It was forbidden by law, so men (usually young boys) would dress up in costumes to portray the role of a lady. The latter point is quite interesting because women were not allowed to play on stage as actresses. So, I would like to talk especially about the things we know for sure about his life: aspects regarding society, history, and culture.SocietyRegarding society, we must consider that the film revolves around the world of theatre, that is, the plays, how does it work, actors (not actresses). Unfortunately, the things we know for sure about him would only fit a half sheet of paper. Most people would think that over centuries of research there must be enough information about Shakespeare to fill a complete library. They both live a passionate romance that looks a lot like the one depicted in Romeo and Juliet. In the meantime, William falls in love with Viola, a courtly lady fascinated by the theatre. This film shows us a young William Shakespeare, who struggles to satisfy the demand for plays from two playhouses. Because of this reason, I would like to focus this essay on Shakespeare in love, a film from 1998 directed by John Madden and whose soundtrack comes by the hand of Stephen Warbeck, and how it presents the society surrounding Shakespeare.īut first things first: Shakespeare in love was not intended to be a factual portrayal. There are some that depict Bard’s plays and society in a very precise way, though there are others that take some liberties. Film adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays and life have become very popular in the last few decades.