Twelfth Night raises the issue of gender inequality, forcing us to think about the formation of social conventions. For the period of the play (early 16th century), the theme of inequality is generally relevant and is reflected a greater extent in Shakespeare’s works (Shakespeare). Instead, the emphasis in the play is on the moral and ethical makeup of the characters rather than on gender. In contrast, modern interpretations focus on gender as the title theme. In She’s the Man, the problem of gender inequality is expressed more precisely: the soccer team, in which there is no place for girls because of their gender, is happy to meet Viola dressed as a boy (Fickman). The main reason for hiding Viola’s identity is not her desire to be better than her brother. She desires to keep her vulnerability a secret and not let people think of her weakness because of her gender. Social gender inequality is revealed in masculine clothing and habits to build status and respect from other students.
The modern interpretation of Twelfth Night’s theme is directed mainly toward the changing world around us. Fighting for women’s rights and bringing them into all walks of life without comparison based on gender is the primary purpose of the play’s interpretation. She’s the Man is mainly about disguising one’s identity to achieve success, and the moral aspect is not as pronounced as the social differences (Fickman). For a film of the noughties, when feminism was not so popular, the work perfectly reflects the problem of inequality.
The differences between the film and the play are expressed in the central theme and genre of the work. In Twelfth Night, the viewer is exposed to the moral conflict and the severity of mental suffering due to the need to hide one’s identity. In She’s the Man, the characters are inadvertently involved in a love triangle because of the need to transcend gender boundaries. The leitmotif opens new opportunities for women and their equality with men.
Works Cited
Fickman, Andy, director. She’s the man. DreamWorks Pictures, 2006.
Shakespeare, William. “Twelfth Night.” The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Web.