Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night is a light-hearted comedy written by William Shakespeare between 1598 and 1601. Even though this play is a comedy, it also has pain in its content which is mostly inflicted on the three main characters, Viola. The pain they experience is mostly caused by the lack of self-knowledge they have about themselves or others, and by unrequited love. This pain makes Twelfth Night the play it is. Orsino experiences pain throughout Twelfth Night. â€Å"Even so in a minute! So full of shapes is fancy. That it alone is high fantastical. † Here Orsino pours out his hearts pain because of his infatuation love which is unrequited. He states that love is just in the imagination and it’s nothing more than fantastical, in these words pain can be felt and it easily to empathize with. Orsino has caused his pain upon himself as he doesn’t have enough self-knowledge to realize his love for Olivia is infatuation. Olivia’s requited love for Cesario ensures her pain in Twelfth Night. Olivia’s love is true but it is aimed at the wrong person as Cesario is under disguise therefore her love for him will always remain one-sided. Olivia says in the play â€Å"I would you were as I would have you be. † Olivia tries to make Cesario see that she wishes he loves her despite of his countless refusals towards her love, this causes Olivia hurt as she doesn’t clearly understand why Cesario doesn’t want her as she doesn’t lack wealth, status or looks. Viola or Cesario lacks self-knowledge of others, in specific mostly with Orsino. She doesn’t seem to observe that Orsino’s love is artificial. â€Å"I’ll do my best to woo your lady. Yet, a barful strife! Whoe’er I woo, myself would be his wife. † Viola gets her heart wounded and full of pain when she has to woo on her masters behalf. She secretly loves him therefore wooing a woman for him will cause pain and hurt upon any female. Viola also causes pain upon Olivia and in the process hurts herself, her pain is shown when she says â€Å"Poor lady, she were better to love a dream. Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness. Viola isn’t blaming her disguise for the pain she is bringing upon herself and others; she is acknowledging that she has chosen this path for herself. In conclusion, although Twelfth Night is a comedy, it has a fair amount of pain inflicted into the plot. Through this discussion, it has come to attention that a lot of pain could’ve been avoided if the characters had more self-knowledge about themselve s and others, but if they did, there wouldn’t have been a Twelfth Night with suspense and a climax. Twelfth Night Twelfth Night is a comedy and a marvel. This play conveys many messages that are seen by the audience, but not seen by the characters in the play. There are many points involving love, friendship, conflicts and confusion. Twelfth Night displays characters that are mad, in love, and desperate for love. Twelfth Night has many conflicts that occur because characters fail to listen to messages. Viola is a character who has just thought that her brother has died in a shipwreck that they were both in. Viola disguises herself as a man to seek employment under the Duke Orsino’s court. The confusion occurs, when Viola tells Orsino that she loves someone (Orsino), when she tells Olivia that she cannot love a woman, and when Viola reveals some true facts about her identity to other characters, such as Feste the fool. Confusion is always occurring in Twelfth Night, and characters are too blinded by love to see the truth behind everything. Viola speaks to Orsino as a servant, and explains her past, her family, and her love, even though she is disguised as a man. She speaks to Orsino in a secretive manner, not to give away her true identity and feelings towards the Duke. I am all the daughters of my father’s house, and all the brothers, too – and yet I know not. † (II. VI. 130-135) Viola reveals that she is a different person inside, and that she is both brother and daughter, meaning that even though her appearance is that of a man, she is truly a female. Viola also explains her love many times to Orsino, but in a way that he does not understand. Orsino does not realize that Viola/Cesario is a woman. Viola expresses her love for the Duke to Olivia as well. [Olivia] â€Å"Where lies your text? [Viola] In Orsino’s bosom. Olivia] In his bosom? In what chapter of his bosom? [Viola] To answer by the method, in this first of his heart. † (I. V. 220-225) Viola tells Olivia that she loves Orsino, and is in his heart, but Olivia, thinking that Viola is a male, does not listen to her true message. Viola keeps her true identity very secret, but also lets other people think about her inner person, as she reveals some facts about herself. She also speaks in a different manner than most men around her, which makes her a bit different. She does not like to fight, and does not act like a drunk. Viola/Cesario also speaks to Olivia about not loving a woman. Viola admits to Olivia that she is someone who cannot, and will not love another woman. Olivia, having fallen in love with Cesario/Viola, is blinded by love and does listen to Viola’s important words. As Viola tries to tell Olivia that she cannot love her, Olivia just falls even more in love, which creates much more confusion between them. Viola, being annoyed with Olivia’s stubborn character, says something that snaps Olivia out of her dream world. â€Å"Then think you right. I am not what I am. (III. I. 145-150) Viola hints to Olivia, as she did to Orsino, that she is different from her actual appearance. These characters, such as Olivia and Orsino, have gotten so caught up in their love, and search for love that they have caused confusion for all. Olivia’s and Orsino’s behaviour affects them personally. Olivia tries to convince Cesario/Viola to love her, but Viola, being intelligent, replies to Olivia. â€Å"I pity you. † (III. I. 125-130) Viola explains her pity for Olivia, because she sees, how desperate Olivia is for love. No man would have responded this way to a lady such as Olivia, which shows some more of Viola’s true personality and character. Viola has told Olivia her true feelings towards her, and partially reveals that she is not really a man, which creates a twist for Olivia’s point of view. Still, Olivia being blinded by love, and desperate for a man, does not interpret Viola’s message. Viola attempts to speak with Feste the fool, but even he does not fully understand her secret. Nor does he understand who is in love with whom. Feste the fool is a wise clown, who has perfected his profession, yet does not realize when Viola /Cesario is trying to tell him something about her true character. The fool is also blinded by trickery and his own personality. Viola, whom everyone thinks to be Cesario – a servant for Orsino – is slowly unveiling her true personality and secret. No one seems to listen to her, thus causing many misunderstandings, odd occurring, and mysterious acts between the characters. [Fool] â€Å"Now Jove, in his next commodity of hair, send thee a beard! Viola] By my troth I’ll tell thee, I am almost sick for one, ‘aside’ though I would not have it grown on my chin. –† (III. I. 45-50) Viola tells Feste that she would not like a beard, but the truth is that she cannot grow one. As Sebastian enters the next scene, and becomes a more involved character, he is important because his sister Viola looks very much like him. They are twins, so as other characters see them, their confusion rises, and more conflicts occur. Feste the fool does not realize who is who, when he is speaking to Viola/Cesario or Sebastian. Sebastian] â€Å"Go to, go to, thou art a foolish fellow. Let me be free of thee. [Fool] Well held out, i’ faith. No, I do not know you, nor am I not sent to you by my lady to bid you come speak with her, nor your name is not Master Cesario, nor this is not my nose neither. Nothing that is so is so. † (IV. I. 5-10) Sebastian urges the fool to go on his way and not to bother him, but the fool, thinking that Sebastian is Master Cesario, tells Sebastian that Lady Olivia wants to speak with him. Sebastian does not know Olivia and is bewildered. In this happening, more and more misunderstanding, uncertainty and disorder is occurring. Characters are blinded by their own needs, and are self centered. They do not listen to Viola as she tries to reveal her identity. She tells Orsino, Olivia and the fool, traits of herself that prove her to be a woman, but they are all dumbfounded. As this play unravels, the characters all find their true mate, or have ended up alone, and Viola gets reunited with her brother who was thought to have been lost in the shipwreck. Twelfth Night is a comedy and a marvellous play that will trick the minds of all.