Homosexuality In Twelfth Night

In Elizabethan England, it was uncommon for sexual orientation to ever be questioned. Heterosexuality versus homosexuality was never a topic of discussion as terms like these were not even used during this era, thus proving that the most acceptable kind of love was one of a romantic nature between a man and woman. However, although love other than the traditional was not publicly declared and accepted, does not mean that it did not exist and that relationships between two men or two women were never formed. In his comedy, Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare shows that there are kinds of love other than the traditional romantic, heterosexual kind and that this is demonstrated through the relationship between Orsino and Viola/Cesario, Olivia and

While Cesario is originally there to pursue Olivia on behalf of the Duke, he does not say exactly what he is directed to. Instead, Cesario, who is really Viola, says to Olivia what she would want to hear from Orsino. This has a great affect on Olivia — she is impressed and very quickly falls in love with Viola as Cesario and does not understand how it could have happened “so quickly may one catch the plague” and how “thy tongue, the face, thy limbs, actions, and spirit do give thee fivefold blazon” which shows her attraction to Cesario's physical qualities (1.5.293-296). She also compares her love for Viola to the Bubonic plague, saying it grew and came on to take over Olivia as quick as the plague did throughout

Sebastian and Antonio have a sort of platonic love between them — a non-consummating companionship which is passionate in non-romantic ways. Although for the majority of the play they seem to solely hold a bond through a strong friendship, there are times in which Antonio comes out with exclamations that show his devotion to Sebastian in ways which are more than just friendly. Antonio follows Sebastian to Illyria even though he is unwelcome there saying, “come what may, I do adore thee so that danger shall seem sport” which shows his attraction and love for Sebastian (2.1.47-48). Later, Antonio once again tells Sebastian that he would do anything for him, saying that his “desire (more sharp than filèd steel) did spur me forth” and that his “ willing love, the rather by these arguments of fear, set forth in your pursuit” making it even clearer that he is devoted to Sebastian and that his love for him would drive Antonio to do anything for him. Though Sebastian and Antonio do not play very large roles in this play, Shakespeare uses the few scenes in which they interact to present the homo-erotically driven love that exists between