A fan of the bard? Scroll through to find out which movies actually take after Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is no doubt the world's most popular writer—with an extensive body of work and immeasurable impact on pop culture, there's no shortage of influence one may credit to him. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the English language has been greatly enriched by terms he invented, some of which are "green-eyed" to describe being jealous, "lonely", "swagger", "critic", "dauntless", "unreal", and much more. Theatre (or film, for that matter) would not be the same without iconic plays like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, and the like.
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To celebrate the poet's legacy, we round up five movies that have been inspired by Shakespearean tropes and narratives—some of which you might have missed! Scroll through to find out which films were actually inspired by the legendary writer:
1. Taming of the Shrew | 10 Things I Hate About You
This 90's cult classic is a modernised take on the Shakespearean play, The Taming of the Shrew. 10 Things I Hate About You stars Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Larisa Oleynik. The story begins when Cameron (Gordon-Levitt) falls for Bianca (Oleynik). To date her, he needs to get around her father's strict rules. Bianca is not allowed to date unless her older sister, Kat, does first. Cameron persuades Patrick (Ledger) to pursue Kat, who is notoriously ill-tempered, introverted, and abrasive.
The film actually takes a lot from the Shakespearean comedy, even retaining the female character's names. Patrick is an allusion to The Taming of the Shrew's Petruchio, whereas Cameron could be seen as an amalgamation of Gremio, Lutencio, and Hortensio (Bianca's suitors). Although there have been criticisms of the play's objectification of women, the film adaptation strives to veer away from the same pitfalls. A romantic comedy, in essence, 10 Things I Hate About You is a loveable tale of courtship, modern relationships, and the fickleness of romance.
Tatler Tip: Don't miss out on the famous Heath Ledger song number!
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