Confusion And Chaos In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night is a significant Christian holiday that marks the Feast of the Epiphany (the day the tree wise men presented baby Jesus with gifts). It is celebrated by playing pranks on one another-, which usually result in confusion and chaos. Hence the title of the play- as it’s subject revolves around confusion and chaos as well. In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, confusion and chaos are shown in multiple ways. Confusion of identity and chaos creates the love triangle between Duke Orsino, Viola /“Cesario” and Olivia while it also plays a role in the prank on Malvolio. Furthermore, chaos transpires when Antonio mistakes “Cesario” for Sebastian. Evidently, the presence of confusion and chaos in “Twelfth Night” is vital to the play, especially bearing in mind the traditions connected to its title.

Confusion is a major factor in the plot of Twelfth Night- especially in the crazy love triangle between Duke Orsino, Viola (“Cesario”) and Olivia. What makes the whole situation even crazier is that Viola is actually a woman. This is apparent through little hints given to the characters here and there and also by how easily Olivia falls in love with “Cesario” when she is actually in mourning. In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Olivia wonders how she could so suddenly change her mind about loving when she questions, “How now?

/Even so quickly may one catch the plague?” (1.5.298-299). She feels as if she’s fallen in love with “Cesario” because she can relate with “him”. The real reason she admires “Cesario” is because “he” is Viola and therefore understands what Olivia is thinking and wants- being a woman herself” However, as Viola’s appearance is that of a man, Olivia names this understanding as perfection. As the play progresses so does the bizarre love triangle-, which generates further bewilderment. In the final scene, the whole situation comes to light, and ensured chaos presents itself when Olivia asks where Viola is going and she, in turn, blatantly states:
After him I love/ More than I love these eyes, more than my life, / More, by all mores, than e'er I shall love wife./ If I do feign, you witnesses above,/ Punish my life for tainting of my love! (5.1.130-134)
Viola states her undying love for Orsino- which receives confused responses from both Orsino and Olivia as Viola “is a gentleman”. All these factors of confusion and chaos are the basis of the love triangle in Twelfth Night-, which is a major component of the play.

In the traditions of the Twelfth Night holiday, pranks were momentous. People dressed up as completely different characters and made a fool of their friends and acquaintances. In the same way, Malvolio is tricked and confused by the use of disguises-, which leads to confusion and chaos for him. He shows his utter confusion at why everyone thinks he’s insane by stating: “By this hand, I am. Good fool, some ink, paper, and light, and convey what I will set down to my lady. / It shall advantage thee more than ever the bearing of / letter did.” (4.2.113-116). He becomes so desperate to prove his sanity after Feste confuses him by acting as Sir Topas, that he tries to prove it to a mere fool who he insulted consistently before. Furthermore, in the end, Malvolio is so done with the chaos ensued by the prank that is unbeknownst to him that he straight out accuses Olivia of toying with his emotions. He goes on to say: “And made the most notorious geck and gull/ That e'er invention played on? Tell me why.” (5.1.340-341). He believes that Olivia did it, because it looks like her writing and her seal on the letter he received. All this confusion of disguise reveals Malvolio to be a much bigger fool than was thought and leads to chaos at the end of the play. It’s amazing how confusion and chaos play such a major role in Twelfth Night that they are displayed even in a mere prank in the play.

Chaos is most evident when the craziness of a situation comes to the attention of everyone.

First of all, Olivia was so desperately in love with “Cesario” that she didn’t even notice that she married the wrong man- even if they did look alike. She wants to have been married to ‘Cesario” so much that she believes that his utter disbelief at what she’s saying is only a ruse to make sure Orsino didn’t kill him. This is shown when she says:

Alas, it is the baseness of thy fear/ That makes thee strangle thy propriety. / Fear not, Cesario. Take thy fortunes up. / Be that thou know’st thou art, and then thou art/ As great as that thou fear’st.

(5.1.143-146)
Here, Olivia names “Cesario’s” incomprehension as fear from his master so that she can try to get a grasp on the ridiculous situation. Furthermore, before Act 5, Duke Orsino had no idea how seriously Olivia loved “Cesario”. Clearly, when he realized the truth, he was stupefied. In Twelfth Night, Duke Orsino expresses his anger:
O thou dissembling cub! What wilt thou be/ When time hath sowed a grizzle on thy case?/ Or will not else thy craft so quickly grow/ That thine own trip shall be thine overthrow?/ Farewell, and take her; but direct thy feet/ Where thou and I henceforth may never meet. (5.1.160-165)
At this time, Olivia has just informed the Duke of her and Sebastian’s wedding (thinking him to be “Cesario”) and the Duke is enraged with “Cesario”. Naturally, where confusion is present, chaos naturally follows. That is the main reason people play pranks- to laugh at the chaos that ensues. Therefore, Shakespeare took that relationship between confusion and chaos and turned it into a whole new thing by putting it in a situation where the confusion is that of identity.

In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, confusion and chaos are shown everywhere. From a crazy love triangle, to a mere prank played on a self-absorbed man, to the chaos caused by the previous love triangle. Twelfth Night is the time for pranks and practical jokes that cause bewilderment and disarray. The presence of confusion and chaos in “Twelfth Night” is vital to the play, especially bearing in mind the traditions connected to its title. Shakespeare took the concept of confusion and chaos by use of pranks and disguise to a whole new level when writing this play. The title was specifically chosen to represent the crazy traditions of the holiday and make them the subject of the play.