Olivia Twelfth Night

In Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night, many characters feel overwhelming emotions of love which adds to confusion as all the characters gather in front of Olivia’s house. This over exaggerated love distracts the characters so much so that they turn their backs on the importance of other things in their lives. Lady Olivia halts her mourning because of her sudden love for Cesario, the Duke overlooks Cesario’s (Viola’s) feelings because he continually pursues Olivia, and Malvolio throws away all manners and dignity to gain Olivia's attention. closing ?

Olivia has been grieving the loss of her brother for a while and has decided to swear off men for seven years until she no longer feels her grief. Cesario is sent to Olivia by the Duke to convince her of his

She is comparing her love for Cesario to a disease because it came about so fast and will soon be the most pressing matter in her life. Olivia almost immediately unveils herself for Cesario breaking the oath she took to mourn her brother. She is aware that she has fallen in love too quickly and as a result has changed her mind about staying away from men. If she can not control her feelings her love will also eventually take over all the time she must spend tending to her responsibilities as a leader. After this she calls in Malvolio and sends him to give Cesario a ring that she claims he gave to her. Once he leaves she again speaks to herself and says: “I do I know not what, and fear to find/ Mine eye too great a flatter for my mind./ Fate, show thy force;” (I.v.309-312). Olivia is saying she has no clue what she is doing, and she wants fate to decide. She knows that she is not using her head yet continues to contemplate the outcomes of her interactions with Cesario. Not once has she mentioned the fact that she has