Synopsis
Set in the 1593 London, the film tells a story of famous Shakespeare, who is experiencing difficulties with his writing at the time. At the start of the movie, Shakespeare is down on his luck, as he desperately needs money to pay his rent. Moreover, after his muse leaves him, he becomes completely drained creatively. However, soon he meets Viola de Lesseps, a noble woman with whom he develops relationships and a close bond. However, since she is already engaged to Lord Wessex, they realize that they cannot live together. After the turmoil, Shakespeare produces “Romeo and Juliet,” the play that would make Shakespeare famous all over the world (Madden, “Shakespeare in Love”).
Analysis
Setting
The movie is set in the late 16th century, which aligns with the existing historical accounts of the events that took place in the life of the poet in reality.
Costumes
As one would expect from a movie with a Universal Studio budget, the costumes are amazing, and they reflect the era portrayed in the film quite accurately. For instance, the dress of the queen represents an almost impeccable replica from the one portrayed in famous pictures (Madden, “Shakespeare in Love”).
Plot
The plot of the movie is quite straightforward, yet it is created in the way that allows drawing parallels between Shakespeare’s life and the lives of his characters. While Romeo and Juliet are not portrayed in the movie directly, the references to the famous love story are evident in the plot twists of the film (Madden, “Shakespeare in Love”).
Theme
Being a combination of several genres, namely, a romance, a drama, and a comedy, “Shakespeare in Love” manages to render several crucial themes. For instance, the problem of artistic creativity and the fear of being creatively devastated is discussed at length in the movie. At the same time, “Shakespeare in love” addresses the themes of love and relationships, as the title suggests. The issues of art and culture are also portrayed in the movie quite clearly as Shakespeare’s efforts to be the playwright, the actor, and the director of his plays simultaneously are depicted (Madden, “Shakespeare in Love”). The themes of gender roles and sex-related discrimination are portrayed as well, with all roles except for the one of Romeo being played by men in the film’s depiction of Shakespeare’s play. Finally, the issue of class and the related social prejudices is addressed, with Viola representing the high society and Shakespeare being the member of the lower one.
Characters
The film centers on the two main characters, Shakespeare being the focus of attention, and his love interest Viola being represented as the second most important figure in the narrative. The combination of a lighthearted comedy and an emotionally wrenching drama has given the characters quite a lot of depth. In addition, the impressive performance by Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes allows the characters to shine.
Music
Having been composed as original pieces, the soundtrack to the movie allows placing the audience in the era of the end of the 16th century. The flute and the overall emphasis on the winds section of the orchestra allows the music to sound vaguely Renaissance-like, thus creating an appropriate mood and introducing the audience to the mood that the movie is trying to set. Moreover, the changes in the scope accentuate the changes in the plot, helping the viewers to prepare emotionally for a new reveal.
Message
Since the film incorporates several themes, one might believe that the key message could have been lost in them. However, the main idea of the film stands out quite clearly, leaving the audience to consider the importance of love in one’s life and the changes that it brings, including the emotional maturity that the lead characters experience.
Movie and the Shakespearean Era
Movie Themes and Epoch’s Trends
When watching a well-made movie, a viewer may become so immersed into the atmosphere that they may pay little to no attention to the inconsistencies between the element of the film and the key characteristics and markers of the era that it attempts at portraying. However, in “Shakespeare in Love,” the main themes coincide with the trends of the epoch quite nicely. For example, the social distancing that was practiced at the time is displayed in the film very vividly by pointing out that the relationships between Shakespeare and Viola were more than unusual from the class perspective (Madden, “Shakespeare in Love”).
In addition, the portrayal of Shakespeare as a daring individual who was not afraid of bending the norms of the society was also quite accurate. According to the existing accounts of Shakespeare’s life, the poet led a rather rebellious life, having to flee from the law due to his hobby of deer poaching (Razzell 16). Moreover, Shakespeare came from a rather poor family, which meant that he was quite familiar with the life of the lower class society (). Nevertheless, some of the themes raised in the movie, such as the theme of a distraught artist, who is genuinely upset at the state of his work, does not seem to align with the actual historical facts (). In turn, the depiction of Shakespeare attempting at managing every single aspect of his work independently also seems to lack accuracy. Having been favored by the royal family to a great extent, Shakespeare had enough financial support to create a team of actors and theater experts who assisted him with the design of his plays.
Works Cited
Razzell, Peter. William Shakespeare: The Anatomy of an Enigma. Routledge Revivals, 2016.
Shakespeare in Love. Directed by John Madden, performances by Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, and Geoffrey Rush, 1998.