Shakespeare in Love
Shakespeare in Love
The movie that is being compared to a story here is one of the all-time best. The main theme portrayed in “Shakespeare in Love” is a love that is never meant to be. “Shakespeare in Love” parallels the play Shakespeare is currently working on, Romeo and Juliet, in which love is not meant to be due to the many obstacles in the way. Shakespeares life in the film is very comparable to Romeos life in Romeo and Juliet. William Shakespeares life in the film and the play he is writing has several similarities and differences. In my opinion, this is one of the best movies and books to compare.
“Shakespeare in Love” is a fairly accurate representation of the life of William Shakespeare at the time he was writing Romeo and Juliet. The young writer at the beginning of the film, is experiencing writers block. He is writing, but is confused. Wills first inspiration is Rosalind, a woman that has stolen Romeos heart at the beginning of the play. “Romeo and Rosaline. Scene one. God, Im Good.” (Norman pg.20). This shows how Will is inspired by Rosaline. It is not until he encounters the young noblewoman, Viola de Lesseps, that he discovers true love. This love that he meets is the one who takes his heart and is so special. The connection between Will and the woman he fell are love with is so special. Ultimately this movie is about the making of a great play, but most importantly it is about the power of words. The way they speak to each other is just like a play and it is true love being spoken.
This is a connection that is love which, is never meant to last. In Romeo and Juliet, both Romeo and Juliet fall in love with each other as soon as they lay eyes on each other. The difference from this movie and the play, Romeo and Juliet, is that Will and Viola find love but they do not proceed it to the level it needs to go. However, in “Shakespeare in Love,” both William and Viola feel true love at first sight, but it is more of an image that Viola falls in love with. She has fallen in love with some that she sees and everything about the poet. The mystique that surrounds William Shakespeare is uncontrollable and that is what she loves no matter what is wrong. It is after she spends more and more time with him that she begins to fall in love with the real William, but it is not meant to be, because she is to marry someone else. Viola has been set up with a man who she has to marry. It is the law that she not to cheat on her future husband. The fact that Viola fell in love with a reputation hints that maybe there was never love at first sight; therefore they were never meant to be together. It could be the reputation that she fell in love with or it could be the person himself that she loves.
In the film, Shakespeare has to write and perform a play for the Queen of England. This is a time of many traditions. One of the traditions during the era of Elizabethan Theater, men was the only individual who were allowed to perform on stage. It was absolutely unheard of for a woman to act on stage. That would be a terrible thing for a woman to be on stage. This difficult obstacle did not stop Viola, who poses as “Thomas” and auditions for Wills comedy. She is an excellent actor and does a very good job. While I was watching the movie, I could tell a suspicion by Will. “Lady?” (Norman pg. 51). It is Will saying lady to a boatman. He is wondering if Thomas is a lady. Eventually, Will find out that that actor he had cast to play the part of the starring lady, is actually a woman.
Shakespeare and Viola fall deeply in love after working together for a short while. Viola could be viewed as the woman Shakespeare wrote so many of his sonnets about. However, their love is kept secret because of her true identity. They do everything very quietly and do not get caught. Violas maid will even go along with the affair.
The comparisons between the play and movie are obvious. The way Viola and Will keep the relationship a secret is very similar to the way Romeo and Juliet keep their relationship a secret. Viola, however, is an upper class, aristocratic woman with whom a marriage is already been arranged. As their affair continues, Will writes more of the play which is now turning out to be a love story that illustrates the actual events taking place in Wills life, rather than a comedy. I think that as he writes more and more, his love life deepens and creates a major climax. “You cannot marry Wessex!” (Norman pg. 86.) This is Will yelling at Viola not to marry her future husband because he is so madly in love with her. Romeo and Juliet had become fictional characters of Will and Viola.
The film shows William Shakespeares actual life. We are