“Shakespeare in Love” is an extraordinary film that delves into the notion of forbidden love. It establishes connections between William Shakespeare’s life and Romeo, the protagonist of his play, Romeo and Juliet. This movie and book are ideal for drawing comparisons because they both center around the theme of forbidden romance.
“Shakespeare in Love” presents an authentic portrayal of William Shakespeare’s life while he was writing Romeo and Juliet. The movie showcases a young writer struggling with writer’s block and uncertainty about his craft. Initially, Rosalind, the woman who captures Romeo’s heart at the start of the play, serves as his inspiration. This illustrates Rosalind’s influence on him. However, everything changes when he meets Viola de Lesseps, a young noblewoman, and experiences true love. This profound love deeply affects him and holds significant meaning. The bond between Will and the woman he falls for is truly extraordinary. Ultimately, the film delves into the creation of a magnificent play but also emphasizes the immense power of words. The conversations between characters resemble those found in a play, reflecting genuine expressions of love.
This passage depicts a brief, doomed romance. In Romeo and Juliet, both protagonists instantly fall in love upon first meeting. Similarly, the movie “Shakespeare in Love” portrays Will and Viola experiencing an immediate connection. However, their relationship fails to progress as expected. Viola becomes infatuated with the idealized version of William Shakespeare, drawn to his enigmatic persona despite any imperfections. As she spends more time with him, her affection shifts towards the real person behind the mask. Tragically, their love cannot flourish due to Viola’s impending marriage to someone else. Society dictates that she must honor her commitment to her future spouse.
Viola’s affection for a good reputation implies that love at first sight might not have existed, suggesting that their union was not destined. It is plausible that Viola fell in love with either the individual or their esteemed standing. In Shakespeare’s film, he is tasked with writing and performing a play for the Queen of England during an era rich in customs. During the Elizabethan Theater period, only males were permitted to take the stage, rendering it inconceivable for a woman to partake. This did not discourage Viola who assumes the guise of “Thomas” and auditions for Will’s comedic production, impressing him with her dramatic abilities. While viewing the movie, I observed Will’s suspicion when he referred to a boatman as “Lady?,” pondering if Thomas was truly female. Eventually, Will uncovers that the performer cast as the leading lady is indeed a woman.
Shakespeare and Viola develop a strong love for each other while secretly working together. Despite her true identity, Viola serves as inspiration for Shakespeare’s sonnets. They go to great lengths to hide their relationship, even with assistance from Viola’s maid. The play and the movie share clear similarities. Both Viola and Will keep their love hidden in a similar way to Romeo and Juliet. However, Viola is already engaged to someone of high social status. As their affair continues, Will’s play evolves from a comedy into a love story based on their own experiences. The more he writes, the deeper his love for Viola grows, leading to a significant climax. Will passionately opposes Viola’s arranged marriage by proclaiming, “You cannot marry Wessex!” (Norman pg. 86). The fictional characters of Romeo and Juliet symbolize Will and Viola. The film offers insight into William Shakespeare’s actual life as we witness him writing his own destiny.
The text explores the influences on William Shakespeare’s writing, emphasizing his passionate relationship with Viola as a significant source of inspiration. This connection contributes to the remarkable love story depicted in Romeo and Juliet. Furthermore, the film incorporates elements from multiple works by Shakespeare, not solely Romeo and Juliet. For instance, there is a scene where Will kisses Viola and suddenly conceives the idea for his renowned Sonnet XVIII, “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day.” With its inclusion of similarities to all of Shakespeare’s works, particularly Romeo and Juliet, this movie truly captures the essence of William Shakespeare. It provokes contemplation about love’s power and its potential to transform one’s life. The question arises: should individuals follow their hearts or conform to societal expectations? The film suggests that both choices can be valid depending on circumstances. Disregarding what is morally right can lead to dire consequences such as death—as portrayed in Romeo and Juliet—wherein the two lovers defy societal norms and ultimately meet a tragic end, thereby resolving the feud between the Montagues and Capulets.
The text demonstrates that despite the deep love between the two lovers, it was ultimately not worth it because they both ended up dead. In the movie “Shakespeare in Love,” Will loses Viola to her arranged husband, but his love for her continues to thrive, as evident in his subsequent writings. Death was not the cause of their separation, but rather Will realized he could no longer be with her. Viola explains to Will why they cannot be together, stating, “If not Wessex, the Queen will know the cause and there will be no more William Shakespeare” (Norman pg. 86). It is unfortunate for them, but that is the reality of their situation. Perhaps Will would have learned if he had pursued her and challenged societal norms. However, he discovers love and it enhances his skills as a writer. Viola becomes his inspiration for his next book, Twelfth Night, as her name is Viola. It is regrettable that they did not fight harder for their love. In the end, society triumphs in this story. Both characters conform to society’s expectations and consequently return to their ordinary lives, never being the same again.
Will and Viola fail to fight for their love, succumbing to societal pressures, particularly those imposed by Queen Elizabeth I. They are unable to pursue their dreams due to restrictive laws and regulations. The issue lies in the fact that laws can be both beneficial and erroneous. Viola’s prospective husband, Lord Wessex, views her solely as a means to produce offspring and seeks to marry her for reasons unrelated to love. Unlike Wessex, Will genuinely loves her. Yet, despite Viola’s heart belonging to Will, she must abide by the queen’s approval of their courtship. Consequently, she is compelled to try and develop affection for Lord Wessex. In contrast to the play, Will and Viola do not follow their hearts; they conform instead. They submit without truly pursuing love until the end. Unlike Romeo and Juliet, they do not take their love to the extreme, and no one dies as a result. In this film, everyone lives in accordance with society’s demands—a somewhat sorrowful outcome as it prevents love from prevailing but spares the lives of two virtuous individuals.
Despite their eternal separation, the acquaintance between Will and Viola elevates Will’s status as a superior individual. His profound love for Viola becomes the driving force behind his artistic creations, ultimately transforming him into a more inspired writer. It is commonly believed that every event in life serves a purpose. Multiple similarities exist between William Shakespeare and his fictional character Romeo, which are evident in “Shakespeare in Love”. Both characters experience rejection – Romeo by Rosalind and Will in “Shakespeare in Love”. The iconic balcony scene is also present in both works, forever etched in our memories. Specifically referencing this scene is the line “Sam leaves the balcony through the curtain.” Furthermore, both lovers clandestinely meet at night, mirroring Romeo and Juliet’s secret rendezvous. Lastly, it should be noted that both “Romeo and Juliet” and “Shakespeare in Love” unfold within roughly five days.
“That is interesting how the time of the two is just about same length.Both Will and Viola and Romeo and Juliet never have enough time to set things right. Both of the love lives were destroyed forever.Even though their love lives on, they are torn apart forever. Just as there are many similarities, there are several differences. The difference between the film and the play is that the film is an Elizabethan comedy ending in a wedding, not between Will and Viola, contrasted by the tragic death of the two “star-crossed” lovers, Romeo and Juliet, in the play.The ending in the film is different one set of lovers dying and the other set of lovers living life on separated. “Goodbye, my love, a thousand times goodbye.”
Both “Shakespeare in Love” and the play “Romeo and Juliet” depict stories of forbidden love. Both narratives feature main characters who face obstacles preventing them from being together.
In both tales, Viola and Will must part ways because Viola is already committed to marrying someone else. Similarly, Romeo and Juliet cannot be together due to the intense animosity between their families and social affiliations.
However, unlike Romeo and Juliet, Will and Viola have opportunities for frequent encounters. Despite not being able to openly share their love, they are fortunate enough to have moments together.
“Shakespeare in Love” presents a parallel narrative where William Shakespeare lives a life similar to his famous play, Romeo and Juliet. What sets this film apart is its absence of tragic deaths.
In the movie, Will falls in love with an enchanting woman named Viola de Lesseps. Their romance remains hidden as Viola is destined to marry Lord Wessex. Sadly, they are eventually separated against their will.
Despite their separation, Will uses his secret love as inspiration for future plays centered around romance.
In my opinion, this remarkable film captures contrasting yet similar plotlines found in both stories. I would gladly watch it again in the future.
