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What Is Twelfth Night Mistaken Identity

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Recommended: Literary analysis of twelfth night

Andre Gide once said, “It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you are not.” This quote relates to the “Twelfth Night” because of how the characters think that their true love will not love them for who they are. The “Twelfth Night,” by William Shakespeare, is focusing on the concept of mistaken identity and uncertainty of gender. It was written in 1601–1602, the main purpose of the “Twelfth Night” was to create excitement for the upcoming Christmas feeling. Throughout this story the characters put on a fake life to try to create true love. Therefore, all that was created was fake love and anger. As the story continues, readers begin to see how love will be spread throughout the character 's “perfect match,” …show more content…

Mistaken identity is a defense in criminal law which claims the actual innocence of the criminal defendant, and attempts to undermine evidence of guilt by asserting that any eyewitness to the crime incorrectly thought that they saw the defendant, when in fact the person seen by the witness was someone else(Wikipedia). This is huge in the “Twelfth Night” due to the fact that all the characters are fearful to show their true colors. The characters are all afraid to be hurt by their real true love, so the characters try to create true love that is not real;only by looks however. For example, Olivia thinks Sebastian is Cesario and marries him(The Comedies of William Shakespeare, Kathleen Kuiper). Another reason characters pretended to be someone they were not is because they are protecting their self from a potentially harmful situation. Viola does this to protect her twin brother as she disguise as him as she puts on the guy type clothes(The Comedies of William Shakespeare, Kathleen Kuiper). Also, characters pretended to be someone they are not to find out hidden secrets about people, that they wouldn’t have known otherwise. In the story this is happened when, Sebastian pretends to be Cesario in front of Sir Toby and Sir Andrew(The Comedies of William Shakespeare, Kathleen Kuiper). Sebastian did this to find out the two servants true perception of him. If the characters would have know who was really “under the mask”, they would have found their real true love, and not be

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