Analysis of film Shakespeare in Love
The film 'Shakespeare in Love' shows that even in the 21st century Elizabethan drama impacts its audience as it did in the 1500's. The film captured England and the important influence of Elizabeth I during the Renaissance period. Even though Queen Elizabeth didn't have a major role in the film, her characteristics were displayed through the main heroine, Lady Viola. Lady Viola and Elizabeth were both courageous, well-educated women of the upper class. Even though they were privileged in class, they were poor in love and acquired broken hearts for the good of the community. Elizabeth's personality was brought to life through Viola, illustrating the hardships aristocratic women endured trying to succeed in a man's world.
?The Renaissance brought with it a new way of thinking. It was thought men and women could do anything and be anything they wanted to be, that their education, and subjected to the classics, mathematics, and all other academic subjects of the day?(Women). Elizabeth received an elaborate education and ?it was thought essential that noble women were educated to a high standard.?(Woman). Elizabeth and Viola used their knowledge to be witty and quick in speech, especially when speaking with men. In ?Shakespeare in Love? Elizabeth makes a point to humiliate Lord Wessex when he takes Viola to the palace to ask for the Queen?s consent of their marriage. The Queen asks Viola what she loves and Viola responds, ?I love the theatre and I love poetry above all.?(Shakespeare). The Queen quickly replies ?Above Lord Essex?? then she addresses Lord Wessex ?when you can not find your wife, look for her in the playhouse.?(Shakespeare) Elizabeth knows that she is a w...
... middle of paper ...
...eth was like. They both went beyond their womanly boundaries to prove that woman can do things as well as men, even though their courage cost them their hearts. Viola?s role shows the struggle of Elizabeth and other women in a society dominated by men.
Works Cited:
?Elizabeth I.? The Longman Anthology of British Literature Second Edition. Ed. Damrosch, David. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc., 2003. 1080.
?On Monsieur?s Deptarture.? The Longman Anthology of British Literature Second Edition. Ed. Damrosch, David. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc., 2003.1081.
Shakespeare in Love. Dir. John Madden. Perf. Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Ben Affleck, Judi Dench. Miramax, 1998.
Thomas, Heather. ?Women in Elizabethan England? History of Women. 15 Nov. 2002 http://www.elizabethe.org/women
A major concern in both the film and the original text is the ‘status of women’. This is represented through the differing roles of women and their denigration within the Elizabethan society. For instance, Hero is accused of committing infidelity; consequently her image in society is tarnished, In addition to this, Claudio insults Hero publicly without even considering confirming the accusation of her being unchaste. This is illustrated through Claudio slandering Hero through the use of usage of Greek Mythological allusions “You seem to as Dian in her orb, but you are more intemperate than Venus in y...
Damrosch, David. (Ed.) The Longman Anthology of British Literature 2nd ed. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc., 2003.
Firstly we will commence by discovering how women are presented in Shakespeare’s play .Through-out the play women are presented as immature , impuissant characters : Lady Capulet & Juliet ,all women are regarded as possessions of men ,for them to do as they please . They are ornaments, they cannot speak their minds nor can they make their own decisions. Women are in the men’s shadows.
In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, there were many lessons that were taught. Atticus was a lawyer who taught his son Jem and daughter Scout many different values. Atticus felt that one of the most important values was to put yourself in someone else's shoes before you judge them. He also taught them to respect others. Scout was a wild girl and always got into fights with other guys; Atticus showed her that fighting doesn't solve anything.
E.M.’s feelings about her life suggest that death is not a terrible thing not only in the obvious cases - where death ends pain and suffering. Death can be viewed positively in that it prevents life from continuing for too long. This implies two views of death that can refute its being inherently bad: the first being that death is not evil because it is the end of only one life and the beginning of another, a spiritual idea. The second view being that death is not evil because it is an absolute end to life. The second view, utter annihilation, appeals to the Epi...
In conclusion, gender role in Elizabethan era is very complex with respect to women’s role. Men are the masters of the home and society; they preside over every aspect of life. They are however, expected to take care of their family and also be actively involved in politics, war, and they inherit their father’s properties. Women role varied a according to their social status. All women were raised to be subservient to men. Unlike upper class women, lower class women were denied any kind of education. And all women are expected to get married and bear children. The qualities Shakespeare gave Beatrice are very significant because it contrasts traditional Elizabethan theater. Gender role has evolved over time, especially women’s role and it will continue to evolve as long as there are women like Beatrice around.
A marriage in the 19th century had many different expectations than it does today. Most marriages, especially for the upper class, were conducted as an exchange of assets and used for public display. Hendrik Hartog in his lecture titled, "Marital Expectations in Nineteenth Century America," writes, "At least until the middle years of the nineteenth century being married meant subjecting oneself to a known and coercive public relationship," (96). It was an agreement that publicly cha...
Imagine being a woman in sixteenth century Europe. Females were raised to believe that they were subservient and that men knew better on any subject. Basically, women had no rights. They were considered property, first “owned” by their fathers and then control was “transferred” to the husband chosen for them. Marriage was not about love, but in most cases, it was a business deal that was mutually beneficial to both families – an interesting fact is that like young women, most young men had no choice in the selection of their future betrothed. These traditions and the gender roles assumed by men and women at that time had an impact on Shakespeare’s writing and performances and a great example of this is evident in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
James T. Webb, Diane Latimer , (1993). ADHD and Children Who are Gifted . Eric Digest . #522 (), pp.4
Kemp, Theresa D. Women in the Age of Shakespeare. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood, 2009. Print.
Parents and teachers benefit from having a child diagnosed with ADHD because it makes the child less of a handful for them, the drugs that need to be taken to control the “problems” will make their lives easier. The child may be less of a discipline issue, but their health and life could be in danger. The effects of the #1 prescribed drug for this “disorder” is Ritalin. Ritalin was introduced in the 1960s for treatment of ADHD. The manufacturer, Ciba sponsored a great deal of research on ADHD medication, putting its brand name first in the public eye (Chemical & Engineering). This medication can be especially damaging, mentally and...
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is fully summarized in Shakespeare's prologue: "Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona where we lay our scene. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny where civil blood make civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star crossed lovers who take their life" (Universal, 1996). This movie is a masterful culmination of the director's phenomenal ability to create a powerful introduction, to select a realistic, but surreal setting, to choose realistic actors, and to enact specialized dramatic effects.
William Shakespeare once told us, "All the World’s a Stage" —and now his quote can be applied to his own life as it is portrayed in the recent film, Shakespeare In Love. This 1998 motion picture prospered with the creative scripting of Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman and direction of John Madden. The combined effort of these men, on top of many other elements, produced a film that can equally be enjoyed by the Shakespeare lover for its literary brilliance, or for the romantic viewer who wants to experience a passionate love story.
Neely, Carol Thomas. “Shakespeare’s Women: Historical Facts and Dramatic Representations.” Shakespeare’s Personality. Ed. Norman N. Holland, Sidney Homan, and Bernard J. Paris. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989. 116-134.
Longman. The Longman Anthology of British Literature, vol. B. Damrosch, D. (ed.). NY, LA: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. 2000.