The play Amadeus by Peter Shaffer much like the film by Milos Forman, sensationalized Mozart’s personality and experiences. Though both the film and play had a very similar plot they made very different stylistic choices that for most part represented the history of Mozart and classical music. The play was very symbolic while the movie was representational allowing for extra scenes. The movie is more of a celebration of Mozart’s work while the play is more strongly based on the struggles between the composer Salieri and Mozart ( though this plot point is also relevant in the film).
The play was highly stylized in a manner similar to opera. The language could be described as aristocratic and the acting was dramatized to the level of opera pieces. Symbolism was a big part of the play as live actors and limited set possibilities made literal representation a less plausible option. In the movie not only was the plot more literally represented but Mozarts character was dramatized. In the movie Mozart was depicted to a much further extent as…show more content… Salieri a composer in competition with Mozart loses his faith in God when Mozart, a foolish man, receives more success then him. In the play this is expressed through a monologue where Salieri curses God while the film highlights the same point when Salieri throws a cross which he prays to throughout the movie into a fire. The movie also has additional scenes not present in the play that do not alter the plot but rather enhance Mozart’s charachterization. Scenes of Mozart at a masquerade show the careless nature of the composer that both the film and play supourt. Furthermore, Mozart’s wife, Constanza has a more major role in the movie as she is a strongly verbal advocate for Mozart throughout the film unlike in the play where she plays a much more minor
