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Literary analysis of twelfth night
Shakespeare linguistic techniques
Literary analysis of twelfth night
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The Twelfth Night by Shakespare is a romance comedy. It was a very difficult read for me for many reasons. One of the main reason was the spoken language and the other reason is, it was a place and I have not read any kind of plays before. In the play there was many different characters and it seemed that you have multiple main characters but the Clown Feste, I feel is the main one because he was just not a character but the narrator also. The Clown Feste to me is the most interesting character in the whole story. Clown Feste is the character that is the connection to all of the other characters because he talks to each and every one of them. In this play all of the characters are thinking that they are dealing with people who are not
Despite the different personalities these fools or clowns can take, from one play to another, they all serve a purpose in the play. They provide pure entertainment or indirect criticism of the surrounding events. The inevitable title of the “fool” that they have (which as one can tell by the name, denoted that they are characters whom words or actions have little or no significance because they are deemed as being not as sane as other characters or rather “mad”) This puts them in a position of power and lesser consequence especially since they are automatically excused for what they do or have to say. The presence of the clown or fool figure therefore act as a voice of conscience, a merry joy-bringer to the play, or a commentator to the surrounding events. Shakespeare uses the fool in A Midsummer Night Dream and King Lear to bluntly deliver to the reader what he wants them to feel or understand in a tragedy, comedy, romance or any other type of play
Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night revolves around a love triangle that continually makes twists and turns like a rollercoaster, throwing emotions here and there. The characters love each another, but the common love is absent throughout the play. Then, another character enters the scene and not only confuses everyone, bringing with him chaos that presents many different themes throughout the play. Along, with the emotional turmoil, each character has their own issues and difficulties that they must take care of, but that also affect other characters at same time. Richard Henze refers to the play as a “vindication of romance, a depreciation of romance…a ‘subtle portrayal of the psychology of love,’ a play about ‘unrequital in love’…a moral comedy about the surfeiting of the appetite…” (Henze 4) On the other hand, L. G. Salingar questions all of the remarks about Twelfth Night, asking if the remarks about the play are actually true. Shakespeare touches on the theme of love, but emphases the pain and suffering it causes a person, showing a dark and dismal side to a usually happy thought.
characters, and is by far one of the most humorous. While Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is
Twelfth Night has been described as ‘like Hamlet in a comic vein’ . In terms of Shakespearean chronology, the bittersweet edge to the play and the fact that it is essentially a comedy with the dark, sometimes disturbing elements, has been linked with the playwright’s movement toward the genre of tragedy. The range of filmic adaptations of the play illustrates the variation in the interpretation of Shakespeare’s work, with the dark edge often failing to make the transition to screen. However this is not the case with Nunn’s Twelfth Night, which achieves this exploration of the serious essentially through his interpretation of some of the play’s principal characters including Malvolio, Feste and Maria.
His role in Olivia's household is to provide music, witty comment to engage in verbal repartee and to participate in slapstick comedy. Additionally in the play he also provides wisdom and sardonic comment on what is going on. Feste is quite unique as he moves around all levels of society in Ilyria, being equally welcome above and below stairs. Feste's foolery is everywhere as he moves between the households of Olivia and the Duke Orsino. This makes Feste a significant character and very much his own man.
Through Feste's clever use of language, he takes on a role separate from his character. Although he partakes in the play itself, the fool also becomes the narrator. While voicing what he clearly perceives, Feste is able to make others more aware of what is going on around them, and also within them. By juggling both the roles of character and narrator, Feste is able to artfully bring forth the truth not only to the characters, but also to the audience. Furthermore, by expressing his opinions in such subtle ways, as through songs, raillery and wordplay, the fool fulfills his purpose without a chance of punishment or feelings of resentment. Therefore, Shakespeare's decision to make a character such as a court jester the narrator was as befitting, subtle and ingenious as Feste's words themselves.
The play twelfth night, though largely a comedy, has it's fair share of challenges and obstacles which it's characters face throughout the plot. These revolve around love, honour and the death and loss of loved ones. However one character stands out to me as having faced the most difficult and trying of challenges, yet emerged with her pride and dignity intact. She coped well with all the problems that were thrown at her with a quiet resilience far beyond her years, and is worthy of our admiration.
It is not unusual that the fool should be a prominent figure and make an important contribution in forming the confusion and the humor in an Elizabethan drama. In William Shakespeare's comedy, Twelfth Night, Feste the clown is not the only fool who is subject to foolery. He and many other characters combine their silly acts and wits to invade other characters that either escape reality or live a dream. In Twelfth Night, Feste, Maria and Sir Toby are the fools that make the comedy work in many senses.
Feste, the amusing clown, plays a most important part in the play. He is able to take on several roles, and is indeed "for all waters"; from serious to comic, learned to nonsensical, the wit or the practical joker; just as the occasion seems to suggest. Because he is a part of both the main and sub plot, Feste is the character, who links both parts of the play together, making Twelfth Night a whole.
The perfect lives that make up the routine of the Illyrian citizens portrays a society in which enjoyment, and personal gain are held in utmost priority. Shakespeares mocks the passivity of the Illyrian lifestyle to explain to the audience that excess of such festivity has negative side effects such as ego and lack of true love. He expresses that the pursuit of expression and truth in itself invokes enjoyment. Sir Aguecheek mirrors the uncertainty of a person through lack of self-confidence and the desire to openly reveal his true self when lamenting “Is it a world to hide virtues in?” (1.3.131). While uncovering aesthetic and emotional mysteries, the Illyrians find that disport restrains them from actual enjoyment and love. The play follows the audience to motivate them towards dissemination of feelings and expression of passion as a “locus of growth and self discovery” (Logan 223) and to obtain true happiness by ridding themselves of excessive, meaningless fun.
A major factor in Twelfth Night is confusion- especially in the love triangle between the three main characters. It swiftly changes the opinions of everyone and leaves them
...h the underlying theme of festivity in the play. Edward Cahill’s article and evidence from the play provides solid evidence to support this argument. However, what Salingar hasn’t addressed in his article is that the sub-plot also serves to illustrate the dangers of unchecked festivity. The sub-plot is absolutely necessary to the play and adds a layer of depth and insight into the themes of Twelfth Night but most of all, the subplot is what allows this play to be classed as a comedy.
Disguise and self delusion are important elements of the comedy Twelfth night, Or what you will: that stand at the forefront of the plays. The use of disguise and self delusion throughout Shakespeare's comedy proves that the town of Illyria is dysfunctional. As a result of the disorientation and anarchy caused by these elements, the members of Illyria are unable to fulfill their obligations. Olivia neglecting of her responsibilities as a citizen of the town Illyria and the corrupt Leaders contribute to dysfunction created. Shakespeare has used the comedy to integrate serious issues into the plays including the ideas of genuine love, the uncertainty of gender and the corrupt leaders in the town of Illyria. Disguise and self delusion are catalysts
Clown: Truly, I’m better off than my enemies and have become worse off because of my friends.
Mistaken identity and disguise are important aspects of comedy in Twelfth Night that stand at the forefront of the play’s comedy. Not only are mistaken identities and disguise evident within the main plot of the play but also in various other situations. Sexual confusion amongst characters, subversion of gender roles and farcical elements through stagecraft all effectively contribute to the dramatic comedy genre. However, it can be suggested that certain elements of Twelfth Night are not interpreted to be purely comedic; Shakespeare has incorporated serious and controversial subjects such as the idea of genuine love, the patriarchy of the time and the cruel gulling of Malvolio. Therefore, disguise and mistaken identity are not solely for the purpose of comedy and it could be inferred that it even borders on the genre of tragedy.