October just started, so you know what that means: it’s basically Halloween! If you’re not one of those people who work out their Halloween plans in June and still have no idea for what to do for a costume this year, have no fear. Maybe you’ll find some inspiration based on what I think some of Shakespeare’s most famous characters would dress up as for Halloween if they existed in our world today. So, if you’re looking for a costume yourself or you just want to see what some of Shakespeare’s best-known characters would dress up as, read on!
Beatrice - Rosie the Riveter
Beatrice has made her mark as one of Shakespeare’s more badass female characters. She’s extremely sharp and can hold her own in a battle of wits against anybody who dares to challenge her. Beatrice also knows her worth and refuses to submit to anyone, especially a man. A woman as strong as this deserves a Halloween costume that’s just as iconic as she is, which is why Rosie the Riveter would be a perfect fit. Rosie the Riveter is nothing short of a cultural icon and served as the face of women in the workforce during World War II. She seems like the type of person Beatrice would admire and, consequently, would serve as as the perfect Halloween costume inspiration.
Puck - A “Ceiling Fan”
Puck is well-known for being a jokester (to say the least) while also being clever. A Halloween costume that’s centered around a play on words definitely seems like it’d be perfect for him. He hits me as the friend who would constantly make puns as a way of playfully torturing everyone else in the friend group (come on, we all have a friend like that).
Viola - A Frat Guy
We all know that Viola has some experience with dressing up as a guy, so this frat guy Halloween costume trend that I’ve been seeing all over Pinterest seems right up her alley. And knowing Viola, her costume would probably be so good and so convincing that she’d have sorority girls flirting with her all night.
Miranda - A Zombie Bride
I couldn’t help but see some similarities between Miranda and Cady Heron from Mean Girls. After spending the first sixteen years of her life homeschooled and living in Africa, Cady has no idea that a Halloween costume for a young adult woman is supposed to be less scary and more, uhm, showy. I feel like Miranda might have a similar experience, considering she’s never seen another woman besides herself. It would make sense for her to have a similar thought process to Cady when it comes time to pick a Halloween costume.
Celia and Rosalind - Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy
These two are just about as joined at the hip as two people can get without being literal Siamese twins. They’re so close that even when Rosalind is exiled from court and flees to the forest of Arden, Celia goes with her because she doesn’t want to be away from her cousin and best friend. With this in mind, it only seems logical for the two of them to do a joint costume, like Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy from SpongeBob. I guess the only question that still stands is who would be who?
Ariel - A Minion
Ariel’s been more or less a minion to Prospero forever. Why would that change on Halloween? The only difference on Halloween is the type of minion.
Brutus - Lando from Star Wars
Ah, Brutus. The original backstabbing (literally) snake. Brutus would probably want to pay homage to another treacherous person on Halloween. And given the renewed interest in Star Wars and the release of Solo earlier this year, something tells me that treasonous person would be Lando Calrissian. Both Brutus and Lando betray people they were supposedly friends with. Seems like a match made in heaven if you ask me.
Titus Andronicus - Sweeney Todd
Both Titus Andronicus and the Demon Barber of Fleet Street have a...special relationship with pies. Need I say more?