Shakespeare.

Shakespeare.

Last night I watched Shakespeare in Love for the first time ever, and let me tell you, I'm smitten. I don't know if it was Gwyneth Paltrow's great acting, Joseph Fiennes' intense eyes, or the over all plot, but this has easily become one of my favorite movies. Shakespeare has always intrigued me, I think since we read and performed Macbeth in my fifth grade class (I played Macduff and got to kill my best friend, I loved it haha). In high school we read a few of his plays and poems like Othello, Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet. I am also a big fan of a few of the screen adaptations like The Lion King (one and two), 10 Things I Hate About You, Warm Bodies, and She's the Man, to name a few. I don't know what it is, it isn't because he is known as one of the greatest writers of all time, but I have always had a fascination with his work, so much so that performing in a Shakespeare play in on my bucket list. Don't ask me which one yet, because I don't know! 

Back to Shakespeare in Love. I never really liked Romeo and Juliet. I mean I know everyone says it's super romantic, but I never really bought it. I mean a couple of preteens meeting at a party, falling in love over the course of a weekend, upset their families, and die, all in the name of love right? No thanks, not for me. Don't get me wrong though, it's beautifully written, and if some boy started quoting it at me, I'm sure I would swoon. The movie though, somehow put it more in perspective for me, I think it might have been because it seemed a little more realistic for some reason. Gwyneth's character Viola fell in love with Will even before she met him and saw that he was a stud. She fell in love with his words, which is what many people have done as well. Now his intentions were much more superficial at first (but who can blame him, Gwyneth is a babe!) however over time he fell in love with her love for the stage and his characters, and how she helped him spin the play into what we now treasure it as, and she helped give him ideas for one of his most famous comedies (at least I think it's one of the more famous ones). 

I really enjoyed how this wasn't just another adaptation, though I suppose in a way it was, but it shed some light onto the writer, even if it was made up. I think I'm going to get a little more into Shakespeare from now on, like read more of his work, and see more of the screen adaptations of his work, and look harder into acting in one if his plays! Who knows, maybe I'll change my whole future plan to become a Shakespeare actor for life! Though that is a long shot, I know that I will definitely like to get over my stage fright and insecurities to perform a play from the most famous play-write and hopefully bring joy to the audience.

Have any of you seen the movie? If so, what did you think? Give me any insights you may have into the idea of Shakespeare and his work! Have a wonderful weekend.

Naomi Odlin