Religion in William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet: How Deep is Skin Deep? Sarah Hall
Religion. This topic is a key controversy in Baz Luhrmann's William Shakespeare's Romeo+Juliet. The audience often finds themselves questioning the role of Christ and Christian imagery in a story so filled with hate and destruction. What is Luhrmann's intention behind emphasizing this part of the culture of Verona Beach? Peter Donaldson offers a suggestion in his essay, “In Fair Verona: Media, Spectacle, and Performance in William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet.” He writes that perhaps religion serves as “a media icon” or “a brand name or a badge” (66) connecting the Montagues and Capulets in a realm outside of the fighting and hatred. This outlook suggests that religion is only skin deep in this production—something by which the two families can justify their actions. By displaying religious icons, the Montagues and Capulets can argue that because they are religious, their fighting, killing, and animosity have a just place in the society of Verona Beach. But, why would Luhrmann choose religion and more specifically Christ imagery to achieve this purpose? He could have used another set of images to serve the same purpose. For example, we see the coat of arms for the government of Verona Beach in Captain Prince's office after the gas station shootout. Why not make this the most prevalent symbol that unifies the two families? Why use something as sacred as religion? There must be a deeper meaning to his use of the religious figure of Christ. Throughout the film we always see Christ portrayed with his arms outstretched as if he is on a cross. The cross is the religious symbol for the sacrifice Christ made so that the world might live on into eternity. Romeo and Juliet have a relationship that is centered around the church, and there is almost always a cross or other religious symbol in the scenes in which they appear. This symbolism leads one to believe that Luhrmann creates a parallel between Romeo and Juliet and Christ. Perhaps one should view Luhrmann's Christ imagery as an attempt to show that both Romeo and Juliet play a Christ-like role in their families—sacrificing themselves for the eventual peace between their families. Thus, rather than being “star-cross'd lovers”(I. i. 6-10) Romeo and Juliet can be viewed as sacrificial lovers. Although Shakespeare rarely directly mentions religion and sacrifice in his play Romeo and Juliet, Baz Luhrmann takes what indications there are and makes them a main visual focus in the film. The most prevalent visual indication of Romeo and Juliet's sacrifice is the cross. Whenever such a symbol is used, a religious foundation is established for the film, encouraging the story to be viewed in a Christian context. The very first time that the viewer sees a cross is when the title appears on the screen. The “+” in the title Romeo+Juliet forms the shape of a cross. This use of a cross is not simply an accident. It automatically gives the viewer insight into the idea that 1) this film will be greatly affected by the presence of religion and 2) that the story of Romeo and Juliet will involve death and/or some form of sacrifice. Thus, within the first few minutes of the film, one already sees foreshadowing as to what will happen. Crosses also appear in both the Montague and Capulet vehicles, and both families wear crosses around their necks. One might initially assume that such cross imagery proves Donaldson's original idea that religion has become a meaningless brand name. But, when analyzed from the viewpoint that crosses foreshadow or represent sacrifice, one could say that the flagrant use of crosses as accessories foreshadows that both families will soon be marked by sacrifice. Soon the families will lose Romeo and Juliet, the ones they care for most, when the two teenagers sacrifice themselves because of the love they have for each other. Even when Romeo and Juliet first meet, there is evidence of their sacrifice. The two lovers meet at the Capulet party where, over the entrance, there is a cross. This cross foreshadows the death of Romeo and Juliet, but it also parallels to when we see a statue of Jesus with outstretched arms over the church where the two lovers die. Because the cross imagery appears in both scenes, the viewer is given further indication as to the sacrifice of Romeo and Juliet. In one of the final scenes of the film, Romeo and Juliet are both dead and lying in a church filled with neon crosses. This visual imagery only cements the idea that the two lovers did indeed sacrifice themselves for a cause. But what is the cause for which Romeo and Juliet felt so compelled to sacrifice their lives? Surely it wasn't purely for selfish reasons—that would not uphold the theory that the two lovers play roles parallel to that of Christ. Instead one must view this sacrifice for other reasons, primarily love. Christ gave his life out of love for his God, his followers, and his world. Romeo and Juliet do the same thing. They first love each other so much that they are willing to sacrifice a bodily life of separation in order to live happily together in death. Some might argue that this is not really sacrifice—it is selfishness and faint-heartedness on the part of the lovers. However, while they do have the option of living in separation, Romeo and Juliet would not find peace in this situation—for either themselves or their families. This bodily sacrifice is necessary in order to find peace for themselves and avoid lives of turmoil. Also, unknowingly, the two lovers sacrifice their lives so that their families might live in harmony. By the end of the play, both families realize the extent of the sacrifice. For example, Capulet says, “As rich shall Romeo and his lady lie/Poor sacrifices to our enmity” (Act V.iii 214-15). The sacrifice of Romeo and Juliet is the peace maker that saves the future of the Montagues and Capulets as well as the future of the city and its people. Since Verona can be seen as a microcosm of the world, Romeo and Juliet can be viewed as having Christ roles in their respective world. Parallels between crosses, the statue of Jesus in the center of Verona Beach, and the sacrifices of Romeo and Juliet are visually found in Baz Luhrmann's film. Many critics argue that the Christ statue is paradoxical when seen in the context of the actions of the families, since their behavior is so un-Christian, but when looked at in the context of crosses, it takes on a whole new depth of religious meaning. If this Jesus statue is seen as a symbol of purity and perfect sacrifice, then a Christian standard is visually created to which Romeo and Juliet's sacrifice can be paralleled. First, it is important to remember that the statue of Jesus in Verona beach is presented so that both of his arms are outstretched. This positioning evokes images of Jesus when he was nailed to the cross. Second, the statue of Jesus is almost always seen so that he is between the Montague and Capulet homes. His arms always appear to be reaching out to the families as if to offer a helping hand to bring resolution to their many conflicts. This is one of the main ideas that we find in religious environments today—Jesus is there to bear our burdens and is the answer to our struggles and conflicts. If the audience chooses to view Romeo and Juliet as Christ-like figures, one argues that through their deaths the lovers are offering the same opportunity to their families for a life with diminished struggle and pain. A third idea emphasized by these parallels is that sacrifice and true love bring about purity in society. For example, in the scene showing the aftermath of the gas station fire, the statue of Jesus is the only thing in the city that still appears to be in focus, pure white, and clean. Everything else is obscured by smoke, dirt, and debris. Purity of love between Romeo and Juliet is emphasized in the play as well. For example, during the balcony scene, Juliet says, “So Romeo, were he not Romeo called,/Retain that dear perfection which he owes/Without that title” (Act II.i ll. 88-90). Clearly, Juliet views Romeo and the love between them as being without flaw. The film reflects this purity in the death scene of the two lovers. This scene is when the audience receives a clear indication that Romeo and Juliet are Christ figures. In this scene, the viewers follow Romeo into a chapel adorned with crosses and figurines of Jesus. These religious symbols indicate that the chapel is sacred and marked by sacrifice and suffering. Inside the chapel, the audience easily sees the struggle of making a conscious decision to end one's life. The words exchanged by the lovers and the ring that Romeo gives Juliet indicate the eternal level of their relationships and the lasting impact it will have on those left behind. The audience also sees how true love brings a supernatural strength and resolve in a person's conscious. This idea shows that sometimes death is the most powerful way to show that one cares. In essence, this love is the definition of sacrifice. Why did Donaldson suggest that one of the roles of religion in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo+Juliet was to serve as a label? He interprets the continuous presence of Christ as a bad thing—something superficial which lacks true meaning in the lives of the Montagues and Capulets and is something on which they can pin their unacceptable behavior. But, after delving into an analysis of the Christ imagery, it is obvious that Luhrmann does, in fact, have a deeper point to make through his consistent use of religious imagery. He purposely uses the cross and Jesus to emphasize that sacrifice is the core of the drama of Romeo and Juliet. Their Christ-like sacrifice is what drives the play and Luhrmann's film. Without love for each other, their families, and their community, this story would cease to be a story of struggle turned to peace; rather, it would remain story reflective of the world without Christ's sacrifice. Because of the lovers' sacrifice, Verona has hope for life, just as Christians in the world have hope for life because of their Savior.
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