Category: Twelfth Night

Recently I’ve been learning about William Shakespeare and his works in English. He was an incredible playwright who was born in (approximately) 1564 and died in 1616. He has been credited for adding (approximately) 3000 words to the English language. He wrote some amazing renowned plays which I have been studying like Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night, to name a few. These plays usually fall into three genres History, tragedy and comedy. These plays are well known for their incredible plots, themes and relatability. People (especially Teens) are becoming increasingly less interested in Shakespeare’s works which is why I’ve made it my duty to get people interested in Shakespeare again using this essay by exploring one of his plays and giving reasons why you should read it. To rekindle people’s interest in Shakespeare, I think we should introduce them to Shakespeare’s Comedy plays as you really enjoy the characters and the way they react. The play Twelfth Night which falls into the comedy genre, is a really interesting play, one that I personally like with a dynamic plot and hilarious characters, which is a good example of a play we should use to get people interested in Shakespeare again. I believe teenagers of this modern age will most enjoy this play as it contains love which people often try to chase, confusion, humour, jealousy and determination. In this play, a woman named Viola disguises herself as a man under the alias of Cesario since she becomes shipwrecked and needs to fend for herself. Then she works for a duke who loves a lady named Olivia and while trying to get them together she finds out her brother who was in the shipwrecked with her was not dead and they all receive what they want.

The play ‘Twelfth Night’, Portrays love and confusion in a funny way. This is done through the convoluted plot, the lengths people will go to get love, the love situation and the interactions between characters and those in love. An example of love along with comedy in this play is in the scene where Olivia says to Cesario “Are you a comedian?” in response to Cesario (Viola) explaining herself. In which she is clearly not a comedian and just wants to complete his Job of establishing a relationship between the duke and Olivia. It is scenes like these in Shakespear’s plays like ‘Twelfth Night” and other works that enhance the entertainment and make it enjoyable for all ages, especially the young.

As we started to look at the plot of ‘Twelfth Night’. I liked that Shakespeare is able to teach us a lot about universal themes, such as confusion, anger, determination and especially love. Love is an important idea for young people because they are so interested in it. Shakespeare teaches us about love in an unusual and funny style. The scene that shows this is the moment when Malvolio is pranked by the other servants into thinking that Olivia is in love with him.

I really like this scene because Shakespeare uses confusion and blindness. To make us laugh. This is shown in the quote “​I’m her servant. She’s my boss. Why, anyone can see what this means​” The audience finds this funny because of how easily he is fooled. The part where he finishes the letter also made me laugh because of the way he reacted. From this moment we learn the important lesson that love is not always true, we rethink other things. Young people really need to celebrate and learn about Shakespeare because of their themes such as love which we see In this play. Being in year 8 some people in my grade are starting to form crushes, I think the scariest thing ever would be to tell someone you like them and then have them not like you back. Being in high school means EVERYONE will find out! So, I really love that this play helps me see how people act when they don’t feel the same way about someone else.

Another scene I really enjoyed watching was when Malvolio mistakenly thinks Olivia wants to sleep with him. My favourite part of this scene is how Malvolio reacts so eagerly to Olivia ordering him to go to sleep. Malvolio’s response is hilarious because he says “To bed! “Yes, sweetheart, I’ll come to you.” I found this really funny because I like how eager he says that to someone with such a high position. It’s really important for young people to see what happens to Malvolio because it teaches them about what not to talk about openly. Shakespeare has totally appealed to young audiences here because young people are often intrigued by subjects like these so a funny play will definitely provoke excitement. I think Shakespeare was really clever because he uses comedy in a clever way to make people laugh.

Shakespeare is an amazing writer and as I have told you people are losing interest in him quickly. So we should introduce them to plays he has written like the play “Twelfth Night” and his other works for its relevance today and its themes of love, Jealousy and confusion. It is clear that his works allow us to enjoy drama and reflect upon our own lives through their themes, values and attitudes that are still relevant to us today. I used to be someone who disliked Shakespeare but now after reading and seeing “Twelfth Night” and his works I truly believe they are enjoyable and have relevance.

The two plays that I will explore in depth to answer this question includes ‘Twelfth Night’ by William Shakespeare, written around 1602. As well as ‘Six Characters in Search of an Author’ by Luigi, written in 1921. For the sake of this essay, it is important to decode some key words within the question. Society means that we are looking at the most acknowledged people and behavior during which each individual play was written. Represents means an accurate portrayal of society. Critique means how it challenges societal behaviors. Lastly, illuminating means reflecting on certain or the most important parts of society. These are just my personal definitions in order for one to look at this essay with this perspective in mind.

First off, Twelfth Night doesn’t represent society, specifically the 1600s in English society. It doesn’t represent society accurately. It has quite a microscopic view, this is due to the fact that it is set in Illyria, a region in the western part of the Balkan Penninsula. Considering this fact, since Viola, whom is one can argue is the central character in this play, is described as a ‘shipwrecked lady’ indicates that she is out of her comfort zone. Hence, she is an unknown environment or atmosphere, one cannot be comfortable or know how to properly behave compared to a society she used to live in. Since Viola has found herself in a foreign setting, therefore reflects that her behavior within this new society would not be of social norm for the society that Twelfth Night was produced, which is 1600’s England. This is seen in Act 1, Scene 2, page 6, Viola says ‘What country, friends, is this?’ and later on says ‘And what should I do in Illyria?’. How can Viola represent society when she has no idea of the social norms of an unfamiliar society? How is she supposed to behave in a society that she’s unfamiliar with? She literally went out of society as it is set on a coast. This enhances my point that once again, she is uncertain as to how she should behave in this new and unfamiliar society. By having the play be set in a unfamiliar society, it not only affects Viola is the way she behaves within the society but it also is reflected upon her ambiguous gender identity. Viola is disguised as a man within the play, however, there are numerous occasions in which one can see that she still attains what are known as feminine attributes. However, she doesn’t completely renounce her feminine attributes when pursuing what she wants. Instead, she plays between both genders, all while fluidly changing between them, so that she can handle whichever situation comes to her.

However, Six Characters in Search of an Author does in fact represent society. This time, it represents a different society as it was written in a different time period and a different place as well. Six Characters in Search of an Author accurately represents Italy in 1921, which was where and when the play was written. The characters in the play go to the theater to find somewhere to belong; by default, they’ve migrated to entertainment which is the play. This is shown on page 6, when the father says ‘Sir, we are trying to find an author’. If we look at this in a societal perspective, the 1920’s did the same, especially young people. The 1920’s was a time where people migrated towards the cities in order to be in reach of entertainment. This connects directly back to society during that time as the Great Migration was occurring, therefore a population increase occurred. In the beginning of the play, six characters come on stage in hopes to be in a rehearsal of a play. Since these unexpected six characters come on stage unknowingly by the director, this could have a direct link to society within the 1920’s. Specifically that there is a double the number of characters on stage, which could have a reference to the fact that major cities were overtime becoming increasingly overpopulated because of both external and internal immigration.

Twelfth Night does critique society. Shakespeare critiques society’s obsession with class. Malvolio is obsessed with it, and is set out to be a horrible person. This is shown in Act 5, Scene 5, page 89, when Olivia says ‘He hath been most notoriously abused.’. Additionally, Viola pretends to be of a lower class. Shakespeare suggests class is easily interchangeable. This diminishes the importance of class. This shown in other plays from Shakespeare, such as ‘Romeo and Juliet’, where a huge divide between the two worlds of Romeo and Juliet is due to their societal status. However, in the end, the two families end up their feud when they found out that both Romeo and Juliet have died.

Disorientation is often the cause of much anxiety. The human inability to control the breakdown of social or personal order can be the source for significant panic and disarray; that which is many times mentally jarring. This element of confusion for characters within literary works often times becomes their downfall, as they are placed in situations in which reality is unknown. Confusion can cause individuals to become blindsided, and while it is usually a cause for concern, this inability to conceptualize and regulate situations in comedic drama is root for much hilarity. The letter scene in William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the employment of the Breeches Role in William Wycherley’s The Country Wife, as well as the fortune teller scene in Aphra Behn’s The Rover, each develop a dynamic in which some characters are all-knowing, while others ponder as to what is reality. It is in these instances, when specific characters, as well as theatre audiences, harness the power of information, while others fail to comprehend the course of action, where humour is most innately established. Thus, this essay will argue that it is the correlation between an individual’s disorientation and confusion with the reality of the plot, and the direct opposition they face in relation to other characters, as well as audiences, who are fully mindful of the truth, which allows for comedy to ensue.

While in Twelfth Night, as in most Shakespearean comedies, audiences are provided with a stereotypical fool – the clown, referred to as Feste – it is the character of Malvolio, in his attempt to win the heart of Lady Olivia in the letter scene after being deceived, who is made the greater fool of the two. His character’s arrogance and supposed superiority over all others is made evident when he discovers Sir Andrew and Sir Toby drinking, explicitly judging their demeanor. Malvolio proclaims in response to their disorderliness, “My masters, are you mad? Or what are you? Have you no wit, manners, nor honesty but gabble like tinkers at this time of night?” (Shakespeare 2.3.81-3). His character’s willingness to judge his superiors, assuming himself of a higher esteem, prepares the audience for his downfall. The distaste and animosity audiences develop toward the character, sets the scene for a much-celebrated and humorous abasement of the pompous puritan. When Maria, Sir Toby, and Sir Andrew, alongside Fabian, devise a plan to outwit Malvolio, they cunningly utilize deception and confusion to prepare his demise. Malvolio, a man once in a position of self-authority, has been stripped of his ability to understand the parameters of fact and fiction, while those around him, the audience included, are well informed of the realities of the plot. Both Malvolio and Olivia are throughout the scene unaware of the practical joke occurring, while those playing the joke on them contribute to the confusion that ensues. Maria, a trusted servant to Olivia, enhances the confusion, as well as the comic nature of the scene, by suggesting to her mistress that Malvolio “is coming in a very strange manner,” and that “He is sure possessed” (Shakespeare 3.4.8-9). Maria’s awareness of the truth behind Malvolio’s maddening actions, in combination with her contribution to the disarray unfolding on stage, influences audience amusement. Similarly, when Olivia asks Malvolio why he is behaving in such a cheerful manner, Maria again interjects and asks out of artificial concern, “How do you, Malvolio?” (Shakespeare 3.4.32). Humour here is not only derived from the power dynamic established, whereby Maria assumes the utmost control of the situation, but also from the relative misfortunes and incomprehensiveness of the other characters. It is Olivia’s blindness to the truth of the situation, as Maria pacifies reality with further modes of deception, which allows for comedy to be enacted throughout the scene.

Moreover, when Malvolio enters the court, audiences are met with a man who genuinely believes Olivia has sent him instruction to present himself in such a peculiar manner. As Olivia questions his demeanor, as to why he is wearing yellow stockings cross-gartered, he perplexed by her probing, merely continues referencing back to the letter, suggesting “Not black in my mind, though yellow in my legs. It did come to his hands, and commands shall be executed” (3.4.25-27). While Maria, as well as the audience, are aware that his attire is part of their ploy, Malvolio and Olivia’s transaction is heavily charged with confusion. This disorientation caused by the subliminally playful remarks which Maria contributes to the exchange, as well as the incomprehension of reality on the part of both Olivia and Malvolio sets the stage for much comedic expression. The threshold between knowing and not knowing is particularly significant in this scene, as it is those who are aware of the reality of the plotline – that is Maria and the audience – who are in the position of power. Malvolio’s power of alleged superiority is unknowingly stripped from him the moment he chooses to follow the instructions of the letter. His constant reiteration of the letter’s quotations, such as when he states, “‘Be not afraid of greatness.’ Twas well writ,” acts as a reassurance mechanism, suggestive of his perplexity (Shakespeare …). Being that audiences are trained from the onset of the play to despise Malvolio’s character, his disorientation, as well as his distress, ultimately behaves as a method of enacting comedy. It is the divide between knowing and not knowing the truth, which permits banter to occur, however inadvertently.

Similarly, in the case of the Pinchwifes, of the comedic play by William Wycherley entitled The Country Wife, the correlation between characters who are aware of the reality of the plot and those unaware is deliberately exercised as to enact comedy in the Breeches Role scene. In his attempt to protect his wife from prying male suitors, Mr. Pinchwife employs a deceitful plan to “dress [Mrs. Pinchwife] in the suit [they] are to carry down to her brother” (Wycherley 3.1.119-120). Out of fear that his male companions will be so drawn to her, Mr. Pinchwife unintentionally engages with a staple of the Restoration Comedy, known as the Breeches Role. With a growing presence of women onstage, the Breeches Role encouraged female actors to carry out scenes in male attire, as to emphasize the female figure, and thus, appeal to male audience members, ironically, actively counteracting Pinchwife’s intentions (Pablos 70). Nevertheless, in doing so, Pinchwife encourages a shift in the power dynamic amongst he, his wife, and his friends. The Pinchwifes’ possession of power in this scene allows for those with the knowledge that Mrs. Pinchwife is not actually “his wife’s brother,” to control the direction the scene will take, and, as such, enacts comedy (Wycherley 3.2.180). When Horner declares his love for Mrs. Pinchwife, while she is dressed in male costume pretending to be her brother, she encourages him to reveal more of what he loves about her. Her persistence, asking questions such as “But did you love her indeed, and indeed?” as to incite further flattery from him, not only fulfills her longing to be sexually desired by other men, but also in the process makes for a very awkward situation with her uptight husband. Horner’s response is not only conversational, proposing “Yes indeed, and indeed, pray you tell her so,” but also physically, as suggested by the stage direction, in which he kisses her not once, but three times (3.2…). This tension produced because of the relationship between Horner’s ignorance to the reality of Mrs. Pinchwife’s identity, as well as Mr. Pinchwife’s inability to relieve said tension as it would prompt the reveal his wife’s identity, is cause for much hilarity.

Furthermore, as an individual who in the scene is all-knowing, Mrs. Pinchwife additionally plays on her knowledge of the reality of her identity, by utilizing this moment of superiority to take control and taunt her husband. While she is in a private conversation with Horner, Mr. Pinchwife returns to the scene rather frantically. Similarly, as in the case of Twelfth Night, it is Lucy’s perplexity as to why he is acting so hysterically, which makes the scene amusing. He enters questioning, “Where? – How? – What’s become of?” to which Lucy confusingly replies, “He’s gone with the Gentlemen who will give him something, and it please your Worship” (3.2…). While it is understood, by both audiences and Mr. Pinchwife, that his wife is actually the one in a private conversation with a man who is romantically interested in her, Lucy’s blindness and confusin to this reality of the young man’s identity, and to the situation as a whole, is what permits comedy to ensue. After returning from her discussion with Horner, Mrs. Pinchwife plays further on the knowing/not knowing dynamic present throughout the scene. She enters, alongside Horner, stating “O dear Bud, look you here what I have got, see. The fine Gentleman has given me better things yet” (3.2…). While Horner had only given her an orange, as he indicates later in the scene, Mrs. Pinchwife pokes fun at her husband’s anxieties, knowing very well that if he exercises control against her, that her true identity will be revealed. It is his distress throughout the scene, alongside the relationship between those who are fully conscious of Mrs. Pinchwife’s identity and those who are left in the dark, that encourages the merriment of audiences.

Regarding The Rover, a play by Aphra Behn, the interdependence of characters who are conscious of the plotline’s realties, such as Florinda, and those who are fashioned to be ignorant of it, as in Belvile, function together as to sanction a comedic response from audiences. The play itself, taking place at a time in Naples when Carnival is occurring, whereby men and women roam the festivals in masquerade fashion, encourages deception and confusion, that which in the comedic genre inspires much hilarity. Dressed as a gypsy in the streets, Florinda is unrecognizable to all, intentionally done as to not be caught disobeying her brother’s orders to remain faithful to Don Vincentio. As Belvile suggests, Carnival is the perfect place to do as you please “Because whatever extravagances we commit in these faces, our own may not be obliged to answer ‘em” (Behn 2.1.2-3). Ironically, this is a common theme throughout the play, as the disguises of numerous character allow for the avoidance of social order and personal or moral responsibility. In gypsy attire, Florinda provides Belvile with a palm reading in attempts to uncover his inner feelings for her, for instance when she states, “As I was saying, sir, by this line you should be a lover” (Behn 1.2.217-218). Belvile’s inability to recognize Florinda through her disguise, prompts her to pry further, utilizing her secret identity as a method for cunning investigation. When he becomes tiresome of her and pleads with the mysterious woman to let him leave, she acts intrusively again, stating “I will not, sir, til you have confessed whether the passion you have for the vowed Florinda be true or false” (Behn 1.2.221-222). It is Belvile’s blindness and inability to identify similarities between the fortune teller and Florinda, alongside Florinda’s continuous prying, which permits an implicitly playful and humorous exchange for viewers. The framework of this interaction, in which one character is entirely aware of the actuality of the plot, while the other ceases to uncover these realities impacts audience reception in a jocular manner.

Likewise, Belvile’s inability to recognize the woman he claims to be madly in love with, too sets the scene for comedy to be enacted. At the first auditory perception of Florinda’s name, Belvile is taken aback, quickly changing his demeanor from uninterested to shocked and fixated on the gypsy’s every word. He even suggests, “Thou hast nam’d one will fix me here forever” (Behn 1.2.225). Belvile’s preoccupation with Florinda, though conveyed through his remarks, are not parallel in his actions, as he throughout the scene is unable to identify his true love through the costume. Not only does his failure to recognise his lover allow for greater plot development, permitting Florinda to request he meet her “this night at the garden gate,” but qualifies the scene as humorous (Behn 1.2.126-127). Viewers are presented with a man so in love, so emotionally attached and devoted to Florinda, yet, aside from such is unable to distinguish the woman he cares for from beneath a costume. The knowing/not knowing foundation of the conversation between the two individuals, whom like devoted lovers should be able to conduct open and honest conversations, as well as identify them beyond a mere disguise, allows for the scene to develop comedically.

Literature frames interpersonal relationships in a manner as to utilize character connections as a framework for plot development. As such, the genre of comedy employs its characters as a vehicle to enact humour, by developing their language, performative action, and overall characterization in a bizarre, yet, hysterical way. Character associations within Twelfth Night, The Country Wife, and The Rover are fashioned to limit the knowledge and understanding of one or more characters as to cause confusion, while the remainder of the characters on stage are all-knowing. It is this reciprocity between characters in comedic theatre, which allows a conversational exchange that is often a network of misperception and foolishness, sure to entertain audiences. While numerous dramaturgical aspects lend themselves to the expression of humour in these literary texts, it is these brief moments of character delusion and misunderstanding that are most notable for their exhibition of comedy.

The play, Twelfth Night, written by William Shakespeare is a playful comedy which explores the construction of class, gender, sexual identity, and the tensions between the external and internal dimensions of each. Many on-screen and rendition adaptations of the play have been created, with the movie, She’s the man directed in 2002 by Andy Flickmen, being beloved by many. Although both works share the same plot and characters; Viola, who is a female twin seeking to flourish in the role of a male for her own reasons, which evolves into a distorted love triangle. However, She’s the Man has a reestablished comedic twist to the ending when the drama unfolds, leaving out the darker aspects in Twelfth Night. With many similarities and references to the original play, it is easy to apprehend that She’s the Man is a modern adaptation of Twelfth Night.

She’s the man and Twelfth Night share many similarities with their plots. The play begins with Viola encountering a shipwreck where she believes she has lost her twin brother, Sebastian at sea. She approaches the sea captain, Antionio, to help disguise herself, to remain a position as a manservant to Duke Orsino. Meanwhile, in the movie, the same plot is presented in a concurrent and less extreme setting. Viola is faced with the dilemma that her female football team is unable to play, so she disguises herself as her brother Sebastian whilst he is away on a music tour in London, and attends his school, to play on the football team and prove that “She is the man.” The modern adaptation does not follow the tragic events that are depicted in the play, instead, it emphasizes on comedy, overcoming the dark tones of Shakespeare’s book to focusing on a pleasant heterosexual union in the final scene. Although the feminsim message is put across, the movie by Fickman presents ultimately a conservative reading of the play by Shakespeare by making Viola embrace the femininity traditionally at the end. Additionally, the difference in target audience, results in the change of themes. With the target audience focused at teenagers in the movie, it unexpectedly takes away Shakespeare’s underlying issues which are highlighted throughout the play. In comparison, twelfth night is aimed at everyone as its’ primary purpose is entertainment as a shakespearean play in shakespeare’s time.

She’s the Man remains with the same characterization of the play and generally follows the narrative structure and only modernizes the language and setting of the play into a more conceptual script. The title provided for She’s the man was chosen for the modernized version of Twelfth Night. The new title appeals to a younget broader crowd, because of its’ unique and catchy pun, which attracts viewers attention to the movie whilst adding to the movies popularity. The language of the movie and Twelfth Night is different because of the vast varaition between time set of the two plays and the writing characteristics used in them. Shakespeare used his language to convey a difference in feelings, attitudes, or personalities of characters in different situations. An example would be when, Malvolio who generally speaks showing intelligence, yet Feste the clown often plays with words and uses puns. In comparison, there are smoothly-flowing lines from Orsino “If music by the food of love, play on, Giver me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite maysicken and so die (Act 1, Scene 1)

In tandem to this, the film takes place along a school, managing to create an atmosphere suitable for the story which combines the modern elements, although this did diminish the mystery and confusion of the strange land of ‘Illyria’. Moreover, . The movie borrows most names of the characters from the original play. Although the names in the movie do not necessarily correspond to the characters in play, there are little changes created, with the characters generally faithful to their personalities, with a few exceptions. Several close-up shots displaying her dress up as a man accentuates her beauty and physical appearance as a girl. Additionally, voices were also deliberatly made to be deepened to sound more like men, although, Viola ocasionally resorted back to her normal voice, forgetting her masculine role, when she is overcome by intimidation from the Duke. . Some statements in the script are also borrowed from the play for example duke says; “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them”. (Shakespeare 37) This is a quotation in the letter Malvolio read in the play the twelfth night. The remake of the original Shakespeare’s play into a movie loses most of the tragic impact famous in his literature. His main themes of love and death are subsided and it is hardly noticeable that the movie was adopted from Shakespeare’s work.

The film’s connections to the play are emphasized through a number of visual and dialogue references. Both She’s the Man and Twelfth Night version was able to involve their multiple cases of mistaken identities and deceoption within, with the stereotypical role of the sexes and gender to have an significant impact. The film also displays plots that challenge the dominant binaries of gender identification. At Illyria, Viola learns that despite Duke Orsino’s impressive looks and soccer techniques, he is contained and conservative when it comes with interacting with girls. Furthermore, many female characters are portrayed in a more aggressive and dynamic actions. In contrast, Twelfth Night displays male protagonists in a more confident manner, with only Viola displaying a more assertive side.

Twelfth Night and She’s the man both contain many comedic traits, yet also encompasses elements that signify the differernt representation of gender roles within society. The gender qualities portrayed in both the film and the play challenges the dominant discourse of male and female representations as well as reinforcing them.

Twelfth Night Questions

What is the most important theme in your play and explain how the author communicates the theme throughout the play? (Remember the theme is a main message of the play – the lesson, or observation about human nature the author makes – it should take a stand not just be a topic or one word like “love”) In his play Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy, William Shakespeare develops the theme of love is pain and the power of desire, introduced in tangled relationships to be wonderfully untangled. The tile indicates the sense of urgency “Twelfth Night” meaning the last night after Christmas to extend the boundary in between the times for games and business. Countess Olivia is introduced in the beginning as a powerful independent woman, who’s sudden death of her brother has left her in charge of her own household as a male figure. Her status as a wealthy aristocratic and a single women, brings unwanted male attention from Count Orsino who is pursuing her.” If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it; that surfeiting, That appetite may sicken and die.” (1.1) Count Orsino’s orientation forms the first connection within the play, this introduces the importance of love in the plot were Orsino, as we learn that he is in love with Lady Olivia however Olivia wasn’t interested in the Duke’s advances. Told by Valentine that Olivia didn’t share the same interest in him, Orsino was burdened by longing.They’re also a circle about Lady Olivia with two other well suitors, the socially ambitious Stewart, Malvolio, Today who are altogether ignored by Lady Olivia. In the next scene the twins, Viola and Sebastian have been shipwrecked each thinks the other has drowned both are without each other. Viola chooses to disguise herself as a page and names herself Cesario to enter the service of Orsino eventually earning Orsino’s trust, and him making her his beloved Olivia messenger, who she soon falls in love with.”Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness, Wherein the pregnant enemy does much” (2.2.) Viola becomes aware of Olivia’s affection for Cesario, Viola is dressed as and is saddened by the meant result of her disguise.

How does the setting (place and time period where the story takes place) impact the play?

The play Twelfth Night was written in 1601, it was performed at court for Queen Elizabeth and after her death in 1603 for King James, it was presented at inns of court of London’s legal societies. Twelfth Night is in Illyria, a real place around the middle ages, that began around the tenth century B.C.E., it is located off the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Today, Illyria makes up Croatia which is located in Central and Southeast Europe, But Shakespeare created the fictional place called Messaline. Within the play, the Twins are shipwrecked on the land of Illyria. Viola and her twin brother Sebastian ended up washed away from each other in different areas. Both characters assume their sibling has drowned in the sea, While reading Shakespeare doesn’t convey much about the twin’s lives before they ended up in Illyria besides the fact that they were noble’s of Messaline. Viola cross-dresses as a boy named ‘Cesario’ in Act 1. Scene 4, her brother Sebastian pretends to be some guy named ‘Roderigo,’ and then tricks Malvolio into believing Olivia loved him, this lead to deception. So Sebastian arrives to Illyria, in the hopes to marry Olivia, Viola finds herself in love with Count Orsino and wants to marry him, but she can’t because Orsino has eyes for Olivia. Furthermore, Orsino loves Viola is a boy, which is ‘Cesario,” but , Olivia has fallen in love with ‘Cesario,’ but she can’t have Viola because ‘Cesario’ is Viola, who is deeply in love with Count Orsino this creates a love triangle of hopeless, everyone’s in love with one another. The situation changes When Sebastian go to Olivia and expresses that he has no problem lusting for ‘Cesario’ who is Viola’s look-alike brother. Twelfth Night ends in the marriage of heterosexual pairings.

Choose one particularly effective stage direction. How does this stage direction impact the play? Remember a stage direction is something that the author wrote that tells the actors what to do. Stage directions are not said aloud in the performance but say something about how the play is staged. It can be as simple as “Juliet enters stage left” to long explanations about the emotions the actors are supposed to show or what the lighting or set should look like. Make sure to choose the one you can analyze in depth.

In Twelfth Night, Sir Andrew says to Maria “Here’s my hand,” and a few lines later she says to him “Now I let go your hand,” it is clear what stage action has occurred. Again, when, at the end of Act 1, scene 3, Sir Toby says to Sir Andrew” Let me see thee caper. Ha, higher! Ha, ha excellent!” one knows that Sir Andrew at least attempts to dance a lively dance. At several places in the Twelfth Night signals to the reader are not quite so clear, when, after Olivia first meeting with Cesario, Malvolio says to Cesario

“She returns this ring to you…Receive it so…you peevishly threw it to her, and her will is it should be so returned. If it be worth stooping for, there it lies…,” one assumes that, at some point during these speeches, Malvolio throws down the ring; one assumes, also, that Viola/Cesario picks up the ring at some point during her speech after Malvolio at exits. But the stage action in this scene is not clearly prescribed in the dialogue and must be decided upon by the actors, by the reader, or by the editors who, as in this case of this edition, choose to add stage directions.

Choose one powerful quote that shows the author’s best writing. Analyze the quote in depth. Be sure to include at least 2 Quizlet terms.

Shakespeare’s quote conveyed the climax of the play, when Sebastian and Viola are reunited, and all the misunderstandings are cleared up.”Orsino: If this be so, as yet the glass seems true,I shall have a share in this happiest wrack.To Viola Boy, thou hast said to me a thousand times thou never shouldst love woman like to me. Viola And all those sayings will I overwear, And all those swearings keep as true in soul As doth that orbèd continent the fire That severs day from night. Orsino Give me thy hand, And let me see thee in thy woman’s weeds.” (4.1.266) Here, Orsino ushers in a happy ending for his long-suffering Viola by declaring his willingness to wed her. This quote thus sets the stage for general rejoicing—but it is worth noting that even here, the -gender ambiguities that Viola’s disguise has created still persist. Orsino knows that Viola is a woman—and a woman, apparently, to- whom he is attracted. Yet he addresses her as “Boy” in this speech, even as he is accepting her vows of love. This incident is not isolated: later, Orsino continues to call his new betrothed “Cesario,” using her male name. This odd mode of address raises, and leaves unanswered, the question of whether Orsino is in love with Cesario, the beautiful young man, or with Viola, the beautiful young woman.

Is there a foil in the play? A foil is a character who exists to show contrast to highlight the opposite features of another character in the story. Explain how the foil works to highlight the characteristics of another character.

The Lady Olivia has fallen in love with Viola as ‘Cesario,’ the foil is between Viola and Lady Olivia, so about Lady Olivia she’s mourning the death of her brother and wears black clothing and doesn’t find herself in the view of men. Viola shows up on the coast in of Illyria in the quest of wanting to find he bother, that has drowned in a recent shipwreck, both Lady Olivia and Viola have both experienced death it is hard not compare the two. Olivia has decieded to not be seen by me and wear a black veil for seven years, as for Viola dealt with grief in a furtfil opprch, Viola decides crossdress like a boy and be called “’Cesario,’ he stared woring from then for Count Orsino’s court.Viola’s resolve her greif, and decides to forge in a quest to find her botherdespite her sadness. Olivia’s ‘foil” is to Viola’ because Olivia fallsin love with ‘Cesario,’ who is a figuraive charater that love for Viola has made Lady Olivia believ in soemthing again, encorages her to opean up and stop mouring for 7 years.

Comedies treat usually the joyful aspects of human life. Shakespeare’s comic works deal with love’s lighter side and often marriages. Twelfth Night is a very unlikely comedy written by Shakespeare because many of its characters seem out of place and the comedy seems to be coming out of this very fact itself. While focusing upon serious issue like construction of gender roles, the play is outrightly a festive and romantic comedy.

Twelfth Night’s title reminds us of the Christian festival which in earlier times was celebrated for twelve days with great merrymaking. The play doesn’t make any literal use of its title but the festivity and romance are two major aspects of its comedy.

The play becomes a festive comedy through its comic subplot which depends upon the comic behaviour of characters which are less elevated. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew have self-mocking behaviours. They make fun of seriousness. They along with Maria and Feste make a fool out of self-deceiving Malvolio. Every time they fight between themselves, in the end, one of them says that let’s have a drink. Their attitude towards life is of a careless celebration. They take revenge against Malvolio because he restricts their festive mode with his pretentious seriousness. Sir Toby to mock his seriousness says that “dost thou think because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?” It finally states the nature of comedy as festive.

Twelfth Night begins with Orsino commenting about falling in love. The whole play revolves around its result in such a way that it also tells us about the conventions of Elizabethan age and its comic pretention which Shakespeare has captured. The courts of Elizabethan age separated sex and love further and the tradition of courtly love developed. This play reveals the foolish pretention of such courtly love which makes it a romantic comedy. Orsino from the very beginning foolishly idealises Olivia. He does it more out of convention and less out of real devotion. Even though Orsino and Olivia are characters not meant to be taken seriously, yet the play ends happily when Orsino takes Viola and Olivia goes with Sebastian. That’s why it is a romantic comedy.

Everyone who claims in the play of love is a light character. Viola doesn’t even know the Duke when she believes that she has fallen in love with him. She says instantly that “whoever I woo, myself would be his wife.” It’s comic the way they fall in love. Olivia kept saying that she can’t enjoy love while she is mourning her brother’s death but the moment she sees Cesario, unable to know that it is not even a man but a woman, she says that “even so quickly may one catch the plague?”. Yet she falls in love. Twelfth Night as a romantic comedy shows us the foolishness of falling in love for the sake of love.

In the play Twelfth Night, or What you will, written by William Shakespeare in (1601), the main theme of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night play is mainly about love. Shakespeare describes three types of emotions of love in his play which are; ture love, self love and friendship. Viola’s love for Osorio is the first example Shakespeares describes as a true love although she is pretending to be a man and is virtually unknown in Illyria, she hopes to win the Duke’s Osorio heart. In act 1, scene 4 at the very end,Shakespeare describes in detail how Viola lets out her true feelings for Osorio:

Viola. I’ll do my best

To woo your lady. Yet a barful strife!

Whoe’er I woo, myself would be his wife.

(Shakespeare 1.4.40-42)

That statement becomes true when Viola reveals her true identity. Since Viola and Orsino had a very good friendship, making the switch to husband and wife was very easy for them without any difficulties. Another true love scenario Viola was caught up in was only this time she was on the receiving end, and things didn’t work out so smoothly. During her attempts to court Olivia for Orsino, Olivia grew to love Cesario. Viola was now caught in a terrible situation and there was only one way out, but that would jeopardize her chances with Orsino. It’s amazing that Olivia could fall for a woman dressed as a man, but because Viola knew what women like to hear, her words won Olivia’s heart. The next case of true love is on a less intimate and romantic scale, and more family oriented. Viola and Sebastian’s love for one another is a bond felt by all siblings. Through their times of sorrow and mourning for each of their apparent deaths they still loved each other. They believed deep down that maybe some way or by some miracle that each of them was still alive and well.

Shakespeare too addresses the issue of self love and how it influences peoples’ lives. Malvolio is the most effortless character to distinguish with the issue of self love. He sees himself as a good looking and respectable man. He accepts numerous ladies would adore being with him. He likes to see things one way as it were, and he hoodwinks himself fair to suit his viewpoint on the circumstance. For case, within the play he twists Olivia’s words around to create it sound like she respects his yellow cross-gartered leggings, when she truly loathes them. Both Sir Toby and Olivia appear signs of self cherish but it isn’t as big an issue. Sir Toby cared almost for himself and no one else, not indeed his companions. He disregards Maria’s notices almost drinking into the night, and he proceeds to thrust Sir Andrew to court Olivia. In spite of the fact that he accepts Sir Andrew doesn’t have a chance. Olivia cares almost the individuals around her, but she moreover accepts that no man is commendable of her excellence. She considers she is “all that,” which no one can coordinate with her.

The third theme Shakespeare describes is friendship which is the last love expressed in “Twelfth Night.” The greatest and closest friendship would ought to be between Orsino and Cesario. They scarcely knew each other at to begin with, and some time recently long Orsino was telling Cesario his inward cherish for Olivia. He indeed had Cesario running his cherish messages to Olivia. The moment companionship between Viola and the Sea Captain was not specified a part, but they had a really profound bond between one another. They survived the wreck together and the Ocean Captain guaranteed to keep Viola’s idea about imagining to be a man a mystery. In case he had opened his mouth the complete play would have changed. The third companionship, and certainly the most unusual, is between Sir Toby and Sir Andrew Aguecheek. They are near companions but in some cases Sir Toby doesn’t appear. He sets Sir Andrew up, and likes to urge him into inconvenience. A case is inducing Sir Andrew to challenge Cesario to a double, indeed in spite of the fact that he isn’t an incredible swordsman and is uninformed of Cesario’s capacity. OnOn the other hand, Sir Andrew appreciates Sir Toby’s company because he always lifts his spirits and makes him feel like a true knight.

Works Cited

1. Shakespeare, William. “Twelfth Night, or What You Will.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et. Al. 10th edition, vol. A, Norton, 2018, pp.739-802.