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Deception in Shakespeare
Deception according to Shakespeare
”. How does Shakespeare use characters to explore the themes of trickery and deceit
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Everyone has different views of reality and it is our nature to think the way we want. However, some people tend to distort the reality so that it fits their wants and needs. In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Shakespeare demonstrates through the characters how easily we are deluded, not simply because others put on false appearances but also because we let ourselves be blinded by our own wants and needs. Delusions caused by false outward appearances are not significant compared to delusions caused by one’s wants and needs as being fooled by false outward appearances is temporary and anyone can be easily fooled by cleverly deceptive outward appearances, demonstrated by Olivia in Twelfth Night. On the other hand, delusions caused by our wants and needs are caused by us psychologically, which is more serious as people distort the reality and believes that distorted reality. Thus, delusions caused by one’s wants and needs are much more significant compared to simply being fooled by cleverly deceptive outward appearances.
Shakespeare demonstrates that being deluded by others’ cleverly deceptive outward appearances is reasonable. Olivia didn’t even doubt that Cesario would be a disguised woman and therefore, fell in love with this passionate, young man. By looking at her quote, “fate, show thy force; ourselves we do not owe” (I.v.265) it shows that Olivia states that falling in love with Cesario is fate and because fate is determined, falling in love with Cesario was irresistible. Everyone thought that Cesario was a man even by looking at Malvolio’s speech, “Not yet old enough for a man, nor young enough for a boy” (I.v.130). In this speech, Malvolio states that Cesario is neither old nor young man and from this, the audience can note ...
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...er to raise his social position, he wishes to marry Olivia and become count. Sir Toby asks Malvolio, “Art any more than a steward? Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?” (II.iii.115f) as Malvolio acts as if he’s in a higher social hierarchy than Sir Toby. Maria plays with Malvolio’s ultimate ambition to make Malvolio believe that Olivia is in love with him. Malvolio, who is full of self-love and egoism, falls for this trick immediately. Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and the others find this extremely funny as Malvolio is not of noble blood and under the closed hierarchical system of Shakespeare’s era, a noblewoman, like Olivia, would not marry someone below her social status. Thus, this clearly shows that delusions caused by one’s wants and needs prevent people thinking objectively.
Comparing the two characters, it is evient that
Olivia’s public status shows her as a caring and high-class lady, a persona with a stark contrast to her inner self as a bold and tenacious woman. When Olivia pines for Cesario, she takes action and confesses, “But, would you undertake another suit, / I had rather hear you to solicit that/ Than music from the spheres” (3.1.108-110). This confession shows Olivia’s yearning for Cesario to woo her, revealing a bold inner character and desire that doesn’t align with how others perceive her. Another example is after Cesario denies having married her and redirects the topic back to Duke Orsino, Olivia replies, “If it be aught to the old tune, my lord/ It is as fat and fulsome to mine ear/ As howling after music” (5.1.104-106). Olivia dismisses the Duke’s affections and rebukes him as a man would, saying his courting is gross and disgusting. This shows she is not the fragile and polite woman one may perceive her to be, but an abrasive woman who can speak her mind. Olivia breaks out of her social identity as a frail, polite, and proper Elizabethan lady and reveals her true inner character as a strong and empowered woman.
In William Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night, the use of mistaken identity and role reversal communicates that gender roles and social class are constructed illusions that trick people into having unrealistic expectations about how they are supposed behave.Viola crossdressing as Cesario in the play challenges traditional views of how a woman of her status should act.The differences between the accepted clothing for an individual emphasizes gender roles and social hierarchy in society. During the Renaissance, “ the idea of two genders, one subordinate to the other, provided a key element in its hierarchical view of the social order and to buttress its gendered division of labor” (Howard 423).
However, another sympathetic interpretation displays Malvolio as a hardworking steward, loyal to his household, creating an impression that his treatment is essentially torture and unjustifiable. This further raises the question of whether Malvolio’s ‘torture’ has darker undertones beyond the jovial nature of the play, or whether it is understandable. Malvolio can easily be seen as a victim of his own affection and loyalty towards Olivia. During her time of bereavement, he attempts to help her. The affection is clearly not unrequited as Olivia, ‘would not have him miscarry for half of my dowry’, which implies that Malvolio goes beyond his role in her eyes.
when he gets bored of it then he tells him to stop, just like that.
Malvolio’s humiliation mentioned above can be viewed as a subplot in the play. As we discover the few epiphany moments that Malvolio experienced, his character becomes more interesting. Malvolio is first introduced to us as a puritan, more of the simple type. He was known to ruin others fun. In the play, Sir Toby and Maria both play major parts in the disposition of Malvolio. It is because of his need to be strict, he received hostile and opp...
To start off, in Twelfth Night, Olivia works as a foil to Voila, or in her disguise, Cesario, by creating new emotions and chaos in the plot. Shakespeare quotes, “Cesario, by the roses of the spring, By maidhood, honor, truth, and everything, I love thee so…” (3.1.157-159). According to Kurland’s opinion of a foil’s job, Olivia, the Helen of Troy of Twelfth Night, creates a foil for Cesario or Viola because she stirs up new mood and help advance the plot. Another foil shown in the play, the Duke Orsino for Cesario, also demonstrate how Shakespeare cleverly uses minor characters to enhance his plays by provoking more emotion from the more main characters. The Duke Orsino states, “What kind of woman is ’t? Of your complexion” (2.4.30-31). By the Duke asking Cesario about who he loves, he reveals more emotion, guiding the audience to feel a little bit of chaos forming when Cesario, aka Viola, hints at loving the Duke. Despite Cesario having many foils to highlight him, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew also demonstrate Shakespeare’s use of foil characters because they help appeal to the audience emotions when they try to take revenge on Malvolio. According to the play, after Malvolio acts rudely one again to Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria, they decide to take revenge. (2.3). When they decide to carry out this plan,
Emilia, one of only three female characters in Shakespeare’s Othello, plays a vital role both thematically and in the advancement of the play’s plot. Although her blind loyalty to her husband turns the wheels of this tragedy, it is not a static quality throughout it. When examining the gender roles in the world of this play, the change in Emilia’s allegiances, which determine her actions, reveals the divergence between duty and integrity for women. Throughout most of the play, Emilia is loyal to a fault. She remains subservient to Iago until her duty to him causes her to betray the one she has to her friend and mistress, Desdemona. After becoming cognizant of her involvement in Iago’s villainy, Emilia abandons all loyalty she previously held to patriarchal forces and is motivated exclusively by morality and dedication to Desdemona.
This leads Maria to formulate a plan using his pride as his downfall. Though Malvolio is a servant he is positive that he is meant for greatness. When Maria forges a love letter in Olivia’s hand Malvolio is only too happy to reactive it. He follows its directions and makes a fool of himself while trying to reach his ambitions for an improvement in social status. When Olivia rejects him he understands that he is not what he thinks he is. He is a servant and that is where he belongs. He finds his identity and though he is possibly unsatisfied he is accepting, and though he is upset with the people who prank him he has found himself and is now in his mind even higher above them. He even goes so far as to say he will make his revenge. It is also shown when they are trying to show him as insane. He clings to who he is and his mental powers. He is in control of himself now that he understands who, and what, he is.
Draft 1: (Twelfth Night) Introduction: Survival deception Malicious deception Self-deception All these three things are found in Williams Shakespeare play, ‘Twelfth Night’ and they make up the most prominent theme of the play which is deception. The characters in this play all use deception for a motive. Viola uses survival deception to disguise herself as a man, Maria uses malicious deception to write a letter to Malvolio to trick him.
With Feste's help, we are able to attain a better understanding of the other characters in the play- revealing their true personalities, which are sometimes unseen, not only by us, the audience, but also by the characters themselves. He shows Olivia how unrealistic and excessive her mourning for her brother's death has been, he tells Orsino how foolish he is for languishing in a mood of love-sick melancholy for Olivia and points out how mercurial his personality is, and he makes a fool out of the pompous Malvolio. "Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun- it shines everywhere" says Feste.
In Twelfth Night the relationships are anything but romantic. Shakespeare writes from the male point of view which implies an un-easy split between love and physical charm. In Twelfth night the romance is falsely produced by selfish desire. Duke Orsino and Viola stand out from the other relationships. By questioning the relationships between the other couples, Shakespeare highlights the true love between Viola and Orsino and the fake relationship of Malvolio and Olivia which is truly based on Malvolio’s desire of a higher status , despite his status and his personality , Malvolio tries to impress Olivia by dressing up in ridiculous clothes , which does far from his aim , and repulses Olivia.
Situational irony and the love triangle give big laughs to the viewers. The audience becomes engrossed as they observe Violas transformation into Cesario, the Duke’s servant. Suspense is built as Viola begins to realize that she is falling in love with Duke Orisno, but in order for her to survive; she has to keep pretending to be a man and is unable to reveal her love. The irony settles in when Orisno, asks his close servant Cesario to go to Olivia and make her understand how deeply he loves her. Shakespeare shows her helplessness in this situation because she has to help her love, try to woo someone else. The irony builds into a love triangle as Olivia begins to fall in love with Cesario as “he” loved Orisno. Olivia’s love is confirmed when she says “Yet come again, for thou perhaps mayst move that heart, which now abhors, to like his love” (III.i.153).
"Calling my officers about me, in my branched velvet gown; having come from a day-bed, where I have left Olivia sleeping,— " (2.5.1075) without knowing in the bushes behind him Fabion Sir Andrew and Sir Toby are listening and laughing at Malvolio's dreams, saying things such as " fire and brimstone" (2.5.1078) and "Bolts and shackles" (2.5.1084) These sayings being the equivalent to todays 'he did not just say that' or 'oh he's so going to get it!!'. He is also proven a fool when he finds the love letter layed by Maria Sir toby and sir andrew supposably written by Lady Olivia and believes that it is from her. of course this adds to his ego and he starts to think well of course its for me i'm so great and this causes more laughs from the pranksters. Malvolio is so in love with himself that he cannot see what fool
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.
The action of Twelfth Night begins shortly after a damaging tempest shipwrecks the heroine, casting her upon foreign shores. Upon arrival in this strange seaport, Viola--like the Princess Leonide--dons male disguise which facilitates both employment and time enough to orient herself in this unfamiliar territory.