Adaptation and Perception in the Works of William Shakespeare and Jane AustenEiser, Madeline adaptationShakespeareAustenfilmnovelplaysource materialreceptionEnglishB AThe literary works of William Shakespeare and Jane Austen have long been regarded as part of the elite section of the literary canon. They have been studied thoroughly and are found in most high school curriculums, as well as in many college courses. These literary works have also been the subject of many film adaptations. While some of these adaptations are period pieces that attempt to recreate the time period in which the work was written, there are also adaptations that put a modern spin on the stories. This thesis will delve into three such modern adaptations: 10 Things I Hate About You, adapted from Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare; She’s the Man, adapted from Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare; and Clueless, adapted from Emma by Jane Austen. Each of these films was received differently by scholars and film critics, and their contemporaneous reviews are very indicative of the social environment in which they were produced. This thesis compares and analyzes the reasons for the different critical reception of each film and how that reception correlates to the films’ intended audiences being primarily women. Garrett Sullivan, Jr., Thesis SupervisorMatt Tierney, Thesis Honors Advisoropen_access2026-04-06T16:29:29Zhttps://honors.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/10217mme5598