Rich Robertson

Engl 204

April 16, 2001

"Shakespeare In Love" dominated the Oscars in 1998 bringing home seven academy awards including best picture. At Consumnes River College, a film professor argued to his class that "Saving Private Ryan" should have won the award. The whole class, which I attended, obediently agreed. Only after studying Renaissance literature, I realize our mistake. "Shakespeare In Love" accurately portrays Renaissance England and the birth of English drama, which is the ancestor of American motion picture. Its combination of screenplay and acting accurately portrays the important figures surrounding young Elizabethan drama. However, despite representations of Will Shakespeare, Kit Marlowe, and Ned Allen, perhaps the most dazzling representation is of Queen Elizabeth. Even though the Queen’s character does not consume a leading role, England’s greatest monarch resonates throughout the film. One aspect of the film that proves this and pays homage to Queen Elizabeth is its fictionalized heroine, whose life coincides with that of England’s heroic Queen.

Much of the audience may assume that Gwyneth Paltrow’s star character, Viola, merely symbolizes William Shakespeare’s "Juliet." However, the film’s original screenplay clearly establishes a link between Elizabeth’s character and Viola’s. First of all, both possess keen wit uncommon to woman of the era, which they use to belittle the male sex. When an aristocratic male attempts to court Viola and says that he has spoken to her father, she replies, "So my Lord, I speak with him everyday." (Shakespeare) This comical scene alludes to Viola’s quick wit and confidence, which symbolizes those attributes of the Queen. When Viola argues with the queen that playwrights can teach "the very truth in nature of love," (Shakespeare) the same man says that he would wager his fortune that Viola is wrong, and with the same quick wit, the Queen says, "I thought you were here because you had none." (Shakespeare) As the crowd laughs, the audience sees the parallel existing between Viola and the Queen, for both use quick thinking and speech to gain the upper hand. Furthermore, Viola symbolizes the Queen’s courage simply by standing up to the Queen in argument.

Due to Viola’s early-established courage and talent, she successfully plays the role of "Romeo." This element of the film further links Viola to the Queen, for Queen Elizabeth successfully plays a lifetime role as the male monarch. It’s noted that "In the course of her reign, England became a nation to rival France and Spain; England’s cities became centers of commerce, her navy controlled the principal routes of trade, and her people pursued lucrative interests in Europe and the New World." (Jordan 1021) So, their accomplishment of successfully portraying the dominant male role further links the factual Queen to the fictionalized Viola.

Queen Elizabeth and the character Viola also share the misfortune of experiencing tragic love. Whereas Viola is forced to end her affair with Shakespeare due to their corresponding class distinction, the Queen too was forced to end her affair with her love, Duke d’Alencon, due to her status as monarch. She previously promised this course of action in her speech, "On Marriage." Regarding her love life, she states, "I will never in that matter conclude anything that shall be prejudicial to the realm, for the weal, good, and safety whereof I will never shun to spend my life." (Elizabeth I 1028) Though she fulfills her promise, she endures heartbreak as the result. Unable to show her pain to her subjects, Elizabeth resorts to poetry. In her poem, "On Monsieur’s Departure," which predates "Romeo and Juliet," she resembles both Viola, and Shakespeare’s "Juliet." Regarding Duke d’ Alencon, she writes, "I am and not, I freeze and yet am burned, / Since from myself another self I turned." (Elizabeth I 1024) Clearly the loving passion of the powerful monarch is evident. She "freezes" wearing a mask of a political leader and does not give into instinctive desire. However, her heart "burns" for that desire. Clearly this line relates to Viola, for she leaves her burning desire to remain with Shakespeare in order to do her duty as a daughter and a loyal subject of England.

Now that the link between Viola and Queen Elizabeth has been established, the significance of the love affair in "Shakespeare in Love" becomes apparent. The affair symbolizes the union of politics and art. Viola, representing the Queen, represents politics, and the character of Will Shakespeare represents art. It is important to understand that Elizabeth "succeeded in commanding the attention of her subjects by transforming her court into a center of literary and artistic activity." (Jordan 1023) "Shakespeare In Love" notes that she is the first to do this. In it, a theatre owner says, "My father, James Burbage, had the first license to make a company of players from Her Majesty." (Shakespeare) Clearly, the film "Shakespeare In Love" pays homage to Queen Elizabeth for instituting "artistic activity" into England. It accomplishes this by using her characteristics and personal life as the model for its heroine, who embraces art and falls in love with it.

Clearly one understands the film’s greatness as the real Elizabeth I is analyzed. The film inevitably becomes more interesting as the parallels between Viola and the Queen are drawn. Viola’s character represents the Queen’s courage, wit, and tragic love and other qualities. Furthermore, the fact that the Queen institutes poetry and art into her court illustrates her courage to rebel against the classic philosopher Plato who said, "Hymns to the gods and praises of famous men are the only poetry which ought to be admitted into [the ideal] state." (Plato 13) Because Queen Elizabeth believes in the power of art and since it flourished to America, it is fitting that modern art should honor her. This one aspect of "Shakespeare In Love" that honors England’s greatest monarch is a fabulous stroke of creativity. However, it is just one reason why the film deserves "best picture," for it contains other essential keys that also unlock Renaissance England.