Essay on "Shakespeare's Twelfth Night"

Essay 4 pages (1269 words) Sources: 1

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Shakespeare's Twelfth Night: Annotation

Pursue him and entreat him to a peace. Orsino directs Olivia to pursue Malvolio and try to convince him to get along with them.

He hath not told us of the captain yet. Malvolio has not told them about the captain that brought Viola there and who is now being detained in prison due to Malvolio.

When that is known, and golden time convents, When they know of the captain and the time is right, solemn combination shall be made then a marriage can occur. (Presumably this marriage is between Viola and Orsino, though it could be the marriage of Sebastian

Of our dear souls, Meantime, sweet sister, and Olivia).

We will not part from hence. Cesario, come -- Orsino says that they will not leave until the captain is found. He then asks Viola (Cesario) to come with him.

For you shall be while are a man, He reveals that Viola has disguised herself as a man, but that, when she is dressed as herself, she reveals that she is a woman.

But when in others habits you are seen, Moreover, she is not only a woman, but the woman whom Orsino loves and intends to marry.

Orsino's mistress and his fancy's queen." (Twelfth Night, V.i, 380-388).

Twelfth Night: Essay

Orsino's speech at the end of Twelfth Night serves its purpose in helping resolve the issues presented in the play. This is an important factor because comedies are notable for the fact that problems are resolved within the time-frame of the comedy. Therefore, though there has been substantial confusion and disorder in the play, that disorder needs to be resolved by the play's conclusion. The speech addresses the major disorder in the play. First, it resolves the audience's conflicting feelings about the character of Malvolio, who is initially presented as an antagonist to more likeable characters. Next, it addresses Orsino's feelings towards Olivia, whom he initially pursued at the beginning of the play, and who has since fallen in love with Sebastian. Finally, it reveals that Orsino has fallen in love with Viola, who has been dressed as a man to help Orsino win Olivia's favor. Although there is other confusion in the play, the resolution of these three major issues returns order to the play, fulfilling the traditional format of a comedy.

When the play opens, Malvolio is treated like an antagonist. This is not due to any malevolence on his part, but is actually attributable to the fact that he seems determined to prevent any of the other characters from engaging in any type of revelry. This immediately sets Malvolio up as the antagonist, because the play's title is Twelfth Night, which would have given an Elizabethan audience the expectation that the play was going to feature a certain amount of Bacchanalian wild abandonment. Malvolio argues for sobriety and temperance. In response, some of the other characters make him the victim of their practical jokes. This ill-will results in a practical problem for Viola. At the play's beginning, she is accompanied by a captain. When she learns that Orsino, whom she does not know, has been unsuccessful in his pursuit of Olivia, Viola decides to dress like a boy and help Orsino press his suit. However, only the captain is privy to Olivia's plans, and Malvolio has had him arrested and imprisoned. Therefore, in order to verify Viola's claims, and to free him, Orsino has to find out where the captain is and why he has been imprisoned. When Malvolio leaves, Olivia notes that he has been abused. (Twelfth Night, V.i., 379). In response, Orsino addresses Olivia, asking her to "Pursue him, and entreat him to a peace; He hath not told us of the captain yet." (Twelfth Night, Vi., 380-381). This line makes the reader understand… READ MORE

How to Reference "Shakespeare's Twelfth Night" Essay in a Bibliography

Related Essays:

Teenage Comedy She's the Man (2006) Versus Term Paper

teenage comedy She's the Man (2006) versus Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night

The 2006 film She's the Man clearly pays homage to Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night in the names of its… read more

Term Paper 4 pages (1432 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Sexuality / Gender

---

Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing Research Proposal

roles of gender and sexuality in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, with particular focus on the gender identity of Hero. For all that Much Ado About Nothing is a cheery… read more

Research Proposal 7 pages (2268 words) Sources: 3 Style: MLA Topic: Sexuality / Gender

---

Theme of Love in Twelfth Night Term Paper

Twelfth Night

The play, Twelfth Night, is all about love. While we generally associate love with positive emotions, Shakespeare illustrates in Twelfth Night that love is not always joyful but… read more

Term Paper 5 pages (1409 words) Sources: 1 Style: MLA Topic: Music / Musicians / Instruments

---

Twelfth Night Term Paper

gender issues related to cross-dressing and disguise, which, arguably, distort female identity. Another chief concern will be to determine whether it was Shakespeare's intention to challenge gender taboos of the… read more

Term Paper 7 pages (2212 words) Sources: 2 Style: MLA Topic: Sexuality / Gender

---

Influence of Math Logic vs. The Influence of Shakespeare in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Term Paper

Logic/Shakespeare in Alice and Wonderland

Surpassing Shakespeare:

Mathematics and Logic vs. The Influence of Shakespeare in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Epigraph:

The ultimate use of Shakespeare is to let him… read more

Term Paper 10 pages (4846 words) Sources: 4 Style: MLA Topic: Literature / Poetry

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>