Theme Of Homosexuality In Twelfth Night

The Exploration of Homosexuality in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and Midsummer Night’s Dream

Homosexuality in the twenty first century is a hotly regarded topic of discussion. The debate is consistently between whether homosexuality and the concept of bending genders should be readily accepted and deemed natural among human society, or quickly dismissed and deemed an unnatural atrocity of life. Both arguments, very distinct from one another, argue about the topic of morality. Generally, people from either party seem to think that the opposing side is heinous and rash in their decisions. Before the end of the 19th century, the topic was rarely discussed, and quickly dismissed. That isn’t to say, however, that homosexuality hasn’t been a prospect

Among that, women are dressing up as though they were men, and other women falling in love with the disguised of the same sex. Antonio and Sebastian, however, have a relationships that is openly queered amongst all the confusion of the story. After rescuing Sebastian from a shipwreck, Sebastian hides beneath the pseudonym of Rodriguez, and decides to go among the court of Orsino. Although Antonio has enemies of that court, he refuses to let Sebastian go alone. He obviously risks his well being to stay with this man. He says, “If you will not murder me for my love, let me be your servant,” (2.1 31-32). Even from the beginning, Antonio vocally explains his homoerotic desire for Sebastian, sacrificing himself for the two to remain together. Rather than Sebastian quickly dismissing Antonio, he doesn’t even seem slightly hindered upon Antonio’s strongly expressed affection. By quickly skipping past the oddity of the queer feeling that one man has for the other, is Shakespeare’s way of displaying this as a normal happening. Sebastian, while he does not openly invite Antonio and at one point attempts to refuse him, he doesn’t audibly note the different affection that Antonio seems to have. Shakespeare is legitimizing homoerotic desire by purposely ignoring that it is could be any different from the social

While the characters all end up in a relatively similar state to what they began in, the journey they go on is one of odd exchanges and differentiations in sexual desire. One could even say that they went through a learning experience, though the lesson seems to be muddled as they all pair off at the end of the play. Most specifically, although Helena seems to be dismayed that Demetrius has become smitten with Hermia, there are still homoerotic comments from one woman to another. In fact, Hermia spends much more time trying to find and control Helena’s fate than she does attempting to woo Demetrius. This, again, is a way to bend gender roles among Shakespeare’s plays. In this time period, generally the woman was subordinate to the man in a relationship, her fate and well being solely under the control of the husband. By Helena trying to control Hermia, which she does so by telling Demetrius about Hermia and Lysander’s plan to run away together, she exerting control over the inferior nature of Hermia. She explains, “I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight. Then to the wood will he tomorrow night pursue her,” (1.1 246-247). If it weren’t for Helena, there wouldn’t be all the confusion, and the story would have no base. Essentially, she is the puppet master of the story, and is entirely in control of the fate of Hermia. Shakespeare is bending the