Gallery
Please see the photos below, which help visualize the setting of my translation: San Juan, Puerto Rico. The distinct city planning – with its vibrantly colored architecture, uneven roads, and lack of unity – represents the exuberance and passion of its people. The second photo of two closely situated houses in Puerto Rico shows that many houses have balconies and could thus be used to stage the famous balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, but also demonstrates that the sense of privacy is not as pervasive in the island as it is in the states; the distance between one house and another is commonly not much longer than the average person’s arm-span.
The following photos of Ricky Martin and the Nuyorican Poets cafe symbolize the strong presence of Puerto Ricans in New York and the creation of a distinct Nuyorican identity, respectively. The picture of the man with a Puerto Rican shirt awaiting a subway in New York further supports this Nuyorican image.
Romeo tells his friends that sometimes love hurts as much as a punch from Miguel Cotto, who is a famous and successful boxer from Puerto Rico. I incorporated a hyperlink in my translation so that readers could inform themselves about the boxer, but I’ve also attached a picture here for visual reference. (If you want to see one of his matches against the Argentinian Sergio Martínez, then click on the link in the photo description!)
Tattoos
When I said that I did not fit the Nuyorican identity, I only spoke for myself and not other family members! My brother listens to rap, reggaeton, and has several cool tattoos of Puerto Rican symbols which I’ve posted below.
Songs
Click here to watch the modern reggaeton song called “Romeo y Julieta” by Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Jory. Reggaeton is a music genre that actually evolved in Puerto Rico and combines elements of several other music genres, such as hip-hop, reggae, and other Latin American music genres (e.g. salsa, bomba, etc.) The fact that a song from this modern genre is based on a classic that is over 400 years old is a testament to how classics can still speak to us today. Moreover, it shows us how classics can be reinterpreted and appropriated by various cultures with time.
Interestingly enough, however, Jory was born in Puerto Rico, moved to New Jersey when he was 10 years old, and then moved back to the island later in life. While he takes on the role of Romeo in his music video, his real life situation can actually be related to that of the Romeo in my translation.
Nuyorican-Puerto Rican Controversy
Here is a link to a blog dispute between mainland Puerto Ricans and Nuyoricans that helps to put into perspective the tensions that are felt between the two groups: http://www.topix.com/forum/world/puerto-rico/TFD6DIBK9771HS1QL.
Situation of Puerto Rico
If you are interested in learning more about the economic situation of Puerto Rico (which has undoubtedly affected its social climate) and the reason why so many Puerto Ricans are leaving the island, please see this great video by John Oliver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt-mpuR_QHQ.
