1. Historical Movies
English 2 (ENGL 0205)
Assignment 2
Melika Bordbar (0311455)
FNBE Jan 2013 - ENGL 0205 English 2 Names of group members: Melika Bordbar

2. Prewriting:
1- The story of love of each movie
. The whole stories of both movies
2- The environment in both scenes
. Where they use to get the movies or which place
. Their genres
…….
3- The ending or how their story will be finish
. Good ending or bad ending
. Sad or happy ending
FNBE Jan 2013 - ENGL 0205 English 2 Names of group members: Melika Bordbar

3. Contrast of differences essay between “Shakespeare in Love” and
“Pride and Prejudice”
Two weeks earlier, we were asked to write a compare or contrast essay
between two movies. We just had to genre to choose which historical and musical
movies were. Then I chose two historical romance movies which are “Shakespeare in
Love” (John Madden 1998) and “Pride and Prejudice” (Joe Wright 2005). After I saw
these two movies my definition of historical romance movies is the history of the love
story between two persons and it can be happy story or sad story. In my mind historical
movies in all refers to, the true story which it happened in the past.
Deciding between two things is an everyday issue, and we usually end up
making a decision upon what is the best offer or outcome for us. In this case I am
considering the differences between two historical romance movies, which are
“Shakespeare in Love” and “Pride and Prejudice”. In “Shakespeare in Love” movie it is
all about the story of young poet, actor and playwright William Shakespeare struggles
with his latest work “Romeo and Ethel of Pirate’s Daughter”. Young wealthy Viola is a
great fan of Shakespeare’s plays and works. Viola must to be married to the cold
hearted Lord Wessex, but constantly dreams of becoming an actress. Women were not
allowed to act on stage at that time, but she dressed up herself as a boy and going by
the name of Thomas Kent, Viola successfully auditions for the part of Romeo. Soon
William and Viola are caught in a forbidden love that provides rich revelation for his
play…. . In “Pride and Prejudice” movie it is all about story of life of five Bennet sisters,
including strong willed Elizabeth and Jane, they have been raised by their mother with
one purpose in their life which is finding a husband. When a wealthy bachelor takes up
FNBE Jan 2013 - ENGL 0205 English 2 Names of group members: Melika Bordbar

4. residence in a nearby mansion, the Bennets are abuzz. Amongst the man’s
sophisticated circle of friends, surely there will be no shortage of suitors for the Bennet
sisters. But when Elizabeth meets up with the handsome and snobbish Mr. Darcy, the
battle of the sexes is joined. But Mr. Bingley the best friend of Mr. Darcy like Jane, Jane
also likes him…. . Contrast of differences in my movies can be three points which are
the love story, environment and the ending in each movie.
Firstly, the love stories in these two movies are extremely different. In
“Shakespeare in Love” William Shakespeare is an actor, poet and playwright. Actually,
this movie show the real life of author William Shakespeare, when he wanted to wrote
the story of “Romeo and Juliet”. In movie William need to be fall in love with a woman
for he can finish his play, “Romeo and Ethel the Pirate’s Daughter”. But he could not
find his true love. One day while they got a test from participants to choose their actors,
the latest participant with the name of Thomas Kent started to do the Romeo part and
after finishing he just gone. On that moment, William found he was doing very well and
he is the one for the Romeo’s part. William just ran and follows him and he just arrived
in a big castle. It was a big party there. In the party, William saw a very beautiful and
wealthy girl which he fell in love with her at a glance. That girl was a Viola, but she had
a fiancé. In fact, Viola was Thomas Kent, but she dressed up herself as a boy and with
the name of Thomas Kent, because women are not allowed to act on stage at that time.
After two days, William just knew Thomas Kent was Viola. They loved each other’s and
they had some private dating. Viola also came and acts as Romeo and they exercise in
a theater for many days and no one knew about their mystery till one day, something
happened and everyone saw Thomas was a girl. Everyone was angry and they stopped
FNBE Jan 2013 - ENGL 0205 English 2 Names of group members: Melika Bordbar

5. their exercising and Viola went back to go to her marriage. William did so many
advertising about “Romeo and Juliet” for people to come to theater. On viola’s wedding
day, she saw the advertisement and she went to the theater and did her acting as a
Juliet and William as a Romeo. Finally William finished his story but they never could be
together. To the opposite of the movie “Pride and Prejudice” the Bennet’s family are a
poor family and they have five daughters. The story is more about the two older
daughter of this family, the strong willed Elizabeth and Jane. Their mother raised them
with one purpose in their life which is finding a husband. A wealthy bachelor Mr. Bingley
takes up residence with his best friend Mr. Darcy nearby a Bennet’s family place. Mr.
Bingley and Mr. Darcy wanted to marry, so they got a party and told to their neighbors
to come. The Bennet’s family went to this party. When Mr. Bingley and Jane saw each
other’s, they loved and after all they had plane to marry. Mr. Darcy also saw Elizabeth
and at a glance he loved her, but he was very rabid. Elizabeth also liked him but she
was very proud. After very long story, finally Mr. Darcy told her “I love you”, but she did
not accept him. And again after months, he told her again “I love you”, finally she
accepted and they had been together. These stories showed the differences of love in
the two movies, how the William and Viola love each other’s whereas Mr. Darcy was
rabid and he was scared to show his love to Elizabeth and also Elizabeth was very
proud, but actually they loved each other’s.
The second differences in these movies can be the environment in both
movies. In “Shakespeare in Love” most scenes are in a theater and some of them in a
castle. In this movie William is a playwright and Viola is from a royal family. This movie
genre is romance, drama and comedy. Some part of this movie was comedy but not all,
FNBE Jan 2013 - ENGL 0205 English 2 Names of group members: Melika Bordbar

6. like the scene which someone act as a buffoon in theater. This movie is all about the life
of famous author William Shakespeare when he wanted to write about “Romeo and
Juliet” story. But in “Pride and Prejudice” movie most scenes are in the village and some
of them in a city in very big houses. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley are from a very rich and
traditional family and Jane and Elizabeth are from the poor family and villagers. The
movie genre also is romance and drama but not a comedy movie, and the movie is very
formal. In this movie also can see some traditional religion of England. This movie is
from a novel and is all about a normal life and normal persons.
Last and the most attractive differences is the ending part of movies. In
“Shakespeare in love “movie William and Viola are love each other and they know about
their feelings. Viola had a fiancé and she must be married to that person because the
Queen didn’t let her. At the end, William and Viola never could be together, and Viola
just married with Lord Wessex and William Shakespeare continues to write more and
more stories with the supporting of their Queen. To the contrary of the movie “pride and
prejudice” Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth love each other’s but they never tell their feelings to
each other’s. After some meeting, Elizabeth found he is not the guy which she wants.
Finally after a big story, she found his personality good and she really loves him, accept
his love when for second time he told her “I love you”. These stories showed the
differences of ending part in the two movies, how the William and Viola love each
other’s but they never could be together whereas Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth after a very
long story they show their loves to each other’s.
To conclude, in fact these two movies are historical romance but their
stories are totally different and one of them have a good ending but another one have a
FNBE Jan 2013 - ENGL 0205 English 2 Names of group members: Melika Bordbar

7. bad ending. Also the way of showing love in each movie is totally different, but in both
movies they fight for their true love. In a brief both “Shakespeare in love” and “Pride and
Prejudice” had a lot of differences including difference in the love story, environment
and the ending of each movie.
FNBE Jan 2013 - ENGL 0205 English 2 Names of group members: Melika Bordbar