Twelfth Night and Sexuality

An Imitation of Ignorance

The play Twelfth Night encapsulates what it meant to be a man and women throughout the 16th century. The roles of each gender were set in stone, and one could not publicly cross over under any circumstances. During Shakespearean times women were not even allowed to portray themselves on stage, men played their roles instead. In my opinion Shakespeare uses the play to show the hypocrisy of the status quo that held people from expressing their true identity. Twelfth Night demonstrates that professions should not be given on a gender basis, skill should be the only consideration. During the play one sees that only through imitation of another gender can a person reverse the roles, which they are bonded to. In Twelfth Night imitation of another gender is done both out of necessity, and for revenge. In

Twelfth Night one’s sexual preference was not a reason for gender reversal.

Viola/Cesario who has just lost her brother in a shipwreck feels that she needs to dress as a man to survive on the island of Illyria. “And what should I do in

Illyria? My brother he is in Elysium. Perchance his not drown’d what you think.”

Viola changes her name to Cesario and begins her new life as a man. Viola/Cesario crosses the boundaries and becomes Orsino’s best servant. This portrayal of a woman successfully imitating a man is an obvious denouncement of the so-called gender roles of the Elizabethan era. Throughout the play imitation is used for revenge and plays an integral role in the lives of a few supporting characters. In this scenario it is used to deceive Malvolio, a pompous servant, to teach him a lesson in his relations with other people. Shakespeare makes it clear that deception, when used for entertainment, can be very destructive.

Twelfth Night deals with problems that occur when somebody is forced to imitate another sex, or another person. “Pray God defend me! A little thing would make me tell them how much I lack of a man.” These problems are demonstrated through sexual tension between almost all of the characters. The characters seem to accomplish most of their set goals, but somehow something impedes them from flawless imitation.

Viola/Cesario is distressed and has no idea how to live without a proper income. She lives in a society that only allows men to work certain types of jobs. These professions are the ones that bring in most of t...

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...exual contact, the audience did not seem stunned. The audience appeared to accept that Viola/Cesario was actually a woman, and the love that encapsulated Orsino and Olivia was blind to gender. The audience also completely disregarded gender, and agreed with Shakespeare that true love draws no boundaries. One also became aware that Viola/Cesario could perform the tasks that were asked of her. She even proved to do her job exceptionally and became

Orsino’s best servant. The performance attacked those who are ignorant enough to hold opinions that hinder the advancements of both homosexuals and women. By using subtle examples of political viewpoints, Shakespeare addresses issues that are important to everyday society. He acknowledges the fact Elizabethan society prohibits him from making blatant statements, which go against the moral majority. Shakespeare shows his mastery of the English language by eluding these rules and attacking the subconscious of the audience. One leaves the theatre with a lingering feeling of guilt, which one cannot be understand at the time. The feeling is comprehended at a later time and one begins to question stereotypes, which are dominant in society

today.