Violas Disguise in Twelfth Night :: Twelfth Night essays

As in just about comedies, William Shakespeargons Twelfth Night extensively uses disguises, masks and mistaken identities to add to the comical nature of the play. Violas disguise as Orsinos page, Cesario, becomes significant to the action in the play. Without this primal element, the action in the play would dim down dramatic all(prenominal)y, making the story much less intriguing. In appendage to making the play less interesting, the disguise is also necessary to aim the storyline involving Sebastian, and the confusion that his return creates. It also is vital to the conflict amidst Olivia and Orsino, which depends on Violas disguise to keep things exciting. Violas disguise becomes increasing more important as the events take place. The majority of the plot lines depend on the disguise. Without it, the of import theme of the play would be the gulling of Malvolio. In a play where most of the characters fall in love with each other, blind to the gender and recei ved identity of the objects of their desires, a disguise like Violas becomes the center of the action, and causes almost all the of the important aspects of the play. The confusion that Sebastian creates when he returns would not occur without Violas disguise. Sir Andrew believes that the woman of his desires, Olivia, is outlay too much time with Cesario, and challenges him to a duel. As he tell it, Olivia was doing more favors to the Counts servingman than ever she bestowed upon me. (3-2 l.5-7) At first, Viola is nearly forced into a battle, but is saved when the confused Antonio arrives. Later on, Sebastian and Andrew do get snarled in a scuffle, for which Viola is unjustly blamed. Finally Sebastian and Viola are reunited, but only after they have already caused a extended amount of chaos and have confused everyone. It is only then that everyone begins to reveal the extent of Violas trickery. More disorder is created when Olivia, who Orsino is hopelessly in lov e with, locomote for Cesario, who is secretly in love with Orsino. Orsino sends Cesario to express his affection for Olivia, which Cesario/Viola is not thrilled with. As she puts it, whoeer I woo, myself would be his wife. (1-4 l.