she's the man and twelfth night comparison essay

Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” vs. “She’s the Man” Film Essay

Twelfth Night raises the issue of gender inequality, forcing us to think about the formation of social conventions. For the period of the play (early 16th century), the theme of inequality is generally relevant and is reflected a greater extent in Shakespeare’s works (Shakespeare). Instead, the emphasis in the play is on the moral and ethical makeup of the characters rather than on gender. In contrast, modern interpretations focus on gender as the title theme. In She’s the Man , the problem of gender inequality is expressed more precisely: the soccer team, in which there is no place for girls because of their gender, is happy to meet Viola dressed as a boy (Fickman). The main reason for hiding Viola’s identity is not her desire to be better than her brother. She desires to keep her vulnerability a secret and not let people think of her weakness because of her gender. Social gender inequality is revealed in masculine clothing and habits to build status and respect from other students.

The modern interpretation of Twelfth Night’s theme is directed mainly toward the changing world around us. Fighting for women’s rights and bringing them into all walks of life without comparison based on gender is the primary purpose of the play’s interpretation. She’s the Man is mainly about disguising one’s identity to achieve success, and the moral aspect is not as pronounced as the social differences (Fickman). For a film of the noughties, when feminism was not so popular, the work perfectly reflects the problem of inequality.

The differences between the film and the play are expressed in the central theme and genre of the work. In Twelfth Night , the viewer is exposed to the moral conflict and the severity of mental suffering due to the need to hide one’s identity. In She’s the Man , the characters are inadvertently involved in a love triangle because of the need to transcend gender boundaries. The leitmotif opens new opportunities for women and their equality with men.

Works Cited

Fickman, Andy, director. She’s the man . DreamWorks Pictures, 2006.

Shakespeare, William. “Twelfth Night.” The Complete Works of William Shakespeare , Web.

• Comedy "Twelfth Night" by William Shakespeare
• The Twelfth Night by Shakespeare
• Shakespeare’s Play "Twelfth Night" and Its Double Plot
• Quotes From Tragedy of King Lear by Shakespeare
• Review of Act 2, Scene 2 of "The Merchant of Venice"
• Marriage in Plays “A Doll’s House” and “Fences”
• “An Inspector Calls”: Theme of Social Responsibility
• The Play “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, December 21). Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” vs. “She’s the Man” Film. https://ivypanda.com/essays/shakespeares-twelfth-night-vs-shes-the-man-film/

"Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” vs. “She’s the Man” Film." IvyPanda , 21 Dec. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/shakespeares-twelfth-night-vs-shes-the-man-film/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” vs. “She’s the Man” Film'. 21 December.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” vs. “She’s the Man” Film." December 21, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/shakespeares-twelfth-night-vs-shes-the-man-film/.

1. IvyPanda . "Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” vs. “She’s the Man” Film." December 21, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/shakespeares-twelfth-night-vs-shes-the-man-film/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” vs. “She’s the Man” Film." December 21, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/shakespeares-twelfth-night-vs-shes-the-man-film/.

Forgotten password

Please enter the email address that you use to login to TeenInk.com, and we'll email you instructions to reset your password.

• Poetry All Poetry Free Verse Song Lyrics Sonnet Haiku Limerick Ballad
• Fiction All Fiction Action-Adventure Fan Fiction Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Romance Sci-fi/Fantasy Scripts & Plays Thriller/Mystery All Novels Action-Adventure Fan Fiction Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Romance Sci-fi/Fantasy Thriller/Mystery Other
• Nonfiction All Nonfiction Bullying Books Academic Author Interviews Celebrity interviews College Articles College Essays Educator of the Year Heroes Interviews Memoir Personal Experience Sports Travel & Culture All Opinions Bullying Current Events / Politics Discrimination Drugs / Alcohol / Smoking Entertainment / Celebrities Environment Love / Relationships Movies / Music / TV Pop Culture / Trends School / College Social Issues / Civics Spirituality / Religion Sports / Hobbies All Hot Topics Bullying Community Service Environment Health Letters to the Editor Pride & Prejudice What Matters
• Reviews All Reviews Hot New Books Book Reviews Music Reviews Movie Reviews TV Show Reviews Video Game Reviews Summer Program Reviews College Reviews
• Art/Photo Art Photo Videos
• Summer Guide Program Links Program Reviews
• College Guide College Links College Reviews College Essays College Articles

Summer Guide

College guide.

• Song Lyrics

All Fiction

• Action-Adventure
• Fan Fiction
• Historical Fiction
• Realistic Fiction
• Sci-fi/Fantasy
• Scripts & Plays
• Thriller/Mystery

All Nonfiction

• Author Interviews
• Celebrity interviews
• College Articles
• College Essays
• Educator of the Year
• Personal Experience
• Travel & Culture

All Opinions

• Current Events / Politics
• Discrimination
• Drugs / Alcohol / Smoking
• Entertainment / Celebrities
• Environment
• Love / Relationships
• Movies / Music / TV
• Pop Culture / Trends
• School / College
• Social Issues / Civics
• Spirituality / Religion
• Sports / Hobbies

All Hot Topics

• Community Service
• Letters to the Editor
• Pride & Prejudice
• What Matters

All Reviews

• Hot New Books
• Book Reviews
• Music Reviews
• Movie Reviews
• TV Show Reviews
• Video Game Reviews

Summer Program Reviews

• College Reviews
• Writers Workshop
• Regular Forums
• Program Links
• Program Reviews
• College Links

She's the Man vs. Twelfth Night

Favorite Quote: "Keep your fears to yourself, but share your inspiration with others." -Robert Louis Stevenson

Do you ever wonder how in the world the modern-day movie ‘She’s The Man’ could possibly be based off of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night? Well it is, mostly. Being a modernized version of the movie, it is alike and different in many ways. Their basic plot is very similar, as are most of the characters names. There are also small differences, such as Viola becoming Sebastian in She’s The Man, instead of Cesario. You may wonder how is She’s The Man’s plot anything like The Twelfth Night’s plot? Well, Duke Orsino, The Duke of Illyria in Twelfth Night and the soccer captain in She’s The Man, is in love with Olivia in both. Olivia falls in love with Viola, who was disguised as Cesario in Twelfth Night, and Sebastian, her twin brother in both movies, in She’s The Man. Also, in both the movie and play, Viola is in love with Duke, who thinks she’s a male in both. Another way the plots are alike is that, Duke Orsino enlists Viola, whether she be disguised as Sebastian or Cesario, to help her win Olivia’s heart, which was a mistake considering Olivia falls in love with the disguised Viola. Also, in She’s The Man and Twelfth Night, Duke Orsino ends up with Viola, and Sebastian ends up with Olivia. They all get their happy ending. Another thing that makes the plots similar is that when Olivia professes her love to the disguised Viola and kisses her, it’s really Sebastian, accidently run into her in both. Another way, is that Olivia is grieving in both movies and that’s why she doesn’t want to date Duke, but in She’s The Man, it’s over her ex-boyfriend who had just dumped her because they had a bad relationship, and in Twelfth Night it was because of her brother and father dying. One last example is that Olivia has a man trying to woo her in both the play and movie. In She’s The Man, it’s Malcolm Feste, and in Twelfth Night it’s Sir Andrew Aguecheek. So, yes in both movies the plot, and it’s love triangle is very similar. Another way you can tell She’s The Man and Twelfth Night are alike are the names used in the play and movie. Malvolio, who is Olivia’s steward in Twelfth Night, is also the name of Malcolm’s tarantula in She’s The Man. Feste, the clown in Twelfth Night, is also the last name of Malcolm in She’s The Man. Valentine, Duke Orsino’s page in Twelfth Night, is the last name of Monique, one of Viola’s friends in She’s The Man. Andrew and Toby, a man who loves Olivia and Olivia’s uncle in Twelfth Night, are the names of Duke Orsino’s soccer buddies in She’s The Man. Maria, Olivia’s woman in Twelfth Night, is the name of Olivia’s best friend in She’s The Man. Antonio, the sea captain in the Twelfth Night, is the last name of Paul, Viola’s friend who helps disguise her as a boy in She’s The Man. Orsino, Duke of Illyria in Twelfth Night, is simply Duke Orsino, the soccer captain, in She’s The Man. Duke being his first name and Orsino being his last name. Viola and Sebastian, twins in Twelfth Night, are also twins in She’s The Man. They keep the same names. Olivia, the countess Duke Orsino is infatuated with in Twelfth Night, is Olivia, a simple girl at their high school who Duke Orsino likes and has a huge crush on her in She’s The Man. The writers of She’s The Man found many ways to incorporate the names from Twelfth Night into their movie. There are also many small references and likenesses to Twelfth Night in She’s The Man. One example, is when Viola, disguised as her twin brother Sebastian, walks through the Illyria Prep campus for the first time in She’s The Man, she passes a bulletin board that is advertising the school’s production of What You Will, the other name for Twelfth Night. Another example is that the pizza parlor where all the teenagers from Illyria Prep like to hang out in She’s The Man, is called Cesario’s, which is Viola’s alias in Twelfth Night. Also, Duke says the famous Shakespearean quote, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them!” (II. V. 129-130.) This is a popular saying from Twelfth Night. The quote was in the letter Malvolio read, which he thought was from Olivia, but was actually from Maria, who waned him to think it was from Olivia. Another way, and an obvious way, is that in Twelfth Night, Illyria, the name of the high school in She’s The Man, is also the name of the land where Twelfth Night is set. Also, Cornwall, the name of Viola and Sebastian’s former school in She’s The Man, is the country were Viola and Sebastian were originally from in Twelfth Night. One last small example, is that, In She’s The Man, Sebastian is returning home from London on the Twelfth, and it’s supposed to reflect on the name of the play She’s The Man was based off of, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. There are also quite a few differences between She’s The Man and Twelfth Night. Such as, in Twelfth Night, Viola discovers that Olivia fancies her, well her disguised self, in different ways. In Twelfth Night she figures it out when Malvolio giver her the ring that Olivia insists that the disguised Viola gave her, but Viola did not. We find out Viola’s realization in the soliloquy, “I am the man.” I left no ring with her. What means this lady?Fortune forbid my outside have not charmed her.She made good view of me; indeed, so muchThat, as methought, her eyes had lost her tongue,For she did speak in starts distractedly.She loves me sure; the cunning of her passionInvites me in this churlish messenger.None of my lord's ring? Why, he sent her none.I am the man. If it be so, as 'tis,Poor lady, she were better love a dream.Disguise, I see thou art a wickednessWherein the pregnant enemy does much.How easy is it for the proper falseIn women's waxen hearts to set their forms!Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we,For such as we are made of, such we be.How will this fadge? My master loves her dearly;And I (poor monster) fond as much on him;And she (mistaken) seems to dote on me.What will become of this? As I am man,My state is desperate for my master's love.As I am woman (now alas the day!),What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe?O Time, thou must untangle this, not I;It is too hard a knot for me t' untie. (II. ii. 14-30) Whereas in She’s The Man, we see Viola’s realization about Olivia fancying her disguised self when Viola, as herself not Sebastian, is talking to Olivia in the restroom at a party, and Olivia confesses that she has a huge ‘thing’ for Sebastian, and instead of the soliloquy in Twelfth Night, they do a modern twist where Viola thinks about it in a shocked, wordless state, in which she stares in a mirror, touches her face and smiles, before realizing just how wrong all of this is, and what a mess she is in. Another way is in Twelfth Night, Viola uses Cesario as her alias, becoming a whole new person, instead of becoming her brother. In She’s The Man, Viola dresses as her own twin brother Sebastian, which nobody at Illyria Prep had seen before. Another good example is that in Twelfth Night, Olivia wasn’t communicating with men because it was her way of grieving over the loss of her father and brother. In She’s The Man, she had just gotten over a bad relationship and didn’t want to be hurt again. In She’s The Man, Sebastian is away at a gig for his band in London, whereas in Twelfth Night, Sebastian went missing at sea and was thought by Viola to be dead. Another example, is that in She’s The Man, they put a comedic twist on the ending when all the drama unfolds, marking out the darker tones of the ending in Twelfth Night. So yes, obviously, She’s The Man is much more modern than Twelfth Night, and keeps almost none of the same script, except the basic plot, the main characters names, and a few quotes here and there. Many reviews from She’s The Man say it is and is not a good Twelfth Night teen picture. Such as Roger Egbert. I didn't for one second believe the plot of She's the Man, but Idid believe for the entire movie that Amanda Bynes was lovable.She plays a girl who pretends to be a boy in order to playsoccer. That this story is recycled from Shakespeare's TwelfthNight is something I report right here at the top so that wecan work together to put it out of our minds. (Roger Egbert,She’s The Man) Roger Egbert also says, Bynes plays Viola, the twin sister of Sebastian (James Kirk),who at the start of the movie conveniently sneaks away to Londonfor two weeks without telling anybody. This is much easier onViola than the Shakespeare version, in which she fears herbrother has perished at sea. (Roger Egbert, She’s The Man.) There are many reviewers who would agree with him, but also many that would disagree. Jeremy C. Fox says that, “And now the writers of 10 Things, Karen McCullah Lutz andKirsten Smith, are back to prove once again their ability toread Cliffs Notes, this time as co-writers (with Ewan Leslie) ofan adaptation of Twelfth Night, starring a couple of TVactresses as Viola and Olivia and an Abercrombie & Fitch modelas Orsino. Like I said, I’m not so sure what this says aboutShakespeare’s work.” (Jeremy C. Fox, Those That Are Fools, LetThem Use Their Talents.)So yes, She’s The Man is based off of Twelfth Night in many ways, but it also mocks and plays with the meaning of the play quite a bit. It also is very different, in small and large ways, considering the time different between the play and movie. If you really want to know how, pick up a copy of the play, read it, and watch the movie yourself. Works Cited Shakespeare, William, and Alan Durband. Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will: Modern English Version Side-by-side with Full Original Text. Woodbury, N.Y.: Barron's, 1985. Print. She's the Man. Dir. Andy Fickman. Prod. Lauren Shuler-Donner and Ewan Leslie. By Ewan Leslie. Perf. Amanda Bynes, Channing Tatum, and Laura Ramsey. DreamWorks Distribution LLC, 2006. Shakespeare's Twelfth Night Essay, Summary, Quotes and Character Analysis." Absolute Shakespeare – Plays, Quotes, Summaries, Essays... Web. 17 May 2010.<http://absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/twelfth_night/twelfth_night.htm> . Bloom, Harold. William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. Print. "She's the Man :: Rogerebert.com :: Reviews." Rogerebert.com :: Movie Reviews, Essays and the Movie Answer Man from Film Critic Roger Ebert. Web. 20 May 2010.<http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060316/REV IEWS/60314005>. "She's the Man | Pajiba - Scathing Reviews for Bitchy People." Pajiba - Scathing Reviews for Bitchy People (Reviews, Trailers, News, and Booze). Web. 20 May 2010.<http://www.pajiba.com/film_reviews/shes-the-man.php>

Similar Articles

Favorite Quote: Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.

Favorite Quote: What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. Dream like you will live forever, live like you will die today.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 3 comments.

• Subscribe to Teen Ink magazine
• Submit to Teen Ink
• Find A College
• Find a Summer Program

Share this on

Send to a friend.

Thank you for sharing this page with a friend!

Tell my friends

Choose what to email.

Which of your works would you like to tell your friends about? (These links will automatically appear in your email.)

Send your email

Delete my account, we hate to see you go please note as per our terms and conditions, you agreed that all materials submitted become the property of teen ink. going forward, your work will remain on teenink.com submitted “by anonymous.”, delete this, change anonymous status, send us site feedback.

If you have a suggestion about this website or are experiencing a problem with it, or if you need to report abuse on the site, please let us know. We try to make TeenInk.com the best site it can be, and we take your feedback very seriously. Please note that while we value your input, we cannot respond to every message. Also, if you have a comment about a particular piece of work on this website, please go to the page where that work is displayed and post a comment on it. Thank you!

Pardon Our Dust

Teen Ink is currently undergoing repairs to our image server. In addition to being unable to display images, we cannot currently accept image submissions. All other parts of the website are functioning normally. Please check back to submit your art and photography and to enjoy work from teen artists around the world!

• Free Case Studies
• Business Essays

Write My Case Study

Buy Case Study

Case Study Help

• Case Study For Sale
• Case Study Service
• Hire Writer

She's the Man vs. Twelfth Night

Do you ever wonder how in the world the modern-day movie ‘She’s The Man’ could possibly be based off of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night? Well it is, mostly. Being a modernized version of the movie, it is alike and different in many ways.

Their basic plot is very similar, as are most of the characters names. There are also small differences, such as Viola becoming Sebastian in She’s The Man, instead of Cesario. You may wonder how is She’s The Man’s plot anything like The Twelfth Night’s plot? Well, Duke Orsino, The Duke of Illyria in Twelfth Night and the soccer captain in She’s The Man, is in love with Olivia in both. Olivia falls in love with Viola, who was disguised as Cesario in Twelfth Night, and Sebastian, her twin brother in both movies, in She’s The Man. Also, in both the movie and play, Viola is in love with Duke, who thinks she’s a male in both. Another way the plots are alike is that, Duke Orsino enlists Viola, whether she be disguised as Sebastian or Cesario, to help her win Olivia’s heart, which was a mistake considering Olivia falls in love with the disguised Viola.

We Will Write a Custom Case Study Specifically For You For Only $13.90/page!

Also, in She’s The Man and Twelfth Night, Duke Orsino ends up with Viola, and Sebastian ends up with Olivia. They all get their happy ending. Another thing that makes the plots similar is that when Olivia professes her love to the disguised Viola and kisses her, it’s really Sebastian, accidently run into her in both. Another way, is that Olivia is grieving in both movies and that’s why she doesn’t want to date Duke, but in She’s The Man, it’s over her ex-boyfriend who had just dumped her because they had a bad relationship, and in Twelfth Night it was because of her brother and father dying. One last example is that Olivia has a man trying to woo her in both the play and movie.

In She’s The Man, it’s Malcolm Feste, and in Twelfth Night it’s Sir Andrew Aguecheek. So, yes in both movies the plot, and it’s love triangle is very similar. Another way you can tell She’s The Man and Twelfth Night are alike are the names used in the play and movie. Malvolio, who is Olivia’s steward in Twelfth Night, is also the name of Malcolm’s tarantula in She’s The Man. Feste, the clown in Twelfth Night, is also the last name of Malcolm in She’s The Man.

Valentine, Duke Orsino’s page in Twelfth Night, is the last name of Monique, one of Viola’s friends in She’s The Man. Andrew and Toby, a man who loves Olivia and Olivia’s uncle in Twelfth Night, are the names of Duke Orsino’s soccer buddies in She’s The Man. Maria, Olivia’s woman in Twelfth Night, is the name of Olivia’s best friend in She’s The Man. Antonio, the sea captain in the Twelfth Night, is the last name of Paul, Viola’s friend who helps disguise her as a boy in She’s The Man. Orsino, Duke of Illyria in Twelfth Night, is simply Duke Orsino, the soccer captain, in She’s The Man.

Duke being his first name and Orsino being his last name. Viola and Sebastian, twins in Twelfth Night, are also twins in She’s The Man. They keep the same names. Olivia, the countess Duke Orsino is infatuated with in Twelfth Night, is Olivia, a simple girl at their high school who Duke Orsino likes and has a huge crush on her in She’s The Man. The writers of She’s The Man found many ways to incorporate the names from Twelfth Night into their movie.

There are also many small references and likenesses to Twelfth Night in She’s The Man. One example, is when Viola, disguised as her twin brother Sebastian, walks through the Illyria Prep campus for the first time in She’s The Man, she passes a bulletin board that is advertising the school’s production of What You Will, the other name for Twelfth Night. Another example is that the pizza parlor where all the teenagers from Illyria Prep like to hang out in She’s The Man, is called Cesario’s, which is Viola’s alias in Twelfth Night. Also, Duke says the famous Shakespearean quote, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them!” (II. V.

129-130.) This is a popular saying from Twelfth Night. The quote was in the letter Malvolio read, which he thought was from Olivia, but was actually from Maria, who waned him to think it was from Olivia. Another way, and an obvious way, is that in Twelfth Night, Illyria, the name of the high school in She’s The Man, is also the name of the land where Twelfth Night is set. Also, Cornwall, the name of Viola and Sebastian’s former school in She’s The Man, is the country were Viola and Sebastian were originally from in Twelfth Night.

One last small example, is that, In She’s The Man, Sebastian is returning home from London on the Twelfth, and it’s supposed to reflect on the name of the play She’s The Man was based off of, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. There are also quite a few differences between She’s The Man and Twelfth Night. Such as, in Twelfth Night, Viola discovers that Olivia fancies her, well her disguised self, in different ways. In Twelfth Night she figures it out when Malvolio giver her the ring that Olivia insists that the disguised Viola gave her, but Viola did not. We find out Viola’s realization in the soliloquy, “I am the man.

” I left no ring with her. What means this lady?Fortune forbid my outside have not charmed her.She made good view of me; indeed, so muchThat, as methought, her eyes had lost her tongue,For she did speak in starts distractedly.She loves me sure; the cunning of her passionInvites me in this churlish messenger.None of my lord’s ring? Why, he sent her none.I am the man.

If it be so, as ’tis,Poor lady, she were better love a dream.Disguise, I see thou art a wickednessWherein the pregnant enemy does much.How easy is it for the proper falseIn women’s waxen hearts to set their forms!Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we,For such as we are made of, such we be.How will this fadge? My master loves her dearly;And I (poor monster) fond as much on him;And she (mistaken) seems to dote on me.What will become of this? As I am man,My state is desperate for my master’s love.

As I am woman (now alas the day!),What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe?O Time, thou must untangle this, not I;It is too hard a knot for me t’ untie. (II. ii. 14-30) Whereas in She’s The Man, we see Viola’s realization about Olivia fancying her disguised self when Viola, as herself not Sebastian, is talking to Olivia in the restroom at a party, and Olivia confesses that she has a huge ‘thing’ for Sebastian, and instead of the soliloquy in Twelfth Night, they do a modern twist where Viola thinks about it in a shocked, wordless state, in which she stares in a mirror, touches her face and smiles, before realizing just how wrong all of this is, and what a mess she is in. Another way is in Twelfth Night, Viola uses Cesario as her alias, becoming a whole new person, instead of becoming her brother. In She’s The Man, Viola dresses as her own twin brother Sebastian, which nobody at Illyria Prep had seen before.

Another good example is that in Twelfth Night, Olivia wasn’t communicating with men because it was her way of grieving over the loss of her father and brother. In She’s The Man, she had just gotten over a bad relationship and didn’t want to be hurt again. In She’s The Man, Sebastian is away at a gig for his band in London, whereas in Twelfth Night, Sebastian went missing at sea and was thought by Viola to be dead. Another example, is that in She’s The Man, they put a comedic twist on the ending when all the drama unfolds, marking out the darker tones of the ending in Twelfth Night. So yes, obviously, She’s The Man is much more modern than Twelfth Night, and keeps almost none of the same script, except the basic plot, the main characters names, and a few quotes here and there.

Many reviews from She’s The Man say it is and is not a good Twelfth Night teen picture. Such as Roger Egbert. I didn’t for one second believe the plot of She’s the Man, but Idid believe for the entire movie that Amanda Bynes was lovable.She plays a girl who pretends to be a boy in order to playsoccer. That this story is recycled from Shakespeare’s TwelfthNight is something I report right here at the top so that wecan work together to put it out of our minds. (Roger Egbert,She’s The Man) Roger Egbert also says, Bynes plays Viola, the twin sister of Sebastian (James Kirk),who at the start of the movie conveniently sneaks away to Londonfor two weeks without telling anybody.

This is much easier onViola than the Shakespeare version, in which she fears herbrother has perished at sea. (Roger Egbert, She’s The Man.) There are many reviewers who would agree with him, but also many that would disagree. Jeremy C. Fox says that, “And now the writers of 10 Things, Karen McCullah Lutz andKirsten Smith, are back to prove once again their ability toread Cliffs Notes, this time as co-writers (with Ewan Leslie) ofan adaptation of Twelfth Night, starring a couple of TVactresses as Viola and Olivia and an Abercrombie & Fitch modelas Orsino. Like I said, I’m not so sure what this says aboutShakespeare’s work.

” (Jeremy C. Fox, Those That Are Fools, LetThem Use Their Talents.)So yes, She’s The Man is based off of Twelfth Night in many ways, but it also mocks and plays with the meaning of the play quite a bit. It also is very different, in small and large ways, considering the time different between the play and movie. If you really want to know how, pick up a copy of the play, read it, and watch the movie yourself. Works Cited Shakespeare, William, and Alan Durband.

Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will: Modern English Version Side-by-side with Full Original Text. Woodbury, N.Y.: Barron’s, 1985. Print.

She’s the Man. Dir. Andy Fickman. Prod. Lauren Shuler-Donner and Ewan Leslie.

By Ewan Leslie. Perf. Amanda Bynes, Channing Tatum, and Laura Ramsey. DreamWorks Distribution LLC, 2006. Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night Essay, Summary, Quotes and Character Analysis.” Absolute Shakespeare – Plays, Quotes, Summaries, Essays.

.. Web. 17 May 2010.<http://absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/twelfth_night/twelfth_night.

htm> . Bloom, Harold. William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. Print. “She’s the Man :: Rogerebert.com :: Reviews.” Rogerebert.com :: Movie Reviews, Essays and the Movie Answer Man from Film Critic Roger Ebert. Web. 20 May 2010.<http://rogerebert.

suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060316/REV IEWS/60314005>. “She’s the Man | Pajiba – Scathing Reviews for Bitchy People.” Pajiba – Scathing Reviews for Bitchy People (Reviews, Trailers, News, and Booze). Web.

20 May 2010.<http://www.pajiba.com/film_reviews/shes-the-man.php>

Related posts:

• Twelfth Night Character Analysis Duke Orsino
• Analysis of the Twelfth Planet
• Night Letter to Elie Wiesel
• Poetry Response #3:“Meeting at Night”
• Why Are You More Creative At Night Than You Are During The Day ?
• Night, Master Harold and the boys by Elie Wiesel, Athol Fugard
• Night: An Attack Against Silence

Quick Links

Privacy Policy

Terms and Conditions

Testimonials

Our Services

Case Study Writing Service

Case Studies For Sale

Our Company

Welcome to the world of case studies that can bring you high grades! Here, at ACaseStudy.com, we deliver professionally written papers, and the best grades for you from your professors are guaranteed!

[email protected] 804-506-0782 350 5th Ave, New York, NY 10118, USA

Acasestudy.com © 2007-2019 All rights reserved.

Hi! I'm Anna

Would you like to get a custom case study? How about receiving a customized one?

Haven't Found The Case Study You Want?

For Only $13.90/page

• Entertainment

Compare and Contrast Essay: Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare and She’s the Man Movie

In both Twelfth Night written by William Shakespeare, and She’s the Man directed by Ewan Leslie, Karen McCullah, and Kristen Smith there are many key similarities and differences. Both have several similarities such as the same concept, same basic plot, character relationships, and character names. For example, in both the film and the play, Viola pretends to be a male, but for different purposes. In Twelfth Night, Viola does it to protect herself and also get love from Duke Orsino. In the film She’s the Man, Viola does it to play on the boy’s soccer team because the girls’ team was cut at her school. With this being said, Viola and Sebastian are twins in both productions and they resemble each other. In both Twelfth Night and She’s the Man, their themes are very similar in describing the fact that love 400 years ago and present-day love is still very similar, despite the fact unrequited love is present in both. 

Even though Twelfth Night is a comedy, it still exhibits serious themes throughout the play. For example, the key theme is based on love. Love is one of the major themes of the play because of the ending where lovers meet each other. Although love is shown causing pain upon the characters in the play, it also shows that for some characters it is a curse, but for others, it's their final destination. However, even though Viola suffers from love in the play, figuratively love is shown to be something that shakes its subjects violently. On another note, Malvolio and Antonio face obstacles in managing their desires to be with each other. 

In the movie She’s the Man, love is a key theme of the production as well as in Twelfth Night. The love story present in She’s the Man, is quite confusing though because all of the characters are attracted to someone, who is attracted to someone else. This is called unrequited love. In this production Viola disguises as her twin brother Sebastian, pretending to be a gender she's not, which causes confusion. Duke Orsino is attracted to Olivia in the beginning, but Olivia is attracted to someone she thinks is Sebastian but actually Viola. To make matters worse, Viola is attracted to Duke Orsino. By the end of the film, everyone is connected with the person of their desire, which exhibits a sense of romantic closure depicting the chaos and backward love triangle. 

However, in Twelfth Night instead of Viola disguising as her twin brother, she disguises as Cesario, who is also a male character. Olivia is in love with Cesario, rendering his feminine nature that is shown throughout the play. Orsino also agrees that he is attracted to Cesario even though he is a male. Orsino later realizes that Cesario is actually Viola and he is relieved. 

In both, she pretends to be male but for different reasons. In Twelfth Night, Viola does it to protect herself and generate love from Orsino. In She's the Man, Viola disguises herself as her brother, so she can play on the boys’ soccer team. Viola, in Twelfth Night, is a joker, and Viola, in She's the Man, is an athlete.

Lastly, the directed target audience in both films is meant for different audiences and generations. The play Twelfth Night is aimed at everyone regardless of their ranking in society. The main purpose is to entertain the audience, which was a common goal during Shakespeare’s time. She’s the Man was aimed towards modern-day teenagers as a whole. However, both plays' goal was to exhibit something similar in describing the fact that love 400 years ago and present-day love is still very similar, despite the fact unrequited love is present in both.

Related Samples

• Dua Lipa’s Triumph Over Hate: Essay Sample
• Essay Sample about Dostoevsky
• Willy Wonka Trained the World to Love Scratch-Off Lottery Tickets
• Research Paper On Benefits Of Social Media
• Overconfidence and Fear in Democracy (Lord of the Flies Book Analysis)
• Comperative Essay Sample: Aladdin 1992 and 2019 Movies
• Revenge in Night Drive and The Cask of Amontillado Literary Analysis Essay
• Essay Sample on The Crucible Play vs Movie
• Hunt for the Wilderpeople Movie Analysis
• Reflective Essay Example about Music

Didn't find the perfect sample?

You can order a custom paper by our expert writers

• About Our Blog

She’s the Man on the Twelfth Night: A Modern Movie and a Classic Play

In the comedy of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night it is ironic how there is a romantic happy ending but only tragedy is his romances – but that is the irony and beauty and also frustration of Shakespeare’s genres.

Now, although I’m sure while Shakespeare may have seemed ahead of his time, he would thoroughly appreciate being labeled as one of the original Rom-Com artists there were. And in this label of rom-com comes a modern twist on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night called She’s the Man . In case some were not aware – yes, Amanda Bynes’s She’s the Man was based on Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night .

Now, while some of the originality of the comedic twists and satire may be lost in this modern day version, what shocked me the most was the accuracy in its depiction – while I’m aware of this contradiction this portrays, let me elucidate.

Shakespeare was very direct in his meanings – even if they seemed hidden within his plays – about sexuality, gender and love. He always found a way to get across how blurry all the lines can seem when it came to one’s identity in romance and attraction and even personality. Twelfth Night was one of those plays that all the lines were so blurred that they almost came across as very clear. It was evident that his plays were meant to entertain – just as the modern day rom-com movie interpretation – but what it also revealed was the reality of mixed identity in all of us.

What the performance reveals by way of concealing in Twelfth Night as a text, is how the way one dresses suggests the existence of a sense of “truth.” It is with this suggestion that we are presented within this “truth,” “true” identity. On the same note, it elaborates on having more than one “true” identity. It is suggested that if the true self is a performed self, then this justifies moreover that the many layers of clothing one can put on, allows them to perform – reveal – many “true selves”.

In turn, in “She’s the Man” Viola of course changes her attire to match that of Sebastian’s, but in actuality she is only putting on another layer of her true self in order to fit in and succeed in love, in identity and in life. It’s not that her true layer is a man, it’s what her true layer as a man represents within the movie, and within the play.

More so, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, or, What You Will alludes this within the second title What You Will. This suggests that what you will – will power – yourself to do is who you are at that moment. The Oxford English Dictionary defines “will” as “desire, longing, and disposition” (OED). It is in this very definition of “will” meaning “disposition” that we see another suggested implication of the title meaning. So, What You Will could possibly translate into “What You Control”, and what one controls within this play are the clothes they put on. It is the tangible covering of the different layers of clothes that each character puts on that only reveals another “costume” or performance of themselves.

It is in this act of “will” that we see Viola try to take control of her identity, of her disposition. But all this is hidden in a comedic plot line with witty quips, satiric innuendos, and “happy endings.”  Having read the play, it is interesting to see the deeper development within each scene in the film adaptation. It’s also strange to feel a sense of relation to Disney’s classic Cinderella , whom also identified and changes her future in love and personality by what she wore only for it to be stripped away at the stroke of midnight. It’s strange to see how powerfully Shakespeare was onto something way ahead of his time – and the shear fact of how one can be identified by the layer they put on, both metaphorically and literally.

If you often find Shakespeare intimidating, you can borrow a variety of accessible versions of Twelfth Night from BCCLS Libraries including the original text with a modern version side by side , a retelling in rhymed couplets for kids ,  a filmed version starring Helena Bonham Carter , and even a comic  Manga adaptation.   Also check out our previous post on how to stop hating Shakespeare !

Written by: Sherissa Hernandez Adult Programming Assistant

Share this:

Tags: Amanda Bynes , shakespeare , She's the Man , Twelfth Night

• Comments 1 Comment
• Categories Comics and Manga , DVDs , Inspired By , Movies , Sherissa Hernandez , theater , Uncategorized

One Response to “She’s the Man on the Twelfth Night: A Modern Movie and a Classic Play”

Trackbacks/pingbacks.

[…] and a Classic Play.” Hoboken Library Staff Picks, Hoboken Library Staff Picks, 24 Oct. 2018, hobokenlibrary.blog/2018/10/24/shes-the-man-on-the-twelfth-night-a-modern-movie-and-a-classic-play/ Accessed 26 May […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Recent posts.

• A Fairy Tale Retold: Spitting Gold, The Blue Fairy Book, Once Upon a Toad, and Toads and Diamonds
• Discover Dragons: I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons and To Shape a Dragon’s Breath
• A New Adventure Based on an Ancient Story: Strike the Zither
• A World War II Fantasy: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
• Fabulous Foodie Fiction set in France: A Murder Most French and The Paris Novel
• Adam Cricco
• Aimee Harris
• Andre Lebron
• Angelica Cabrera
• Asha Mobiley
• Ashley Hoffman
• Bernadette Patino
• Book Riot Read Harder Challenge
• Children's
• Children's Fiction
• Children's Nonfiction
• Clay Waters
• cloud library
• Comics and Manga
• Dewey Decimal Challenge
• Dewey Decimal Challenge 2017
• Digital Materials
• Documentaries
• Emily Sierra
• Ethan Galvin
• graphic novels
• History Collection
• Inspired By
• Jenn Sforza
• Joseph Emery
• Karl Schwartz
• Kerry Weinstein
• Kim Iacucci
• Lauren Lapinski
• Lindsay T. Sakmann
• Lois Rubin Gross
• Madison Black
• Matt Latham
• Megan Flynn
• Melissa Medina
• Michelle Valle
• Nicole Marconi
• Philip Mendez
• Quick Staff Pick
• Rosary Van Ingen
• Sacha Chavez
• Samantha Evaristo
• Science Fiction
• Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club
• Sharlene Edwards
• Sherissa Hernandez
• Sherissa Salas
• Steph Diorio
• Stephanie Lodico
• summer reading
• Uncategorized
• Vanetta Rivera
• Victoria Turk
• Video Games
• Writing Prompts
• Young Adult
• Young Adult Fiction
• Young Adult Nonfiction

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Email Address:

Hoboken Public Library

The Hoboken Public Library is on Instagram!

No Instagram images were found.

Follow the Hoboken Public Library on Twitter!

• February 2024
• January 2024
• December 2023
• November 2023
• October 2023
• September 2023
• August 2023
• February 2023
• January 2023
• December 2022
• November 2022
• October 2022
• September 2022
• August 2022
• February 2022
• January 2022
• December 2021
• November 2021
• October 2021
• September 2021
• August 2021
• February 2021
• January 2021
• December 2020
• November 2020
• October 2020
• September 2020
• August 2020
• February 2020
• January 2020
• December 2019
• November 2019
• October 2019
• September 2019
• August 2019
• February 2019
• January 2019
• December 2018
• November 2018
• October 2018
• September 2018
• August 2018
• February 2018
• January 2018
• December 2017
• September 2017
• August 2017
• February 2017
• January 2017
• December 2016
• October 2016
• September 2016
• August 2016
• February 2016
• January 2016
• December 2015
• November 2015
• October 2015
• September 2015
• August 2015
• February 2015
• January 2015
• December 2014
• November 2014
• October 2014
• September 2014
• August 2014
• February 2014
• January 2014
• December 2013
• November 2013
• October 2013
• September 2013
• August 2013

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar