Thursday, December 26, 2019

Bus303 Human Resources Management Final Paper - 1871 Words

Final Reflection Paper: Human Resources and its Functions Joshua Barrows BUS303: Human Resources Management Samantha Duhn Monday April 22, 2013 The primary function of human resources management is to increase the effectiveness and the contribution of employees, which are in alignment with the organizations goals and objectives. With in human resources management, there are many components or pieces of the puzzle that allow human resources management to exist. Such pieces of the puzzle include, equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, human resources planning, recruitment, selection, development, compensation, benefits, safety, health and benefits. Each of which will be discussed. In human resource management,†¦show more content†¦There are certain strategies that employers use to make sure that they find the right employee such as advertising, employment agencies, web, colleges, professional employment organizations, temp agencies, unsolicited applications, and soliciting specific applicants. There is more than one way to look for employees. My friend, Jonathon Montgomery wanted to start up a small marketi ng business for local restaurants and sought to hire lot employees to spread the word around town. He went on craigslist to create an ad and three days later he found himself interviewing multiple groups of people to fill the role. He did not have as much trouble in the interviewing process, but he has a lot of trouble in the selection process. In the selection process, it is important to understand the strategy used to select the most qualified employee for the position. Selection the right employee is important and was really important to Jonathon. Our reading states, â€Å" Selecting the right employee is one of the most crucial processes.† (Youssef, C. 2012) It is important, because when selecting the right employees, human resource management must take into consideration, laws of equal employment opportunity and while making sure they select the most qualified candidate to fill the role. In addition, organizations take into consideration within the selection process, emp loyees are not only equip with the job qualifications, but they are equipped with the characteristics, such as motivation,Show MoreRelatedThe Critical Components of Human Resources2789 Words   |  12 PagesThe Critical Components of Human Resources Richard Richison BUS303: Human Resources Management Professor Gallagher May 31, 2010 Human Resource Management (HMR) is built upon many different areas. The way each organization allocates resources for each area is different. Since every organization is different and has different requirements, not every HRM process is going to be the same. The areas this paper will focused on are Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and the Commission (EEOC) which

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Was Thomas Jefferson a Great President - 626 Words

Did you know that the man who invented the swivel chair was also the third president of the United States? Thomas Jefferson was not only a president, he was also a talented musician, an inventor, and wrote the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was a great president because he was against the Alien and Sedition Acts, he wrote the Declaration of Independence, and handled the Louisiana Purchase. The Alien Act allowed the president to remove anyone he thought to be dangerous or harmful to the country’s well being from the country. The Sedition Act banned all criticizing of the United States government in any way shape or form. Both acts violate the constitution in multiple ways. The Alien and Sedition Acts were created to filter and clean out the â€Å"bad† people from the young and growing country, and to keep the government clean. Innocent people were being removed from the country because he or she was thought to be dangerous. Only one side of the government was being seen. There was no contrast or comparison in our government of the people. When people started to realize that these acts were unconstitutional they began to rebel to protect themselves. The Declaration of Independence declared independence from the British Empire. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence June of 1776. By declaring independence the United States could now accept French assistance in the war against Great Britain. The writing of the Declaration of Independence was importantShow MoreRelatedThe Author Of The Declaration Of Independence By Thomas Jefferson1133 Words   |  5 PagesThomas Jefferson was one of the best authors and Presidents in United States history. Jefferson becoming an author impacted his life greatly. Jefferson was the main author in the â€Å"Declaration of Independence† and that alone changed his life. Jefferson was also one of the best Presidents the world had ever seen. Jefferson’s work mentioned above im pacted his life more than you will ever know. Jefferson was born in Shadwell, Virginia. Jefferson had eight kids; Martha Jefferson Randolph, EstonRead MoreGeorge Washington and Thomas Jefferson Contribution to Stable Government724 Words   |  3 PagesGovernment George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were two important presidents who had an enormous affect on our nation’s stable government and beginning years of our country. Each made their unique contributions to a new government under the Constitution after the failed adoption of the Articles of Confederation. After the war for independence, the Articles of Confederation, began to fail because there was no direct effective way to to collect revenue, to much power was given to the states, and CongressRead MoreThe United States Of The Declaration Of Independence1486 Words   |  6 Pagescreating one of the first official American documents was the founding fathers. These men signed the Declaration of Independence from England in 1776. They were a group of very strong and independent men who were interested in the future of the country and its ability to stand on its own. Some of the most important men who signed the Declaration of Independence include: George Washington, John Adam s, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay. The founding fathersRead MoreThe Lasting Legacy of Thomas Jefferson948 Words   |  4 Pagesthomas Jefferson The Lasting Legacy of Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson is one of the most influential presidents of the United States. Along with his successes and failures he proved to be a great president by leaving his legacy’s behind. A legacy is something someone has had handed down or left for future generations. Thomas Jefferson is one of the most influential people that left their legacies behind because his presidency commenced the quarter century rule of the Virginia Dynasty. He wasRead MoreThe Election of 1800 Essay1006 Words   |  5 PagesThe election of 1800 was a fight between the democratic-republicans and the federalists party for presidency. It also became the first time in American History where there was a peaceful shift in the political party, from the federalists party to the democratic-republicans party (Jeffersonians). The election of 1800 consists of five candidates, each believing that victory by the other side would ruin their nation. The candidates were, Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson in the democrat ic-republican partyRead MoreEssay about Biography of President Thomas Jefferson1502 Words   |  7 PagesThomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States is one of the more lauded, revered, criticized, and respected presidents of all time. In fact, he’s better to be seen as two people: a quiet and secluded philosopher, and an informal, public and loud president; it just so happens that these conflicting personalities found their home inside of Thomas Jefferson. This paper shall cover how come these personalities came into conflict so often, by examining his philosophies, the actions he tookRead MoreEssay Thomas Jefferson1012 Words   |  5 Pages Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743 in Albermarle County, Virginia. He was born in a simple four-room house in Shadwell, Virginia, what is now Monticello. His father, Peter Jefferson, was a planter who was a bright, brave, and strong man. His mother was a very gentle lady. She was boring under one of the most dis tinguished families in the area. His family had prospered since the first Jefferson arrived in America from Whales in 1612. Soon after Jefferson’s birth, the French and British beganRead MoreThomas Jefferson And His Achievements And Political Decisions1262 Words   |  6 PagesThomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson, one of the most well-known presidents in American history, was the third president of the United States, and was known as one of the Founding Fathers, for he is one of the principle authors of the famous Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson is an important factor of the development of the United States. This leading figured has influenced the prosperity of the America’s with his achievements and political decisions, regarding the United States JosephRead MoreThomas Jefferson And His Influence On American History967 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many great men in American history, whose influences impacted our early society so much that they are credited with the title of a founding father. One of whom, had much direct impact on our early American societies. Thomas Jefferson, an early American founding father, is credited to have had much influence on what shaped our early American society, and what would go on to eventually become the bases of our modern American way of life. â€Å"Jefferson is best known as the leading classicalRead MoreThe Bloodless Revolution Of 18001666 Words   |  7 PagesBloodless Revolution of 1800 was a very important event that shaped our nation into what it is today. The Revolution changed America s history in major ways. The twelfth amendment was created and the party divisions that we see today in our modern government are results of the conflict. The revolution was also a test: could the young nation of America shift power peacefully, as the founding father s had intended? Or would everything collapse after only one president leading the country? The Bloodless

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Star Wars Vs. Star Trek Essay Research Paper Example For Students

Star Wars Vs. Star Trek Essay Research Paper Star Wars and Star Trek certainly share many similarities being the benchmarks for the genre Of science fiction movies. While the similarities are not difficult to see, especially when many people confuse their names to be the same thing, differences account for he greatness of each movie. If one were to place a Trekker (Star Trek fan) and a Star Wars maniac fan in the same room, surely only one would get out alive. This is because Star Wars and Star Trek are very arguably different. Although Star Wars and Star Trek are both stunning examples of modern science fiction, they are not the same. Star Trek and Star Wars each posses similar and different general concepts, themes, and motives. First of all, the technology of Star Trek and Star Wars hold some similarities, but mostly differences. Star Wars has the superior weaponry. Star Wars has lighteners (highly dignified glowing swords that slice titanium doors like nuclear powered chainsaws), laser blasters, planet destroying canons, and mystical energy called the force. In Star Wars, most ships are capable of light speed, which can move their ships to different galaxies in seconds. Radically shaped Attlee ships and battle stations also add to the weapon arsenal. All in all Star Wars has stunning fictional technology which really creates the right atmosphere for the dialogue. Star Trek, however, seems to have a more realistic approach to technology. Star Trek has pathetic tasters Which kick like garage door openers, but can be set to stun to preserve life instead vaporizing it. The Star Trek vessels also posses photon torpedoes, Which seem to always be deflected by the enemies shields. Star Trek ships posses warp speed, which is a common characteristic with Star Wars lightships. The starship are very attractive and streamlined, but hold a more realistic and practical appearance. Star Treks technology resembles the most likely future of technology which adds to the realism of Star Trek. Next, Star Wars and Star Trek have similarities and differences in characters. Star Wars tends to have very primitive alien life, for example the hookiest and awoke, Droids are nearly human with minor programming restrictions, but they do resemble tin cans and gold toil mannequins. The leaders are headstrong rebels who are very young, inexperienced, and emotional. Star Wars seems to appeal to a younger crowd. Star Treks characters bear many similarities as well as differences. Star Treks alien life can vary from very primitive to far superior life forms, for example moving slime to mind controlling midgets. Droids are very human in emotions and in appearance. Star Treks leaders are over-achieving pioneers who are middle aged, highly experienced, and unwilling to compromise a mission based on their emotions. The general background for both Star Wars and Star Trek are very similar, but some minor details differentiate them. In Star Wars, the mission is fighting to gain peace. The universe is full of life and alien life and human life are fully integrated. Underlying beliefs stem from Christianity, Buddhism, and Judaism. The layout in modern society could be compared to a topic society of hippies fighting the government to live in their vans down by the river in peace and harmony with all of nature. Star Wars has Star Trek seems to BEA more scientific that Star Wars. The everlasting mission is to search the galaxy and maintain peace, The universe if full of scattered life, UT alien life and human life are only partially integrated. The underlying belief in Star Trek stem from beliefs based solely on science, facts, and the tangible. The layout in modern society could be compared to hippie scientists who have a grant from the government to live in a bottomed and long to learn more about the world around them. One must keep in mind, that on the final frontier, a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away, creativity was the only limit to a science fiction movie.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Shakespeares intentions in Act Three, Scene One of Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

Shakespeares intentions in Act Three, Scene One of Romeo and Juliet? Paper Set against a background of conflict, revenge, loyalty and hatred, Romeo and Juliet, in my opinion is, as one eminent critic stated, a tragedy of youth as youth sees it1. In this play Shakespeare portrays love as a violently ecstatic, and overpowering force which inevitably and inexorably leads the lovers to their doom. Intricately interwoven into the plot of Romeo and Juliet are the timeless themes of death, violence, tragedy and passion as we race along the misadventured path of the star-crossed lovers. In Act Three, Scene One we witness the turning point of the play; Mercutios needless but predestined death drives Romeo to seek revenge for his beloved friend and pushes him further towards his doom. Once Mercutio and Tybalt are removed from the action, the audiences attention is no longer distracted and our full focus is upon the eponymous star-crossed lovers. Franco Zefferelli and Baz Luhrmann have each approached Romeo and Juliet in different ways and it is interesting to see how these Twentieth Century directors have interpreted the 1595 play. By using Act Three, Scene One, I intend to show how, over four hundred years after it was written and first acted, Romeo and Juliet retains its timeless appeal for young people. It is quite extraordinary that a play which was written so long ago, should still excite and affect people, especially in a society where traditions and values have changed so dramatically for the younger generation. Although, traditions have changed and technology has become a dominant force, society will always be affected by the emotions of love and hate which Shakespeare cleverly captured in Romeo and Juliet. These emotions will always cause conflict and will always appeal to all audiences, especially younger audiences. When Shakespeare wrote this play it must have been revolutionary for his day, dealing as it does with feuds, rebellion and family conflict and prejudice We will write a custom essay sample on Shakespeares intentions in Act Three, Scene One of Romeo and Juliet? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Shakespeares intentions in Act Three, Scene One of Romeo and Juliet? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Shakespeares intentions in Act Three, Scene One of Romeo and Juliet? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Mercutio and his opposite number, Tybalt, are essential to the play as both characters add vibrancy and excitement to the play. Mercutio appears to despise Tybalt for being a slave to fashion and vanity, one of such antic, lisping, affecting phantasms, these new tuners of accentthese fashionmongers, these pardon-mes. Mercutio is so insistent that the audience almost feels compelled to accept this description of Tybalts character as definitive. Indeed, in many ways Tybalt does prove the truth of Mercutios words; he demonstrates himself to be as witty, vain and prone to violence as he is fashionable, easily insulted, and defensive. To the self-possessed Mercutio, Tybalt seems a caricature; to Tybalt, the brilliant, earthy and unconventional Mercutio is probably incomprehensible. Mercutio is one of the most unique characters in Shakespeare. In Romeo and Juliet his language is always powerful, imaginative and, at times, beautiful. Mercutio is Romeos friend and, therefore, he is neither M ontague nor Capulet. Consequently, he has not been born into a feud and does not need to uphold an ancient grudge. Still, his friendship with Romeo associates him with the Montagues, and Romeos quarrel becomes his quarrel. The renowned, nineteenth century critic and poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, describes Mercutio as a man possessing all the elements of a poet2. Mercutios character is very complex and vital to the plot of this play. He is a multifaceted character who can switch from prose to poetry, depending on the mood of the moment. Mercutios character stand out from the rest because of his energy in everything he does and says; his very name promises unpredictability because his nature is in deed Mercutial. He is thrives living his life on the edge, enjoying his constant plays on words which are unsurprising as Shakespeare and his contemporaries were addicted to puns. This is shown in Act II Scene IV when he says Follow me this jest now, till thou has worn out thy pump, that when the single sole of it is worn, the jest may remain, after the wearing, solely singular.3 In Act II Scene IV Romeo describes Mercutio as, A gentleman, Nurse, that loves to hear himself talk. However, Mercutio is not the superficial person these words seem to indicate; in his Queen Mab speech in Act I Scene IV he displays a fey imagination as he describes in minute detail everything about a little world he has imagined: She is the fairies midwife, and she comes In shape no bigger than an agate-stone On the fore finger of an alderman.4 His beautiful language and blank captur the audience, transporting us to his imagined place. He creates a miniature society which he uses to explain the source of our dreams. However, his confused emotions prevent him from maintaining the delicacy of his train of thought. Mercutio is thus seen as an unstable person who treads the thin line between sanity and sobriety as he moves to disturbing, offensive language as he talks of that very Mab That plaits the manes of horses in the night, And bakes the elf-lock in foul sluttish hairs, Which, once untangled, much misfortune bode5s. Mercutio cannot love and respect women and this too serves a purpose as he is a contrast to Romeo who initially worships Rosaline before falling deeply love with her. Remember, it was Mercutio who advised Romeo earlier in Act I Scene IV: If love be rough with you be rough with love6. Coleridge noted that upon the death of Mercutio the whole catastrophe is produced7. I agree with this statement because it is the murder of Mercutio which causes the enraged Romeo to kill Tybalt for revenge . Mercutios death in Act III Scene I is the turning point of the play because, from this point, the two star-crossed lovers rush to their doom. When Tybalt kills Mercutio, the attributes of a comedy die with him. Mercutios death marks the end of the plays essential comic movement because, up until now, Mercutio, with a few humorous moments of comedy from the Nurse, has carried the light mood of the play. Susan Snyder said Mercutios death intervenes to cut off this world of exhilarating ventur8e. In Mercutios sudden and violent end, Shakespeare makes the birth of tragedy coincide with the symbolic death of comedy. Furthermore, as Mercutio dies, the element of freedom and jest dies with him. This demonstrates how Mercutio is a strong representation of all that is youthful and caref ree in this play and consequently the audience respond strongly to his death. When Franco Zefferelli directed his version of Romeo and Juliet in 1968, it was considered a masterpiece screenplay of William Shakespeares intentions. Zefferelli aimed his version of Romeo and Juliet at an audience who appreciated Shakespeares language. Almost all aspects of the production are accurate and closely follow the original, making this film an excellent rendition of the play, albeit somewhat pedestrian in my opinion. On the other hand, Luhrmanns adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, beautifully portrays the two young lovers falling into forbidden love, but its pace is fast and the filming colourful, making it appeal to a younger generation while conveying effectively Shakespeares intentions. Luhrmanns production does not follow the script as strictly as Zefferellis production but is to me the more interesting and swifter adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Although somewhat altered it accomplishes the goal of intriguing late Twentieth Century youth, luring them to an interest in Shakespeares beautiful and timeless play. W. Grierson said Romeo and Juliet was one of his (Shakespeares) earlier work, the work of the artist of adolescence9 and this is perhaps why Luhrmann decided to aim his Romeo and Juliet for young people. The play contrasts the impetuosity of youth with the pragmatism of age. Juliet herself calls their love too rash, too unadvised, too sudden, and it is the duty of the director to capture the essence of her words. In Zefferellis production heavy cuts are discernible to accommodate the cinematic emphasis on noisy spectacle but he still follows the text of the play closely. I think that Shakespeare was enthusiastic about the Italian quality of the place and the people and Zefferelli transmits an almost over-powering flavour of this in his interpretation. It could be argued that he outdoes Shakespeare here because the domestic life of the Capulet and Montague families resembles that of English merchants rather than Italian nobility, whilst Zefferellis people seem wholly Italian. Zefferelli is faithful to Shakespeare, although he much enlivens the impression of Italian summer weather: hot days, warm nights, and sudden blazing sun. The whole production takes place in Italy and has an aura of post-Renaissance Italy. Zefferelli chose unspoiled medieval villages and very stylised characters; Rosaline, who is only a name in Shakespeares play, appears in Act I Scene V looking as if she has just stepped out of an Italian painting. Luhrmann, in contrast to Zefferelli, made his production livelier and adapted this classic Shakespearean romantic tragedy for the screen, by updating the setting to a post-modern, fictional city named Verona Beach. He also used modern images and powerful futuristic and exciting effects, with a modern rock soundtrack. The difference between the two families is shown through their opposite religious icons and business connections. The youths of the two clans, riding in jazzy cars with rap music blaring, carry handguns openly, which they brandish in frequent showdowns that rarely lead to bloodshed. Zefferelli cast youthful, good-looking, relatively unknown actors in his version of Romeo and Juliet, but Luhrmann chose the young teen icons, Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes, already established box-office draws. This had the added advantage of taking Romeo and Juliet to an audience that would normally think of Shakespeare as a chore to be studied in school. However, in my opinion, in bot h the Zefferelli and the Luhrmann productions, it is the charismatic, three-dimensional character of Mercutio who maintains the young audiences interest; he is a rebel of his time, whether it is the sixties or the nineties, and young people always identify with a rebel. Act III Scene I opens with a crash of thunder followed by many aimless gun shots from Mercutio into the sea. This fits with Benvolios godlike warning (delivered from the top of a lifeguards chair) to Mercutio as he says these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.10 This is a very clever way of contrasting the heart-warming matrimonial union of Romeo and Juliet, in the preceding Act II Scene IV scene, with a scene that starts so intensely with guns and thunder. Luhrmann uses ominous weather signs such as the imminent thunderstorm, as a dramatic device, to give a warning of what is to come. The gun, the lifeguards chair and the stark archway (a Proscenium Arch?) are all obvious symbols as well as being very modern. Luhrmanns modernisation of the play is further shown through the costumes that are used to divide the two opposing families and different personalities. The Montague gang are dressed in Hawaiian beach costume and have brightly dyed blond hair to demonstrate their relaxed urbanity, while the Capulet gang is in black leather to emphasise their threatening characters. One of Luhrmanns most brilliant ideas is to make Mercutio stand out visually, whilst updating the play to our cosmopolitan society, by casting an African-American actor to play the role. Another form of modernisation on Luhrmanns part is to associate Mercutio with gender-bending and with the drug culture; he is a rebel guaranteed to appeal to misunderstood teenagers. Thus, in Act One Scene Four, he drops a tab of acid (an hallucinogenic drug) before entering the Capulet house in his drag-Queen outfit. In Lurhmanns production, the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt is made unavoidable by Tybalts unyielding resolve to fight Romeo and reconfirm the masculine honour he felt he had lost in Act One Scene Four when he was prevented from ejecting the gate-crashing Romeo from the Capulet feast. Tybalt provokes Romeo by repeatedly and viciously striking him, despite Romeos refusal to fight. In my opinion, Luhrmann does this in order to engender sympathy from the audience for Romeo. Mercutio, angered by his friends passive acceptance of the humiliating blows, runs to defend the gangs honour. The subsequent fight between Mercutio and Tybalt has a powerful pace in order to make it appealing to the younger generation. This pace is helped by the fight being shot from many different angles and ensures that the audience does not become bored. Shakespeares swords are replaced with guns, pieces of wood, fists and broken bottles; all these are the weapons of the inner-city street-fighter. When Mercutio is stabbed by a jagged piece of glass, he drags himself up the stage of the fictional Verona Beach, California. Here, I think that Luhrmann is trying to show Shakespeares intention by presenting Mercutio as a performer on lifes stage. Once again Luhrmann uses his dramatic device of empathetic weather as thunder crashes whilst he shouts: A plague o both your houses,11 his curse echoing down the beach. We hear Gospel music in the background as the surrounding nature reacts to the catastrophic tragedy of Mercutios death. Waves crash powerfully together; clouds roll darker, as thunder breaks and is accompanied by the chilling howls of the wind. Luhrmann creates this eerie and slow-moving atmosphere in order to make the audience reflect on what has just happened before moving to a high-speed car chase between Romeo and Tybalt. The fight between Romeo and Tybalt is less exciting, compared with the fight between Tybalt and Mercutio, as a gun is used to kill Tybalt. However, the echoing sound of the gunshot and Romeos sorrowful face as he realises what he has done and screams, O, I am fortunes fool,12 are highly disturbing. I feel that Luhrmann succeeds in drawing sympathy for Romeo from the audience and this fulfils both his as well as Shakespeares intention. Zefferelli opens his version of Act III Scene I on a much lighter note, with a close-up shot of Mercutio holding a white handkerchief over his face. Zefferelli makes the camera blur in and out of focus in order to create the intense heat that was captured by Shakespeares words. This opening lighter tone is even more emphasised as Mercutio climbs into the public water fountain and begins bathing comically while teasing Benvolio for being moody as he says .thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy.13 Benvolio alarms both the audience and Mercutio when he interrupts Merutio with a warning, ..here come the Capulets.14 As soon as Tybalt explodes onto the scene, the atmosphere is charged with volatility. Zeffereli uses differently coloured clothing for different characters to portray their different personalities. Mercutio wears a dark blue costume, which shows his depressed mood, and the fiery Tybalt wears fiery passionate colours of orange and red, showing his hot-tempered natur e. Romeo enters this scene with evident happiness on his face, as he has just come from his wedding (preceding scene, Act Two, Scene Five). As he enters there is a deliberate pause in the action and Zefferelli creates dramatic tension by enabling us to contrast the exalted Romeo with the impending horror. Tybalt menacingly requests Romeo to turn and draw.15 Unlike Luhrmanns Tybalt, who is determined to injure Romeo seriously, we do not feel as if Zefferellis Tybalt intends lasting harm; he is contemptuously angry and wishes merely to teach the younger boy a lesson for invading his territory and making him look foolish. Zefferellis Tybalt relies on the Elizabethan weapon of impugning Romeos honour. He calls him boy16 and villain17 and, in return, Romeo replies reasonably. Zefferellis direction, at this point, gives the misleading appearance of anti-climax as it seemed as if the fatal fight could be averted. However, he is toying with us. Mercutio, undergoing yet another character change, moves abruptly from mirth to anger and accusing Romeo of calm, dishonourable, vile submission18 challenges Tybalt, the King of cats to a sword fight. Zefferelli uses swords as the main weaponry for fighting, firstly, because he was maintaining his traditional interpretation and, secondly, to allow the actors to build up tension andshow their skill. Zefferelli plans the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt to begin merely as a game and, as Mercutios mood changes once again, the action has moments of comedy with Mercutio teasing Tybalt, refusing to return his sword and, when it seems as if Tybalt will run him through, folding his arms and whistling softly. The Montague and Capulet factions seem equally good-humoured but Tybalts temper boils over, the fighting becomes more and more heated and heated until Romeo, by trying to hold Mercutio back, accidentally causes Tybalt to kill Mercutio. Unlike Luhrmanns Mercutios grim pun, Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man,19 Zefferellis Mercutios words do not echo loudly as darkness descends; in place, Zefferelli sends a struggling Mercutio up a flight of steps to the church, amidst gales of laughter from his friends untill his sudden colapse finally silences them. Ironically, the white handkerchief which began the scene so comically is the same handkerchief which had been staunching the flow of blood from Mercutios wound; this is a very effective device on Zefferellis part. The ensuing fight between Romeo and Tybalt is, in my opinion, too long and lacks the passion and swiftness of the Luhrmann production but this is possibly because the cinematic techniques were not so advanced in Zefferellis time. However, Zefferellis Romeos, O, I am fortunes fool,20 is particularly memorable, especially as it is followed by the haunting background music which has been slowed down to create a dirge-like effect. Franco Zefferelli and Baz Luhrmann, although divided by a gap of thirty years, were, in my opinion, exceedingly successful in attracting audiences to their adaptations of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. A purist might question the cuts in some speeches and scenes, the changes in plot (why is Paris alive at the end of the play in both Zefferellis and Luhrmanns productions?) and the lack of clarity in diction, especially in Luhrmanns film. However, I firmly believe that Shakespeare intended his Romeo and Juliet to be accessible to all, but to young people in particular; Juliet is thirteen years old and Romeo is not much older and their deaths are indeed a tragedy of youth as youth sees it.21 Zefferelli and Luhrmann, in my view, most definitely realised Shakespeares intentions by bringing this four-hundred years old play to a modern-age society without sacrificing its integrity.