Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the 16th century. He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608. In his last phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances, and collaborated with other playwrights. Shakespearean comedy always involves multiple plot lines, cleverly intertwined to keep the audience guessing. These unexpected twists are always resolved in a happy ending. The play Twelfth Night is one of his most beautiful, opal-like comedies. Twelfth Night explores the madness that results from love; Shakespeare incorporates a rich mix of disguise, gender ambiguity, mistaken identity, appearance versus reality and comic characters. He uses a range of dramatic techniques such as juxtaposition of characters, characterization, imagery, dramatic irony, language (verse and prose) and soliloquies highlights the varied themes.
Twelfth Night was written in the Elizabethan era where the society was a patriarchal one; Women were expected to be submissive and were considered inferior to men who possessed authority and domination. Despite the fact that the ideal of womens chastity, silence, and obedience was proclaimed in early modern England, the women of Shakespeares Twelfth Night are strong and outspoken, still yielding to male power, but firm and cunning enough to outwit the opposite sex in the most critical situations. In the play, Viola, cross-dressing as a man enables her to speak and act freely, where as being a woman she reverts to silence and obedience. Violas disguise evokes numerous complications within the play; a love triangle is formed as Olivia the Dukes love, falls for Viola as Cesario, while Viola is secretly in love with the Duke, Whoeer I woo, myself would be his wife. This introduces complexities that are not easy for Viola to solve as she is restrained by her disguise; her disguise also reinforces Shakespeares theme of mistaken identity. An example of this is Olivia mistaking Sebastian for Violas male persona, Cesario and asked him to marry her, Nay, come, I prithee. Would thoudst be ruled by me? Violas disguise sets the play in motion for the main plot. Love and its multifarious complications typify the Twelfth Night as a romantic comedy.
In Twelfth Night, Shakespeare showcases the juxtaposition of characters within the play to highlight the contrast between the plays leading ladies, Viola and Olivia. Both display many of the same characteristics while still maintaining their rooted qualities which make them innately unique. These characters are portrayed as strong females who hold true to their convictions as Shakespeare gives these women license to act outside their role as a woman. Olivia is dominant and strong willed as she falls in love with Viola disguised as the young page Cesario. She works hard to try to woo him, taking on the role of the hunter where she would normally be the hunted as she cunningly implies for Cesario to come back to her, Unless perchance you come to me again. She rules over her household with an unquestioned hand, with servants at her beck and call. Shakespeare on the other hand uses Viola to explore the issues of gender. Viola is forced to go into disguise in order to protect herself as she wades in among the dangers of the male world. Her disguise allows her to be brave and optimistic as she firmly defends women in Act 2, Scene 4 when Orsino declares mans love greater than that of womens, There is no womans sides can bide the beating of so strong a passion. Cesario (Viola) disagrees, In faith they are as true of heart as we (men). Unlike Viola, Olivia steps forth undisguised and unchallenged, as firm against the tide of the misogynistic elements of the Elizabethan era. These two characters functions as contrasts to the typical stereotype of the submissive Elizabethan woman.
Shakespeare communicates his comedy through his use of language which is peppered with clever word play such as puns and metaphors. Many characters in Twelfth Night engage in playing with words. Wordplay creates a comic effect and gives a sense of chaos. In an exchange between Maria and the Fool, the Fool states, I am resolved on two points, to which Maria retorts, That if one breaks, the other will hold, or, if both break, your gaskins fall. Here Maria puns on the word points, which meant points of an argument but also refers to the laces that held up a mans breeches. This exchange is a perfect example of Shakespeares profound comedic wordplay. In the opening lines of Twelfth Night, Orsino states, If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, the appetite may sicken and so die. This metaphorical language is used to express how Orsino longs for Olivias love like a physical hunger for which music is a satisfying food. He wishes to have an excess amount of music so that loves appetite will be killed. He is annoyed by the fact that he loves Olivia with all his heart and she does not love him back. Shakespeare cleverly uses his witty language and word play to entertain his audience.
One of Shakespeares key dramatic techniques is his skilful use of characterization. He uses characterization to reveal hidden truths within the play. The Fool, Feste is a major character in this regard. Festes role in Twelfth Night allows him to speak freely and peel away the pretences of other characters. His presence within the play highlights him as an omniscient figure as he is involved one way or another with all of the main characters of the play. Thus Olivia appears to be mourning for her brother but in reality she pretends with the purpose if dismissing the wooing of men such as Orsino. Feste uncovers her veil of pretence in Act 1, Scene 5 when he remarks, The more fool, Madonna, to mourn for your brothers soul, being in heaven Malvolio on the other hand is a delightful example of self-deception; Shakespeare uses this character to portray the theme of appearance versus reality. His criticism of Puritanism was also represented in the character of Malvolio who was a Protestant that considered himself purer and more perfect than his fellow Christians. When Malvolio says, Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them as he reads Marias letter, he thinks it's from the Lady Olivia and imagines that the greatness of being the Lady's husband is about to be given to him revealing his pride and self-deception. Thus Shakespeare uses characterization to highlight the plays themes and also as a form of his own personal critique of certain elements of the Elizabethan period.
Powerful representation of imagery is portrayed in Twelfth Night as Shakespeare utilizes this literary device to convey the theme of love. Viola states, But let concealment, like a worm i the bud She sat like patience on a monument, smiling at grief. In a paradox, she says concealment of love reveals it. In similes, she compares concealment to a worm and patience to a monument. Olivia states, A murderous guilt shows not itself more soon, than love that would seem hid: loves night is noon. Olivia speaks a paradox, saying that trying to hide feelings of love succeeds only in revealing them. With these examples Shakespeare portrays the transparency of emotions. Thus Feste states, Come away, come away, death. I am slain by a fair cruel maid. Feste speaks a personification when he addresses death and an oxymoron with fair cruel maid. With this imagery Shakespeare conveys the painful pleasure of love. Shakespeare intensifies the plays themes skilfully using various imageries within Twelfth Night.
Shakespeare manipulates the form and language to contribute to the meaning of his plays. Through the form of dialogue Shakespeare conveys the relationship between characters. An illustration of the way in which Shakespeare uses form to give meaning is in a dialogue between Viola and the Orsino where one line of iambic pentameter is frequently shared by the two characters. For example:
Orsino: What kind of woman is it?
Viola: ..................................... Of your complexion
According to Jenia Geraghty the merging of the characters' half-lines into one whole line is cleverly used by Shakespeare to show that the two characters are destined to be together. This is an example of how he uses the form of language to aid the actors in portraying the characters in the way he intends. Language is used for the purpose of conveying a difference in feelings or attitudes in different situations. For example Malvolio speaks in prose at the beginning of the play, showing intelligence, but near the end he speaks in verse;
Lady, you have. Pray you, pursue that letter.
You must not now deny that it is in your hand:
Write from it, if you can, in hand or phrase,
Or say 'tis not your seal, not your invention.
Here Shakespeare has distorted the rhythm so that it cannot fit the rule of iambic pentameter, thus showing that Malvolio is feeling strong emotion. His confusion and humiliation becomes apparent through the breathless manner in which he speaks. In contrast, we have these smoothly-flowing lines from Orsino:
If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.
By using iambic pentameter here Shakespeare defines Orsino's character to a certain degree. Iambic pentameter shows control and yet the emphasis here is on the instability and the intensity of his love for Olivia. Shakespeare cleverly uses form and language to shape meaning to his themes and create a theatrical appeal to the audience.
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