made me think the problem deeply.  Under a chaotic society, every person is so small and powerless, but when each of them believes in something, such as a faith or love, everyone is great and remarkable.  Although there is someone who seems negative and opposite to justice, they might have their own standard of justice.  Moreover, it is difficult to find out the right and wrong in the chaotic society.  As a conclusion, there is wars and many terrible ugly deeds in the society, but there is also passion, love, and kindness around people. 

The musical was played on the Saturday's sunny afternoon.  The day was warm and a little bit windy.  We went to the Bushnell theatre right on time.  Our sits were on the second floor so we saw the full view of the musical and the music pool in front of the stage.  The stage was different from the stage of Romeo and Juliet that we saw in the park last time.  The stage is regular and common like every other stage.  However, when the musical began, the stage managing started to surprise me.  The stage is like separated to two parts: frontstage and backstage.  There was a thin screen that can be raised up and dropped down, and there were also two apartment-like structures and the doors moved from the right and the left sides of the stage to separate the entire stage to two parts.  The background that in the behind the stage might be a LED screen, which can make the scene more real and change the picture quickly.  Secondly, for the stage managing, the musical had a lot of huge props, such as a building, a fence, a huge ladder, and the chairs pile for the attack scene.  The props came to the stage surprisingly quickly and slid away from the stage without any sound.  In addition, there was no people to move the props.  This is the most perfect stage managing I have not ever seen before.  Firstly, the props built up the environment to let the audiences go deep into the story so that even people cannot understand the lyrics or not interested in the songs in some part, they can understand the plot by looking to the setting on the stage.  Secondly, the efficient props managing make the musical more solid.  If the props change slowly, it can definitely slow down the speed of storytelling.  The efficiency connected the plots tightly, which made me cannot move my eyes from the stage.  

A good musical should have a good sound effect.  Les Miserables in Bushnell Theatre did an excellent job on the sound effect. The actors' voices were full of emotions, and the voice brought a huge influence.  The music played in the pool was clear and bright, the quiet and sad parts of the play used a lot of harp solo (or guitar maybe), and for the strong and furious scene, all instruments played together to push the scene to a climax.  The music worked with actors well.  The light for the stage was basically dark, sometimes warm.  The most impressive light using for me is the song Who Am I sang by Jean Valjean.  When Jean struggled in his identity, two orange warm lights projected from the two sides of the stage instead of projecting directly above the character.  The result of the lights was that it made three Jean. One shadow was back of Jean, and one shadow was in front of Jean, and Jean himself was between the two shadows.   Jean was an ex-convict but also an administrator of the city, so the shadows were like his two identities.   The light using was so smart because it revealed the struggling inside Jean clearly.

In the musical, I love all actors.  Everyone acted our their identity perfectly with strong passions.  I cannot find out which one I like better so I would love to say I really appreciate the little young actors who act the little boy.  He was also an important character because he pushed the plots forward.  The little boy was in the ABC team, he was a smart and brave boy.  The little young actor acted out the intelligence of the little boy while shows the energy and naive characteristic that only belongs to a little boy.             

I love the musical so much.  I watched movie version in China when I was 12 or 13 years old, and this is the second musical I saw.  Therefore, I did not understand what the plots were mainly about because the topic is too heavy, but I remember that it is the movie I watched with my parents and my aunt in the midnight.  I was so sleepy, but I had a strong sympathy for the poor people who suffer in the unfair society.  One day more is the most impressive song for me because it shows the strong connection between all characters in the movie, and make me feel a strong passion of expecting tomorrow.  Therefore, I remembered the song since that day, and I saw the musical four or five years later when I was a high school student.  The same content was played in different ways, and I saw in different place with different people at a more mature age.  Les Miserables will be a remarkable and unforgettable musical for me.     

Reading Note on R & J Act 3

Main Plots:

1. When Mercutio has a conversation with Benvolio, Tybalt comes.
2. Tybalt wants to find Romeo, but Mercutio troubles Tybalt.
3. Romeo comes, and Tybalt shows his anger to Romeo.
4. Mercutio cannot stand, so he wants to fight with Tybalt.
5. Tybalt fight with Mercutio and stabs Mercutio
6. Mercutio dies
7. Romeo kills Tybalt
8. Prince and two families come
9. Prince banishes Romeo
10. Nurse comes to see Juliet with rope
11. Juliet get the information of the death and banishment from Nurse
12. Juliet feels sad and lucky at the same time.  Sadness for the death of her cousin and the banishment of her husband.  Feeling luck is because Romeo is alive.
13. Romeo hides in Lawrence's house.  He wants to kill himself when he hears his banishment.
14. Nurse comes and brings Romeo to Juliet.

Notes

This can be a turning point of the story.  When everything goes well, the death suddenly turns the story to misery.  It is so dramatic and shocking.  In Shakespear's writing, there are so many unbelievable scenes describing the death and sorrow, and the sorrow always caused by the person who has a bad temper, such as Mercutio, Tybalt, and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet in Hamlet.  It makes me think of the temper.  Is modesty really important?  I think the answer is yes.  Actually, I love to be friend with the people who have patience.  The people who have impatience does not mean they are nor good people, but when they live together, they always get into fights.  My parents are a good example, and I have abundant experiences about it.  I remember the worst argument they had is that they wanted to get a divorce after slamming the doors, broking bowls and chairs.  The sound of everything they made is loud, harsh, and it made me frightening.  Therefore, I decide to be a mild person and decide to marry a person who will never shout to me.

In-class Writing

In Act 3 Scene 1 who is really responsible for Mercutio’s death: Mercutio, who provoked the fight, Tybalt who stabbed him, or Romeo who got between them? Use specific evidence (direct quotes) from the play to back this up. 

In my opinion, I believe that Mercutio is responsible for his own death.  There is no one could help him to carry the guilt, even though Tybalt truly murdered him.  The reason of that is that Mercutio is stagnant and insane in this scene.  His irrational and radical personality is the main cause of his death.  Firstly, if Mercutio could not have a fight with Tybalt, he would not be stabbed by Tybalt.  The fight is started by Mercutio's provocation.  The evidence in the book is that Mercutio says, "Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears?  Make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out."  It clearly shows that Mercutio invites Tybalt to fight instead of Tybalt.  The fight should be ended as someone dies or be injured.  Therefore, Tybalt hurts Mercutio is normal for the fight.

Secondly, Mercutio did not behave well before the fight.  He always argues with Tybalt although Tybalt does not focus on him at all.  Tybalt wants to talk to Benvolio or Mercutio to find Romeo, but Mercutio is irradiated immediately by Tybalt's words.  Tybalt says, "Gentlemen, good den, a word with one of you."  Mercutio answers, "And but one word with one of us?  Couple it with something make it a word and a blow."  From the conversation above, we can know that Tybalt wants to have a normal conversation quickly and peacefully, but Mercutio wants to provoke Tybalt for a fight.  The reaction of Tybalt is nice and strong.  He says, "You should find me apt enough to that, sir, and you will give me occasion."  It means that he does not mind to fight with Mercutio unless Mercutio gives him a proper reason or excuse.  He emphasizes that he is not a weak person, but he is not a person who shows off his power and his arrogance either.  It is a figure of a gentleman.  However, Mercutio does not make a concession.  He says, "Could you not take some occasion without giving?"  Mercutio sneers Tybalt why he does not make any reason.  Clearly, Mercutio is troubling Tybalt for no reason.  As a result, it is reasonable for Mercutio to be responsible for his death.

If I am the director, I would focus on the custom of the two character.  To be honest, we understand that Tybalt comes to the street with anger, which means he and Mercutio both have bad tempers.  The only difference is that Tybalt knows how to control himself.  Therefore, if their costumes are both dark red, I want to add some black color on Tybalt's clothes because the black can make people feel more steady.  Furthermore, I would love to add some allegro speed music playing with violin and drum because the violins' higher sound and the drumbeat can emphasize the intense environment.

Blog 6

Agree with the following statement and use specific details and quotes from the text to support your argument:
Friar Lawrence is a peacemaker.

I agree with the statement that "Friar Lawrence is a peacemaker," because Lawrence is not only a scientist but also a priest.  Based on the two identities he has, he is potentially inclined to a peacemaker.  The more specific details can make the statement more clear, so the next is that why I think Lawrence is a peacemaker.

As a scientist, he can make the medicine to heal people and also can make the poison to kill people.  When Lawrence comes to the stage, he acts as a herbal scientist while he is like a worshiper to nature.  He says, "Many for many virtues excellent, None but for some, and yet all different. O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies in plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities...Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied, And vice sometime by action dignified...In man as well as herbs, grace and rude will; And where the worser is predominant, Full soon the canker death eats up that plant."  First, Lawrence appreciates the power of nature.  He thinks nature is human's mother and this magic mother is omnipotent.  Then, he compares the plant to the human.  He believes that the herbs have no difference from the human.  The all compete with each other, so sometimes they are kind because they can improve themselves together, but sometimes they are evil because they kill others to protect themselves.  All herbs have their functions, so all the human have their own personality and specialty.  The last line and the most important lines Lawrence provides is that everything related to crime cannot live longer.  From the sentence he says, we can say that he is a wise old man, who knows every knowledge and see the truths behind the appearance clearly.  He can understand the evil mind that people have, but from the last sentence, we can see that he believes that the evil mind cannot be stronger because this mind can put people to death.  It is a common sense that war is like a demon, which advocates the human to make evil actions.  It disobeys the saying of Lawrence.  Therefore, he can be seen as a peacemaker. 

As a priest and Romeo's close people, when he hears that Romeo falls in love with Juliet and wants to marry her, Lawrence shows his big surprise.  After a few second, he agrees to be the witness of their marriage.  He explains, "O, she knew well Thy love did read by rote that could not spell.  But come, young waverer, come go with me, In one respect I'll thy assistant be;  For this alliance may so happy prove To turn your households' rancor to pure love."  It demonstrates that Lawrence is a thoughtful person.  Even though he got shocked, he finally agrees to be the witness after thinking.  It is from a deep consideration instead of an emotional and subjective reaction so we can know that he really wants to make a good advice to Romeo's future, and he also wants to solve the hate between the two families.  As a conclusion, Lawrence is a peacemaker.

Note On Rest of Act 2

Main Plot Review:

1. Romeo goes back to Capulet's house because he wants to see Juliet again.
2. Romeo finds Juliet stand in the balcony murmuring about him.
3. Juliet feels painful about the name and reputation of Romeo because they are the enemy.  Juliet loves Romeo.
4. Romeo appears, and Juliet asks Romeo to marry her.
5. Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence, a priest, and Romeo ask Lawrence to be the chief witness at their wedding ceremony.  As a result, Lawrence accepts the request.
6. When Romeo plays with his friends, Nurse comes and talks to Romeo.
7. Romeo makes a vow, and Nurse will tell Juliet.
8. They get married secretly.

Notes:

To be honest, I do not like Mercutio.  As Romeo's best friend, Mercutio is totally different from Romeo.  He says whatever he would love to say, which is really rude and impolite.  Someones would say he is a funny person, but I cannot get how humorous he is.  All I get is that he teases Romeo and sneer at Nurse.  Nurse and Friar Lawrence are two kind people, and I think they have a lot of identities in common.  For example, they are both the person who can get Romeo or Juliet's trust.  Secondly, they are full of conflict.  Nurse is a servant in Capulet, but she is also the best friend with Juliet.  They are so close that Nurse can tease Juliet, the precious daughter of the Capulets.  Lawrence is a priest meanwhile he makes herbal medicine.  He can poison others or heal others, which means he can control others' lives and death in some ways.  However, controlling lives disobey the beliefs in religion.  Therefore, the conflict makes the two character more real and interesting. 

10/3 Homework

Capulets and Montagues stand on the opposite side, so if I were to stage the play, I might set the stage, costuming, props and body language totally different even though they are all wealth.  First of all, for the stage, Capulets can live in the Baroque-style house.  The reason is that the buildings and architecture in Baroque period inclined to glittering and gorgeous style.  Their house in my mind can be like the house of Gatsby in The Great Gatsby.  It can emphasize Capulet' wealth while implying a feeling of showing off.  Moreover, because there is a scene of the party, it can also set off the craziness that the party is.  For Montague, they can live in a house that made of glass.  The glass house is also a symbol of wealth in the modern world, but comparing to Baroque style, the glass building give people more feeling of cold and calmness.  The reason why I want to set the Baroque house to Capulets and glasshouse for Montagues is that the Tybalt and Benvolio influence me so much.  I often think that if  Tybalt can be more objective at the beginning of the story or even before the story, it is possible to have a happy ending.  Tybalt's emotion is too aggressive and too impetuous to control, which is like the feeling of glaring glittering gold.  However, Benvolio is a peaceful person.  Even though he is still wealthy and honorable in his family, his personality is not theatrical like Tybalt, which is like a glass.  Glass is transparent; it does not conspicuous like gold, but it is still important.