Shakespeare in love

Parshina Christina F181

Originally the idea of creation a movie about Shakespeare’s love appeared in the late 80s. Julia Roberts enjoyed the screenplay and agreed to star in it. However under the circumstances she had to refuse six weeks before the shooting began. Eventually the Miramax Company got interested in the screen play. Its director acted as a producer. The story is a fiction but some characters are real people. The movie was released in 1998 and won 7 awards of the American Academy including Oscar for the best picture, best actress, best supporting actress, best screen play.

Thus, W. Shakespeare is a young poor playwright who lives in London and writes comedies for “The Rose” theatre. Having found out that his beloved is cheating on him with the theatre director, Shakespeare burns his new comedy “Romeo and Ethel, the Daughter of a Pirate” and starts writing the “Romeo and Juliet” tragedy. Suffering from the writer’s block, he is unable to finish the play, but makes the audition for Romeo. Mostly he was impressed by a young man Thomas Kent and includes him into the cast. Soon that young man turns out to be Viola de Lesseps, the daughter of wealthy merchant. The fact that women were forbidden to play at the stage, that’s why that girl had to disguise herself and started playing at the theatre.

A secret passion romance starts. Being impressed by this feeling, Shakespeare finishes the play quickly. However the lovers understand that their romance is doomed. Viola’s parents engaged her with lord Wesseks, a noble man who needed money. When Viola is summoned to the Queen’s Elizabeth court, Shakespeare decides to accompany her disguised himself. He persuades lord Wesseks to lay a bet for 50 pounds: if the play is a success the playwright will get the money. The Queen who appreciates Shakespeare’s plays becomes a witness of this bet.

The Royal official learns about a woman playing at the stage and orders to close the theatre because of breaking the rules of law and moral. Shakespeare is in despair, he has neither stage nor main character. Fortunately the owner of another London Theatre offers him its stage. The first night is to be at the day of Viola’s wedding. She knows about it and after the official ceremony she comes to the theatre. Shortly before the performance the voice of the boy who is to play Juliet starts changing. Viola has to take the place of him and plays Juliet and Shakespeare plays Romeo himself. Their passionate, lively performance impresses the audience.

Lord W. and the Royal official appears to arrest all the troupe for the indecency but there is the Queen at the theatre. She recognizes Viola but doesn’t unmask her. The Queen says that the role of Juliet is played by Thomas Kent. But even the Queen is unable to end a lawful marriage that’s why she orders them to move to America (the New World). Moreover the Queen says that Shakespeare succeeded in expressing the true love so precisely, that he should get 50 pounds from lord Wesseks.

Viola and Shakespeare part resigned to their fates. Shakespeare begins his new play “Twelfth Night” with the scene of shipwreck, as if he feels that on the other shore of the Atlantic the ship with Viola onboard is wrecked. According to the plot the character of Viola survives and the real Viola survives as well, washed ashore and saved by Shakespeare’s love.

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 723