William Shakespeare’s writing has been around for centuries and has become known for tormenting high school and college students. However, another function of his work has been to provide filmmakers with the inspiration to create retellings of his work.
Many well-coveted teen movies have been modern Shakespeare retellings that have flown under the radar for decades. Some cult classic favorites include movies like 10 Things I Hate About You (Taming of the Shrew) and She’s The Man (Twelfth Night) are both Shakespeare adaptations. Some adaptations of Shakespeare are a bit more literal, however, being actual films of the play act by act rather than a newly set story based on them.
My question is, where did these Shakespearean retellings go? When again will I see accessible and lighthearted classics come out of the Bard’s work? Even tragedies like Hamlet have been adapted into movies that the masses can enjoy- namely The Lion King.
The point of Shakespeare’s work was to provide entertainment for a mass audience, a popular audience, one not high class or with a fancy education. In his time, Shakespeare’s work was akin to trashy reality TV. The stereotype of Shakespeare’s work being a total snoozefest has gotten tiresome itself and I think it’s about time we make Shakespeare cool again.
I want a teen movie where shenanigans ensue in the woods or in a homecoming court as opposed to a king’s court. I want fools to be class clowns and queens to be queen bees. I miss the loosely adapted, much better dressed, ironically one-lined Shakespearean adaptations- and I know you do too.
I also think that the revival of classical literature should be extended past Shakespeare to other authors. Jane Austen, George Eliot, and the Brontë sisters all have extensive bodies of work that would make absolutely great movies for a wide array of audiences. Since everyone seems to be leaning into the frazzled English woman aesthetic, (ala 2000s Kate Winslet, Kiera Knightley, or Renee Zellweger) I think it would be fitting to adapt some more Victorian literature into the cinematic wheelhouse.
Jane Austen already has some adapted films out, but I think that adding a less serious and more comedic tone to the books would make them even more accessible and fun. The early 2000s classic, Bridgette Jones’s Diary, is already an adaptation of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I would love to see this style of adaptation carry over into more of her work.
On the whole, anyone should be able to have access to the literary greats, but it is ultimately a matter of personal preference if those books are your thing. However, a book being stuffy shouldn’t stop you from exploring a more accessible choice like a movie adaptation. Making classic literature fun again opens up a whole new generation of readers to engage with these classic texts. I believe inspiration should be drawn from anywhere and everywhere possible.