When we think of legendary playwright William Shakespeare, we would normally think of the many plays he has written and seeing them being performed on stage. But today, long after his time, his work has revolutionized the way we see and learn about Shakespeare by being portrayed in all types of media. Shakespeare is not longer exclusive to the stage; we see his works in modern day media such as film and TV now more than ever. The way we learn about Shakespeare today had to be conformed to the way our modern society has advanced. I will discuss the history of Shakespearean theatre and its rapid diffusion into modern day films as well as the specific elements originated by Shakespeare that are seen in those films. Beginning somewhere around …show more content…
For instance, in Twelfth Night, Olivia refuses to communicate with men (more specifically, Duke Orsino), because she is in mourning over the loss of her father and brother. In She’s the Man, Olivia does not want to be hurt by another boy again because she had just gotten out of a bad relationship. Another similarity is made with Olivia, where a man is trying to woo her in both the play and the movie. In Twelfth Night, it is Duke Orsino and in She’s the Man it is Malcolm Feste. This is a modern way of displaying on screen how a director can take components of a Shakespeare play and twist them slightly to still make them believable and factual. Another example is a direct quote from Twelfth Night. Although different characters speak this short expression, it was still vital enough to the story that it had to be added into the film. In Twelfth Night, during his monologue, Malvolio says, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them,” (II.V. 499). Slightly different from the written play, Duke Orsino actually recites this same line in She’s the Man. This instance is another example of keeping some originality of the play but updating it with modern times. One final example I would like to introduce that was kept accurate to the original play is a significantly important one. Viola is in love with Duke Orsino, but he thinks that she is a male since she is disguised as her brother in both the play and the film. This is a critical element to mention since the story that becomes of Viola’s action of cross-dressing is what ultimately shapes the rest of the story in both