Shakespeare in Love Questions

Bring on the tough stuff. There’s not just one right answer.

  1. How does the film convey Shakespeare's writing process—his writer's block, his inspiration, and his actual writing?
  2. How do both Shakespeare and Viola change the theater? How will theater be different after their groundbreaking performance of Romeo and Juliet?
  3. Is Shakespeare in Love a romance, a comedy, a tragedy, or a blend of all three?
  4. How accurate is Shakespeare in Love? What artistic liberties did the creators take with Shakespeare's biography and why?
  5. How does Shakespeare in Love use costumes, sets, and dialog to convey the time period? What other techniques root the film in the 16th Century?
  6. How does Shakespeare in Love combine the 16th Century with 20th Century?
  7. In what was is it a blend of classic and modern?
  8. Did Shakespeare in Love deserve to win Best Picture?
  9. Why did Judi Dench win an Academy Award, despite only being on screen for seven minutes? And aren't her dresses amazing? (The answer to that second question is "Yes.")