Romeo and Juliet:

The Ones That Got Away

Amber Rainkie
301226937
Dr. William Dow
November 22, 2014
SFU

When reading the story of Romeo and Juliet I was surprised at the absurdity of the
actions that Romeo and Juliet took (suicide) to avoid being without each other in the world of
the living. (And if they are Catholic as Shakespeare suggests, and kill themselves, they wont be
headed to paradise any time soon) The example of love that Romeo and Juliet are supposed
to model is not reality. Love is not easy; its hard but incredibly worth it. Romeo and Juliet
were teenagers and exceedingly moody as well as privileged it all seems a bit melodramatic.
Working in a high school I see all sorts of tears shed for unrequited love and I do agree that at
some point, we all have felt that moment where we would rather die than live without the
person we love (or think we love), but it is absurd to carry that action out. The non-violent
method to remedy the situation that Romeo and Juliet find themselves in would be to run
away, which is what the characters in my adapted play, Memory, have done.
I took the perspective of Romeo and Juliet when they are advanced in years, living in an
American assisted living facility. Their love has had time to mature. Experienced love is like a
rose when in a garden and well tended, it blooms and flowers. Even when the frost comes it
will still bloom in the next season. Only when it is removed from the garden does it die. Romeo
and Juliet decided to let their love grow and they run away together. Being young and not of
the working class when they run away, they are able to take some valuables of their parents
before they escape their American homes in the South and head north to Oregon to live in the
forests (often a feature of many love stories in Shakespeare) of the west.
The story of their imagined life together is revealed through Romeo and Juliets lunch
conversation before her death. The story of their love however, is revealed through Romeos
death from a broken heart. It should reveal more about their love and life together than any
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montage could ever do. His death in Memory is more believable because loving and living
through the hard times shows more love than ending it all before it has a chance to grow.
Quotes from well-known romantic movies are included to add some familiarity with the
story of love that is so often credited to Shakespeare and the model that Romeo and Juliet have
provided of the perfect love story a boy and girl from different walks of life meet and must
make hard choices and decisions in order to be together. The quotes are from moments where
characters make professions of love, much like the characters in the original play.
The music chosen for Memory was selected based on mood the song created through
lyrics and instrumentals and designed to be used in a movie setting where the sound can be
played in the background during conversation and faded in and out for the specified scenes.
Each song has words that mirror the internal thoughts and external actions of the characters.
(See Appendix A)
Memory opens with Romeo gazing upon Juliet as she is playing Bridge with her friends.
She is aware of Romeos presence but his advancing dementia prevents her from approaching
him in case he doesnt remember their shared past. Likewise in the original play, Juliet is
unable to connect with Romeo because of their family feud a misstep in either scenario could
have disastrous consequences.
Later that night, Romeo who has forgotten his lady love maneuvers to her room careful
to remain undetected by the station nurses (nurses in both plays have the role of caretaker).
After some strategic sulking, Juliet calls Romeo out on his stalking behaviour and they share
some conversation, much like the original balcony scene. Juliet shows incredible patience as
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her husband drifts in and out of memories. In the end his old memories lapse and he asks Juliet
to marry him, which is something he often does, and to which she readily agrees. In his mind,
this is his favourite memory when Juliet says yes to his proposal of marriage and he
frequently revisits this memory which we later find out has resulted in many weddings
between the two at the chapel located in the assisted living complex.
At a lunch date with their daughter, who remains nameless, Juliet tells her daughter
about the hope she has had in the past 24 hours. When her daughter chastises her for the
multiple weddings she has had, even though they are pretend, Juliet recollects how she was
denied her perfect wedding when she chose to elope with Romeo. Juliet remains faithful to
Romeo, but her daughter has a hard time with the coping with the consequences of the
disease, as her father has completely forgotten her. Juliet is able to manage the costs of the
disease better because she is given glimpses of hope when Romeo remembers them.
Romeo, in an unexpected state of present memory has a conversation with Juliet about
their life together, filling in some of the gaps of their life: running away, childbirth, parental
resentment, and professions of love. Juliet is ecstatic to have her husband back and she refuses
to interrupt him as she begins to have chest pains. Romeo finally notices the pain Juliet is in
when she clutches her chest and suggests that they go see the nurse. As she rises from the
table, she collapses and shares her final moments with Romeo. Romeo refuses to believe that
his wife is dead and in an inconsolable state begins to cry and scream for his wife.
His wifes death prolongs Romeos memory state and he refuses to be away from his
wife. The nurses wish that his memory would fade because they hate to see him in such pain.
They let him stay by her side as a vigil while preparations are made for her funeral. Romeo is
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lost without his wife as he feels that the best part him is missing. Even in the hospital
everything reminds him of his Juliet and he lost in the memories of her. He falls asleep by her
side and never wakes up; he dies of a broken heart.
Their daughter loses both her parents in one day (whereas the in the original, the
parents lose both children in a day). Because the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet never happened,
a new model for true love emerges in the eulogy that their daughter gives at the funeral. She
comments on their example of love - that their love is stuff that romance stories are written
about. She finishes her eulogy with a line from the original play, adapted to fit this love story of
Romeo and his Juliet.
The title of the play, Memory, was chosen because the tension and eventual resolution
of the conflict is through memories. Memory loss is why Romeo and Juliet are in an assisted
living facility, and why Juliet often feels helpless and worried about Romeo forgetting her
altogether. Memories are what keep Juliet hopeful that Romeo will not be lost forever.
Romeos favourite memory that keeps him tied to Juliet is the day he asked her to marry him
and is one that he frequently goes back to. The last moments that Romeo and Juliet share
together are shared memories. After Juliet dies, Romeo is lost in the memories they shared,
and falls asleep thinking of these, never to awake again. Finally, at the funeral, the eulogy is
given as a reflection of the memories Romeo and Juliets child has of her parents a love that
will go down in history and not be forgotten.

Appendix A Song Analysis

If It Means A Lot To You by A Day To Remember
And hey darling,
I hope you're good tonight.
And I know you don't feel right when I'm leaving.
Yeah, I want it but no, I don't need it.
Tell me something sweet to get me by,
'Cause I can't come back home till they're singing
La, la la la, la la la,
Till everyone is singing

(Chorus)
If you can wait till I get home,
Then I swear to you that we can make this last.
(La la la)
If you can wait till I get home,
Then I swear come tomorrow, this will all be in our past.
Well it might be for the best.
And hey sweetie,
Well I need you here tonight,
And I know that you don't wanna be leaving me
Yeah, you want it, but I can't help it.
I just feel complete when you're by my side,
But I know you can't come home till they're singing
La, la la la, la la la,
Till everyone is singing.
La, la la la, la la la.
(Chorus)
You know you can't give me what I need.
And even though you mean so much to me,
I can't wait through everything,
Is this really happening?
I swear I'll never be happy again.
And don't you dare say we can just be friends.
I'm not some boy that you can sway.
We knew it'd happen eventually.

Analysis:
This song fits well with the thoughts and action of
Romeo and Juliet leading up to and including Act I, scene
i. Romeo sees Juliet, hopes she is well, and there is some
understanding that when he leaves when he forgets his
past, Juliet feels lost too. But telling Romeo the words he
wants to hear, he is momentarily regains his memories
back.
On some level, there is a part of Romeo that begs Juliet
to be patient to wait and if she can do this, they will
make this new life work out.
Romeo is aware that it is difficult he knows hes
trapped he knows that he forgetsand he knows that
this is hard on Juliet. He knows that Juliet doesnt want
to leave him, but she has to when he forgets because it is
uncomfortable.
Romeo is most complete with Juliet there, but the
disease is taking an effect that Romeo is not pleased
with. He doesnt want this to happen it is robbing him
of true happiness and he is terrified that one day Juliet
will move on because eventually his memories wont
come back.

..

A Thousand Years by Christina Perri

Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave
How can I love when I'm afraid
To fall
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt
Suddenly goes away somehow
One step closer
(Chorus)
I have died every day
waiting for you
Darlin' don't be afraid
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I'll love you for a
Thousand more
Time stands still
beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything
Take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath,
Every hour has come to this

Analysis:
Juliet did not get to plan her dream wedding, but she was
able to marry her dream man.
This song plays as an older Juliet walks down the aisle to
Romeo a walk that she has done many times, and
would gladly do many times more. Juliet worries that her
love will fade with Romeos memories. She worries
about not being loved in return as Romeo forgets their
life together.
But when she sees him at the end of aisle, she realizes
that it doesnt matter. Here, in this moment he loves
her and she loves him. She is convinced as she steps
closer to Romeo to exchange vows that even if the
memories are gone, Romeos love may die, but its
always reborn their love will evolve, but it will never be
forgotten.

One step closer

(Chorus)
And all along I believed
I would find you
Time has brought
Your heart to me
I have loved you for a
Thousand years
I'll love you for a
Thousand more
One step closer
One step closer
(Chorus)
(Repeat 3rd Verse)

Remember When by Alan Jackson

Remember when I was young and so were you
And time stood still and love was all we knew
You were the first, so was I
We made love and then you cried
Remember when
Remember when we vowed the vows and walked the walk
Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard
We lived and learned, life threw curves
There was joy, there was hurt
Remember when
Remember when old ones died and new were born
And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged
We came together, fell apart
And broke each other's hearts
Remember when
Remember when the sound of little feet
Was the music we danced to week to week
Brought back the love, we found trust
Vowed we'd never give it up
Remember when
Remember when thirty seemed so old
Now lookin' back, it's just a steppin' stone
To where we are, where we've been
Said we'd do it all again
Remember when
Remember when we said when we turned gray
When the children grow up and move away
We won't be sad, we'll be glad
For all the life we've had
And we'll remember when

Analysis:
Romeos memory has returned in time for a lunch date
with Juliet. I imagine their conversation lasting longer
than revealed in the play a lot like the music video that
goes along with this song. Juliet has wished and dreamed
for moments of clarity and she is getting more than she
hoped for.
They remember their life when they were young, when
they made their vows, the ups and downs that befall any
relationship, the birth of their child, the renewed
relationship with their parents, and inevitably growing
old together. Through it all there is no one else they
would rather be doing this thing called life with.
Even in moments that are less than ideal, the memories
that they have will bring moments of happiness to their
lives.
Juliet doesnt know when this kind of clarity will happen
again so she doesnt want to break the spell. When she
passes on, it is these memories that Romeo finds himself
lost in and glad for, but his body rejects the idea of living
without his soul mate and he ultimately dies of a broken
heart in a later scene.

Remember when
Remember when

When Youre Gone by Avril Lavigne

I always needed time on my own
I never thought I'd need you there when I cry
And the days feel like years when I'm alone
And the bed where you lie is made up on your side
When you walk away I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?
(Chorus)
When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear to always get me through
The day and make it ok
I miss you
I've never felt this way before
Everything that I do reminds me of you
And the clothes you left, they lie on the floor
And they smell just like you, I love the things that you do

Analysis:
Being apart from someone you love is its own special hell
on Earth. The introduction to this song plays as Romeo
begins to realize that his wife is dead and his reaction to
this realization. The scene is without spoken words from
the actors instead there are images of Romeo going
through the motions of being in the home without
Romeo and his intense despair. Nurses try to help him
through this.
Romeo sits near the bed of the deceased Juliet and
images of their life together flash across the screen
mimicking the rolodex of memories that Romeo is
revisiting.
Eventually Romeo falls asleep and does not wake up. He
cant be without Juliet and dies of a broken heart.

When you walk away I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?
(Chorus)
We were made for each other
Out here forever
I know we were, yeah
And all I ever wanted was for you to know
Everything I'd do, I'd give my heart and soul
I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me, yeah
(Chorus)

Sad Song by We The Kings

You and I, we're like fireworks and symphonies exploding in the sky.
With you, I'm alive
Like all the missing pieces of my heart, they finally collide.
So stop time right here in the moonlight,
'Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes.
(Chorus)
Without you, I feel broke
Like I'm half of a whole
Without you, I've got no hand to hold
Without you, I feel torn
Like a sail in a storm
Without you, I'm just a sad song
I'm just a sad song
With you, I fall
It's like I'm leaving all my past and silhouettes up on the wall.
With you, I'm a beautiful mess
It's like we're standing hand and hand with all our fears up on the edge.
So stop time right here in the moonlight,
'Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyes.
(Chorus)

Analysis:
This song plays in the background of the funeral scene
and eventually fades into the credits.

The song encapsulates the life of Romeo and Juliet.

Without each other they have nothing worth having, and
when they are together, its a beautiful mess but they
can together do anything they fear nothing.
They need each other they are two halves a whole
they are soul mates. Alone they are a powerful voice, but
together they are a formidable choir in harmony.

Romeo and Juliets daughter tells of how her parents

story is a model of love of which others should aim to
achieve. They had each other and their love was so
mature and deep that Romeo could not physically live
without her. Their story is one of joy, not sorrow.

You're the perfect melody,

The only harmony I wanna hear
You're my favourite part of me,
With you standing next to me,
I've got nothing to fear
(Chorus) x2