Shakespeare in Love

Shakespeare in Love is considered as an action movie which was launched in 1998. In this romance or comedy dramatic, William Shakespeare is described as a struggling and young author overwhelmed by problems with women, shortage of money and block of the writer.

The characters and lines written by him inspired the people and soon his plays and films became very popular. The main scheme devices of the film are taken from Shakespeare. The film is basically imaginary, although the setting of the film is based on the real historical characters.

The film ‘Shakespeare in Love’ won number of Academy awards in the year 1998 involving Best Actress and Best Picture. Particularly, this film appears to be the first comedy film and won the Best picture award.

Cast

• Tom Wilkinson
• Joseph Fiennes
• Judi Dench
• Gwyneth Paltrow
• Imelda Staunton
• Colin Firth
• Simon Callow
• Geoffrey Rush
• Martin Clunes
• Antony Sher
• Rupert Everett
• Ben Affleck
• Joe Roberts
• Mark Williams

Schemes

William Shakespeare is annoyed with the block of the writer, a theatre whose landlord is under an obligation to moneylenders and a rivalry was between Rosaline and the Christopher Marlowe. A promise was made by the manager of the Rose theatre named as Philip Henslowe that he will repay all his liabilities to the moneylender by making him an associate in the creation of the latest play with Shakespeare.

Then an audition was held and new characters were given an opportunity to take part in the play. William Shakespeare met Viola de Lesseps in the party which was given in the tribute of Viola’s suitor Lord Wessex . He quickly falls in love with her while dancing and encouraged him to write the play again but he is vulnerable by Lord Wessex not to handle his assets.

Inspite of the engagement, the pair find themselves not capable to evade a secret affair and the events adjoining him inspired William Shakespeare to write a new play retitled as Romeo and Juliet as recommended by Ned Alleyn. Viola’s and Shakespeare’s romance continued and every character of the play do a rehearsal every day.

Plot Devices

Most of the plot devices which are used in the film are connected with Shakespeare and many of them were regular amongst other writers of Elizabethan drama. They involve:-

• Dialogue spoken in iambic pentameter
• Low and high comedy
• Mistaken identities
• Royal figures playing key characters
• Cross dressing as costume
• Anachronisms
• The ‘play within the play’
• A dog figuring in a comic scene
• The appearance of a ghost

Awards

• Academy Award for Best Art Direction
• Academy Award for Best Picture
• Academy Award for Costume Design
• BAFTA Award for Best Film
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture
• Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay