ipl-logo

Secrecy And Deceptions In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

799 Words4 Pages

The famous playwright known as Shakespeare has created a variety of plays where secrecy and deceptions are recurring themes found throughout his works. William Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night makes use of these themes through several characterizations, most notably seen with protagonist Viola. As the protagonist survived a shipwreck in the land of Illyria, she intends to aid the noble Duke Orsino in hopes of connecting with mourning Countess Olivia by using a masculine disguise. Throughout the play Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, examples of disguises, misunderstandings, and mistaken identities contribute to the represented secrecy and deceptions portrayed in the play.
The audience makes note of Viola’s disguise as Cesario during the play. As she survived a shipwreck and landed in Illyria, she hears the news about the lovesick Duke and Countess Olivia grieving her dead brother. Viola sympathizes with Olivia, however, nobody can see her, so she tries to help Duke Orsino instead. She tells the captain, “For such a disguise as haply shall become/The form of my intent. I’ll serve this Duke; / Thou shalt present me as a eunuch to him.” (2.1.51-53). …show more content…

Viola acting as a male named Cesario causes several unwanted problems due to secrecy which includes an unexpected love triangle. Furthermore, the forged love letter written by Maria in Olivia’s writing to Malvolio shows Maria deceiving him as well as Olivia misunderstanding Malvolio’s sanity despite not knowing the reason for his odd behavior. Cesario and Sebastian strikingly resemble each other due to Viola’s impersonation and Sebastian’s following arrival. Elements of secrecy and deception are used in Shakespeare’s comedic play to evoke humor with the use of disguises, misunderstandings, and mistaken identities to represent these themes

Show More
Related

Twelfth Night Viola's Decisions

1166 Words | 5 Pages

In the Twelfth Night written by William Shakespeare, it demonstrates Viola using her head to make the decision to dress up as a boy and become a part of the Duke Orsino’s court. She states, “Conceal me what I am, and be my aid For such disguise as haply shall become The form of my Intent”

Read More

Deception In Twelfth Night And Some Like It Hot

424 Words | 2 Pages

In Twelfth Night, Viola dresses as the opposite gender and adopts the name Cesario to be employed by Duke Orsino (4,8). Viola purposely deceives those around her, meaning to convince them of her false identity. The Lady Olivia, to whom Orsino sends Cesario to deliver his message of love, also displays this intentional deception. She wears a veil to portray to those around her that she is in deep mourning for her brother, though the reality is not as severe (2, 37). Through similar methods, Joe and Jerry disguise themselves as Josephine and Daphne in Some Like It Hot to fill an occupation.

Read More

Figurative Language In Twelfth Night

1162 Words | 5 Pages

The lines 271-279 of Act 1, Scene 5 are spoken by Viola disguised as 'Cesario ' to the Countess Olivia after being sent by Orsino to "woo" Olivia on his behalf. The dialog is exceedingly significant to the overall plot as it establishes Olivia 's love for 'Cesario ' and an inkling to Cesario 's loyalty and love for Orsino. Viola 's description of what she would do if she loved Olivia as Orsino does attracts Olivia attention and affection. Viola 's lines to Olivia of making "a willow cabin" (1.5.271) at the gate and writing songs of "contemned love" (1.5.273) to sing them "in the dead of night" (1.5.274) conveys an agonizingly desperate love that should be pitied.

Read More

Twelfth Night Deception Essay

1889 Words | 8 Pages

The theme of deception is a highly notable theme in both ‘Twelfth Night’ and ‘The Rivals’. There are a number of different deceptions used in both plays. The characters in ‘Twelfth Night’ constantly disguise themselves or play parts in order to trick and deceive those around them. One of the most notable deceits within ‘Twelfth Night’ is Viola disguising herself as page boy Cesario and Maria and Sir Toby playing their trick on Malvolio. The premise of conflict between the characters in ‘The Rivals stems from the beginning due to numerous deceits.

Read More

Suspension Of Disbelief In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

791 Words | 4 Pages

The biggest point that the audience must be able to to ignore to enjoy the play is that Viola was able to perfectly disguise herself as a male, and moreover, as identical to her brother. While they were twins, this would have been extremely difficult, especially in manipulating her voice to sound like his, and hiding her feminine features. As Duke Orsino states, “One face, one voice, one habit, and two persons! A natural perspective, that is and is not!” (Shakespeare.

Read More

Deception And Disguise In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

1624 Words | 7 Pages

The prank on Malvolio relies entirely on mistaken identity and it is the letter he finds which deceives him, not any true person. Malvolio must believe he is looking at Olivia’s handwriting and reading Olivia’s words - and so he does, “These be her very c’s, her u’s, her t’s, and thus makes she her great P’s,” “Her very phrases!” (2.5.79, 83). The letter’s true intent – its “inside” – is a vicious prank. Maria disguises its “outside” with false-flattery, false-promises, and general falsehoods meant to charm Malvolio.

Read More

Identity In Twelfth Night

812 Words | 4 Pages

In the Twelfth Night, Shakespeare begins the play with Viola and her twin brother Sebastian experiencing a devastating shipwreck leaving Viola on the shores of Illyria and her brother lost at sea. Being forced into this situation of being abandoned and alone on the island of Illyria, Viola falls in love with Duke Orsino and sets out to become a

Read More

Viola In William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

307 Words | 2 Pages

Numerous individuals in Twelfth Night expect a mask of some kind. The most evident illustration is Viola, who puts on the attire of a man and makes everybody trust that she is a male. This camouflage causes incredible sexual disarray, as an odd adoration triangle results in which Viola is infatuated with Orsino, who cherishes Olivia—who adores Cesario, the male character that Viola expect. In this manner, by dressing his hero in male pieces of clothing, Shakespeare indicates how pliant and self-preposterous human sentimental fascination can be. Another character in camouflage is Malvolio, who dresses strangely (in crossed straps and yellow tights) in the trust of winning Olivia.

Read More

How Does Shakespeare Reveal The Character Of Orsino

540 Words | 3 Pages

Shakespeare does this as he tries to make Orsino different to any other role play duke and by doing this he not only had the 17th century audience hooked but now in the 21st century we are just as hooked in by Shakespeare as they would’ve been. Orsino has seen Olivia once, and the very sight of her has fascinated him to such an extent that his romantic imagination allows him to believe that he will perish if Olivia does not agree to be his wife. Therefore, this romantic, melancholy indulgence is the crux of the play because the duke uses Cesario (Viola) as his bait to get Olivia to be his. He claims he is a true lover, yet he knows nothing or has any experience in the presence of being in love, so also deluded. He has no idea that viola is in love with him even though she has subtly been dropping hints at Orsino.

Read More

Homosexuality In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

1112 Words | 5 Pages

The question of why Olivia, after dramatically declaring her affections for Cesario, would so quickly jump to Sebastian after finding Viola’s true identity, is likely answered by the societal norms of the Elizabethan era. Cesario and Viola are two halves of one whole; by loving Cesario, Olivia loves Viola too. Upon meeting “him,” Olivia says “Thy tongue, thy face, thy limbs, actions and spirit/ Do give thee five-fold blazon” (1.5.297-298). She is attracted not just to Cesario’s mannerisms, but to Viola’s beauty, which shines through her male bravado. The “actions and spirit” which Olivia refers to are Viola’s ability to converse with Olivia woman-to-woman, unbeknownst to the countess.

Read More

Twelfth Night Essay

451 Words | 2 Pages

In William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, or What You Will, the strongest woman character, Olivia, presents traits of mastery throughout the play. The play begins in Illyria where a female named Viola undergoes a shipwreck, thinking her brother Sebastian is astray. The captain who found her tells about a Duke named Orsino who is in love with a woman named Olivia. Viola then decides to dress as a man and titles herself as “Cesario”, now beginning to work for Duke Orsino but swiftly finds herself falling in love with him. Duke Orsino has Cesario send love letters to Olivia, who eventually falls in love with Cesario instead of him.

Read More

Homosexuality Twelfth Night

706 Words | 3 Pages

When Viola reveals her identity, Orsino says, “Cesario, come; For so you shall be, while you are a man; But when in other habits you are seen, Orsino’s mistress and his fancy’s queen” (Act 5 Scene 1). By Orsino, referring to Viola as Cesario, it validates that Orsino has been enticed by Cesario throughout the play, but was never able his thoughts freely because of the culture. Although the society does not allow such fraternizing between the same sex, Orsino still had passionate thoughts about Cesario, and with Viola revealing her true identity, her revealing served as a gateway and a catalyst for Orsino to truly profess his love for Viola. And by still calling Viola “Cesario”, it shows how truly enamored Orsino was with

Read More

Twelfth Night Olivia's Suffering

809 Words | 4 Pages

Before this quote, Olivia married Sebastian, thinking he was ‘Cesario’ due to their similar appearance. When it is revealed that the two twins were in Illyria, they realized that they were both alive even though they both thought the other died in a shipwreck. So, in the quote, Sebastian explained the misunderstanding and it was revealed that ‘Cesario’ was actually Viola. The realization of the twins further complicated the situation and the ‘knot’ of lovers. Viola 's disguise impacted the story in very important ways, entangling the knot of suffering lovers by causing Olivia to fall in love with her, hiding her own love for Orsino, and causing many misunderstandings with Sebastian.

Read More

Viola And Olivia In William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

1851 Words | 8 Pages

In Twelfth Night, Viola and Olivia are the central characters to the play’s plot. Each are young women that take approaches to dealing with the people around them, which are mainly men. There is much trickery that goes on in Twelfth Night, but the ending is for the most part happy. Viola marries Orsino and Olivia marries Sebastian, but the events leading up to this are more or less chaotic. Ultimately, I argue that while Olivia uses her higher social status in order to maintain control of herself and others, Viola resorts to trickery in order to bring about her desires.

Read More

Theme Of Disguise In Twelfth Night

1043 Words | 5 Pages

Shakespeare uses Viola (Cesario) as an example of a mechanism that can throw internal conflicts into temporary chaos. Viola willingly faces whatever comes in her way. Her love for Duke Orsino seems too constant and true, unlike the other characters in the play. The temporary chaos of the play is when Viola falls in love with Orsino, who falls in love with Olivia, who on the other hand falls in love with Viola’s disguise, Cesario. This love triangle is very complicated as none of them realize that Cesario is a woman, making this an internal conflict for Viola, as she cannot ‘truly’ love whom she wants.

Read More

More about Secrecy And Deceptions In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

Related Topics

Open Document