Kaleab Tekle
Mrs. Lloyd
Literature/Writing, Period 1
May 27, 2022
Comparing and Contrasting
William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is similar to the animated film Gnomeo & Juliet in that both stories feature the feuding Capulets and the Montagues, the fight between Tybalt and Romeo/Gnomeo and both main characters fall in love at first sight.
In both stories, two families despise each other, the Red Capulets and the Blue Montagues. In the Montague family, you have Romeo/Gnomeo and in the Capulet family, you have Juliet. In Act One, Scene One, lines 65-67, Tybalt says, “What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee. Have at thee coward!”. As you can see Tybalt, a capulet, cannot tolerate the thought of Montagues. In the animated film, Lady Montague says, “Go out there and show them we Blues are better than any Red! Red. I hate the word.”. Lady Montague loathes Capulets and as a leader of the family, you can assume that everybody else supports her opinion.
As we already know, Tybalt cannot stand the Montagues. Romeo made his way into a Capulet party and was soon discovered by Tybalt but Tybalt didn’t confront Romeo because of Lady Capulet’s orders. Lady Capulet didn’t want to ruin the party over a measly Montague and proceeded to say, in Act one, Scene five, lines 74-78, “He shall be endured. What, goodman boy! I say he shall! Go to, am I the master here or you? Go to. You’ll not endure him! God shall mend my soul, you’ll make a mutiny among my guests, you will set cock-a-hoop, you’ll be the man!”. This caused Tybalt to later confront Romeo and start an argument that ended with the death of Tybalt. In Act three, Scene one, lines 178-179, Prince says, “Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio. Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?”. What Prince is trying to say is that Romeo killed Tybalt because he killed Mercutio. In Gnomeo and Juliet, Tybalt started a fight against Gnomeo and they were following a path on their vehicles. As they were fighting, the path came to an end with a large wall blocking the way but as Gnomeo tried to warn Tybalt it was already too late. Tybalt flew into the air and smashed into the wall crumbling to pieces. Gnomeo said “Tybalt! The wall!”. Tybalt replied, “You don’t think I’m going to fall for that old trick, do you? What wall? Oh. That wall.”. That was the end for him but the start of a new conflict between the two families.
Romeo sneakily makes his way into the Capulet party and sets his eyes on a lady. He began to wonder who she is and says, in Act one, Scene five, lines 40-41, “What lady’s that which doth enrich the hand of yonder knight?”. Romeo couldn’t believe what he saw and advances to Juliet. Grabbing by her hand he continued to say, “If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth rough touch with a tender kiss.”. Romeo kissed Juliet and subtly asked for a second one. The true definition of falling in love at first sight. In Gnomeo & Juliet, Gnomeo and Juliet first meet at the top of the greenhouse. Gnomeo says, “Well, I grabbed it first. Possession is nine-tenths of the law. But if you want it, come and get it.”. In the film, you could tell by Gnomeo’s expression that he was in a playful mood and was leading on Juliet because he liked her. While she is returning to her pedestal, Tybalt asks her why she is off her pedestal and she quickly scurries back. He proceeded to ask, “We’re looking for a blue gnome. Yeah, he’s an ugly little fellow. Got a scratch, right here. And his name’s Gnomeo. You haven’t seen him, have you?”. Juliet replied, “No, I… I, um, certainly haven’t seen him. I haven’t seen him at all.”. She is saying that to protect him implying she cares for his well-being.
In light of this information, we can conclude that William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is very similar to the animated film Gnomeo & Juliet. With the never-ending feud between the Capulets and Montagues, the extraordinary fight between Gnomeo/Romeo and Tybalt and the love everybody wants and sees through Gnomeo/Romeo and Juliet.