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Over the course of his life, Shakespeare has written many plays that have spanned a multitude of themes. One such play is Twelfth Night as it has a variety of plots which cover themes ranging from love to friendship to deception. Deception, in particular, plays a central role throughout the play as it links all of the play’s characters together in one way or another.
The theme of deception in Twelfth Night is very common and is displayed through most characters, such as Viola’s disguise as Cesario in the beginning of act 1 throughout the play. Viola has a plan to dress as a young man named Cesario and serve the Duke as a eunuch and hopefully marry him, tricking everyone into believing she’s a boy. This is confirmed when Viola says, ‘‘For such disguise as haply shall become the form of my intent. I’ll serve this Duke; Thou shalt present me as an eunuch to him-’’ (1,2,54-56). In these lines, it clearly states Viola’s plans to fool the Duke to serve him and commence a mass act of deception. Leading up to this with Viola dressed as Cesario and more familiarized with the rest of the characters, has been a victim of Olivia’s love. ‘‘Cesario, by the roses of the spring, by maidhood, honour, truth, and everything, I have thee so that, maugre all thy pride, nor wit nor reasons can my passion hide’’ (3,1,145-148). Olivia has been fooled and believed the deceiving Cesario and interrupting her many years of mourning. This shows the true play of deception that Viola begun at the starting of the play, and the results & effects that happened afterwards.
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...brought to Olivia’s court and begins to think he should leave. “Marry, I saw your niece do more favours to the Count’s serving-man than ever she bestowed upon me. I saw’t th’ orchard” (3,2,4-2). Sir Andrew was initially brought to woo Olivia, but has been deceived into drinking with Sir Toby, after his suspicions he gets deceived once more by Sir Toby and Fabian into a duel with Cesario.
Over the course of Twelfth Night the theme of deception seems to always be lurking in the shadows and playing a decent role in the lives of the characters such as Viola, Olivia, Malvolio, Sir Andrew, Sir Toby, and most major events. This theme is responsible for the outcome of lots of events and very important in the play of Twelfth Night.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night. Ed. Roma Gill, OBE M.A. Cantab., and B. Litt. Oxon. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986.
William, Shakespeare Twelfth Night. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume B. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2006. 1079-1139.
The characters in Twelfth Night each play an important and specific role, especially when it comes to interfering or setting fate for romantic interests. Not all characters get a happy ending, and a particular character’s husband turned out to be someone much different than who she believed to be marrying. Through dishonesty, confusion, and chicanery, each character had a helping hand in dishing out each other’s fate, but nonetheless, the relationships that resulted in a law binding marriage beat destiny and overcame every hardship standing in the way of love and happiness.
It is no surprise there is truth and deception in Hamlet, considering Shakespeare’s other plays. Truth and deception are two words that mean different things to many people with each having great importance. Both terms being opposite of each other peak anyone’s curiosity. The words said together make you think about if the statement or situation wondering if it is true or is it false? Truth and deception is one of 18 easily identifiable themes, which help create the play Hamlet. In one of the first scenes, Hamlet starts betraying his feelings about his father’s death.
In Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare, gender identity and alternative sexualities are highlighted through the depiction of different characters and personalities. In the play, Viola disguises herself as a man thereby raising a merry-go-around of relationships that are actually based on a lie rather than actual fact. Viola attracts the attention of Olivia since she thinks that Viola is a man but even more fascinating is the fact that Orsino is attracted to Viola although he thinks that she is a man. In another twist Viola is attracted to Orsino and has fell in love with him although their love cannot exist since Orsino thinks that Viola is a man.
Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will. Ed. Keir Elam. London: Arden Shakespeare, 2008. Print.
His attempts to flirt with Maria by showing how clever he is fail when Sir
Barton, Anne. Introduction to Twelfth Night. The Riverside Shakespeare. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1974. 403-407.
Wells, Stanley, and Gary Taylor, eds. "Twelfth Night, or What You Will". William Shakespeare: The Complete Works. Oxford: Clarendon P, 1998.
Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2009. Print.
As in most comedies, William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night extensively. uses disguises, masks and mistaken identities to add to the comical nature of. the play. Viola's disguise as Orsino's page, Cesario, becomes crucial to the action in the play. Without this important element, the action in the play would slow down dramatically, making the story much less intriguing.
Twelfth Night consists of a large number of love triangles, however many characters are too indulged in love that they are blind to the untrue, and the weakness of their relationship, they are deceived by themselves and many people around them ( ex. Malvolio is tricked by Sir Andrew, Feste ,Sir Toby and Maria),but there are certain incidents where the love is true and two characters feel very strongly about one another. In the play, Viola and Orsino have the most significant relationship. The way they interact with each other causes the complexity on which the play is all about, their relationship turns from strangers to friends then lovers .In the First Act Viola is not honest with Orsino because she disguises herself as a male servant named Cesario in order to get closer to the duke. Orsino. Orsino quickly trusts Cesario and sends him to Olivia to declare Orsinos Love for her, the girl he most dearly loves. This quick bond is the fast example of their relationship. At the beginning of the play, Viola thinks her brother (Sebastian) is dead (after they’re deadly boat crash, where they get separated) when actually he is alive and thinks she is dead, Viola always seems to have a part missing from her which shows her bond with Sebastian is strong, and a part of her but in a brotherly/sisterly way rather than a proper relationship like viola and orsino, At the end of the play they meet and both fall in love , Viola with Orsino and Sebastian with Olivia.
...h the underlying theme of festivity in the play. Edward Cahill’s article and evidence from the play provides solid evidence to support this argument. However, what Salingar hasn’t addressed in his article is that the sub-plot also serves to illustrate the dangers of unchecked festivity. The sub-plot is absolutely necessary to the play and adds a layer of depth and insight into the themes of Twelfth Night but most of all, the subplot is what allows this play to be classed as a comedy.
Critics call Twelfth Night one of William Shakespeare’s most poetic and musical plays. Shakespeare writes poetic lines for the major characters, Viola, Orsino, and Olivia, and gives the Fool, and other minor characters, songs to sing throughout the play. The particularly romantic lines of the play make it seem as if the characters are professional poets themselves. Shakespeare also uses the music and poetry in Twelfth Night to foreshadow what is going to happen for the rest of the performance and to reveal major themes in the play. Music and poetry become major characters in the play themselves.
William Shakespeare's, Twelfth Night has many themes, but appearance vs. reality is the theme that illustrates a different picture from two perspectives, there are many characters behind their masks and disguises. Some are hiding love behind these disguises and some are trying to show their love through a different disguise. They both still being servants are using disguise differently. Malvolio, servant of Olivia, falls in love with the trap (the letter) thinking his lady likes him, and to show his love he uses a different appearance to express it. Viola, servant of Orsino, falls in love with him, but secretly, not wanting to express her love for him, because of her disguise as her barrier for that case. Viola/Ceasario is wearing a disguise and secretly loves Orsino. Malvolio, on the other hand, is also a servant but still changes his appearance to express love for the great lady Olivia. This essay will prove that disguises and appearances are symbolic of the characters named Viola and Malvolio and are differently used for both.
Mistaken identity and disguise are important aspects of comedy in Twelfth Night that stand at the forefront of the play’s comedy. Not only are mistaken identities and disguise evident within the main plot of the play but also in various other situations. Sexual confusion amongst characters, subversion of gender roles and farcical elements through stagecraft all effectively contribute to the dramatic comedy genre. However, it can be suggested that certain elements of Twelfth Night are not interpreted to be purely comedic; Shakespeare has incorporated serious and controversial subjects such as the idea of genuine love, the patriarchy of the time and the cruel gulling of Malvolio. Therefore, disguise and mistaken identity are not solely for the purpose of comedy and it could be inferred that it even borders on the genre of tragedy.