Twelfth NightTwelfth Nightoror

What You WillWhat You Will

Literature NotesLiterature Notes

William Shakespeare’s plays fit into two William Shakespeare’s plays fit into two general categories: comedies and general categories: comedies and tragedies.tragedies.

Twelfth NightTwelfth Night is a comedy. While is a comedy. While Shakespeare’s tragedies usually end in Shakespeare’s tragedies usually end in death, his comedies often end in marriage.death, his comedies often end in marriage.

Twelfth NightTwelfth Night deals with universal themes deals with universal themes that are relevant even in modern society.that are relevant even in modern society.

One of the main themes in One of the main themes in Twelfth NightTwelfth Night is is LoveLove. It appears in many forms in the play, . It appears in many forms in the play, just like in society.just like in society.

Duke Orsino OliviaDuke Orsino Olivia

Andrew Aguecheek OliviaAndrew Aguecheek Olivia

Olivia CesarioOlivia Cesario

Viola Duke OrsinoViola Duke Orsino

Toby MariaToby Maria

Malvolio SelfMalvolio Self

DukeDuke Olivia Olivia: Orsino is in love with love: the : Orsino is in love with love: the emotions of love, the romance, the beauty, and emotions of love, the romance, the beauty, and how it makes him feel.how it makes him feel.

AndrewAndrew Olivia Olivia: In love with position. He is : In love with position. He is interested in Olivia’s status, her wealth and interested in Olivia’s status, her wealth and standing in the community. As a man with wealth standing in the community. As a man with wealth and position, he seeks a woman of equal or higher and position, he seeks a woman of equal or higher standing.standing.

OliviaOlivia Cesario Cesario: Love at first sight. Olivia has no : Love at first sight. Olivia has no knowledge of the real person she “loves.” She knowledge of the real person she “loves.” She falls in love just by seeing him (her) a single time.falls in love just by seeing him (her) a single time.

ViolaViolaDukeDuke: Unachievable love. Despite the : Unachievable love. Despite the depth of her feelings, Viola’s love for the Duke is depth of her feelings, Viola’s love for the Duke is unattainable, out of reach, denied her because unattainable, out of reach, denied her because situations prevent her from acting on her feelingssituations prevent her from acting on her feelings ..

TobyToby Maria Maria: Lust. In contrast to : Lust. In contrast to Orsino’s romantic ideas of love, Toby’s Orsino’s romantic ideas of love, Toby’s “love” for Maria is crude and carnal.“love” for Maria is crude and carnal.

MalvolioMalvolio Malvolio Malvolio: Self love or conceit. : Self love or conceit. He is constantly admiring himself and He is constantly admiring himself and imagining others adoring him. His imagining others adoring him. His “love” for Olivia is based on his own “love” for Olivia is based on his own self-interest.self-interest.

Two other interwoven themes in Two other interwoven themes in Twelfth Twelfth NightNight are are Social ClassesSocial Classes and the and the Role of Role of WomenWomen in Elizabethan society. in Elizabethan society.

While in Shakespeare’s time women were the While in Shakespeare’s time women were the “underclass” to men, in this play the women “underclass” to men, in this play the women have all the power and more intelligence than have all the power and more intelligence than the men.the men.

Viola and Maria are the most clever Viola and Maria are the most clever characters in the play, whereas Toby and characters in the play, whereas Toby and Andrew are bumbling fools for the most part.Andrew are bumbling fools for the most part.

The Duke is made powerless by his The Duke is made powerless by his infatuation with Olivia.infatuation with Olivia.

Malvolio is at the mercy of characters who he Malvolio is at the mercy of characters who he deems to be “below him,” although they are deems to be “below him,” although they are actually of a higher social class than he.actually of a higher social class than he.

Viola’s “gender bending” would be Viola’s “gender bending” would be considered in- appropriate behavior for considered in- appropriate behavior for Elizabethan women, but doing so allows Elizabethan women, but doing so allows her to outsmart the others and get what her to outsmart the others and get what he wants.he wants.

Coincidentally, during Shakespeare’s life Coincidentally, during Shakespeare’s life a very powerful, confident woman was at a very powerful, confident woman was at the helm of his country: Queen the helm of his country: Queen Elizabeth.Elizabeth.

Feste, or the Clown, in this play does Feste, or the Clown, in this play does not fit the mold of his name or not fit the mold of his name or expected social class as he is very expected social class as he is very wise.wise.