A Twelfth Night Comparrison of Characters Essay

While many will agree that Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is critically acclaimed to be one of the most entertaining and well-liked pieces that he has written, there tends to be a discrepancy over how the characters in the play are portrayed when it comes to the importance of gender roles. After reading James C Bulman’s article over the Globe’s more recent performance of Twelfth Night and Shakespeare’s original written version, I realized that there are many ways that this famous piece has been portrayed and each has its own pros and cons.

Shirley Jackson emphasizes appearance vs. reality in the short story “The Possibility of Evil” because looks can be deceiving. Looks can shape how we think of people and in reality they could be the opposite.

In studying William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, or What You Will, it becomes clear that the theme of “Inside/Outside” is visible at many different levels. One of the comedic methods applied is the mistaken identity of Viola and Sebastian. Another case is Malvolio’s sudden change of character and clothes. Furthermore, Feste, who acts as a professional fool in the play, turns out to be a bright and wise character, against the expectations of the readers. Without these important elements where the characters show to be entirely different on the outside than on the inside, the play would be less intriguing, and moreover, they are essential to develop major scenes.

    It is not unusual that the fool should be a prominent figure and make an important contribution in forming the confusion and the humor in an Elizabethan drama. In William Shakespeare's comedy, Twelfth Night, Feste the clown is not the only fool who is subject to foolery. He and many other characters combine their silly acts and wits to invade other characters that either escape reality or live a dream. In Twelfth Night, Feste, Maria and Sir Toby are the fools that make the comedy work in many senses.

-Ironically, Lear truly is the fool in this story, and even more ironically the Fool is one of the wisest characters.

   In most Shakespearean romantic comedies, there is a character that plays the part of a truth-teller.  And in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night it is no different. Feste, a clown, through his mixed up words and songs enlightens the other characters whilst playing the role of the truth-teller.  Through aiding the Duke with his patience, helping Viola with her love problems, and having a major role in Malvolio's downfall, Feste holds one of the primary parts of the play.

In the first place, when it comes to body imagery in Hamlet and Twelfth Night, the

who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that gave utterance to a

Throughout history there has been a general understanding that appearances can be deceiving. A person may go through life without anyone understanding the true reality of their character. William Shakespeare, one of the greatest writers of all time, understood the relationship between appearance and reality and often gave characters two sides to their personality.

Although he is meant to be the fool of the play, he is actually the wisest of them all. However his other personality, which is kept deep down until near the end of the play, is feisty and dark which is confirmed when he says,

Compare and Contrast Essay: Jack London and David Hume The relationship between man and nature is a topic that has been discussed throughout the ages. Jack London, in “To Build a Fire,” and David Hume, in Of the Dignity or Meaness of Human Nature,” explore their own interpretations of human nature. While Hume examines the methods of comparison themselves, London firmly juxtaposes man and nature.

He cannot even bear to look back upon it; “I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on't again I dare not.” This gives us an understanding of how he is only human and interestingly gives the audience a sense of sympathy.

As in most heroes in literatures, there are similarities due to the nature of heroic characteristics. Eech man’s situation alter the particular qualities exhibited by each hero. Several similarities lie between the two heroes. Michael and the Fool had the same goal of wedding a princess. Both heroes are have a negative perception to others in their community, almost known as a joke. Each have an alternate name due to this; the Fool, is simply called the Fool for being “simple as a child, simpler than some children, and he never did anyone a harm in his life” and was always cheated in life (“The Fool of the World”). Michael is known as the Star Gazer because “when he drove his cows over the commons to seek for pasture, he went along with his

Many lines are dedicated to his appearence. It is made apparent that he cares how he looks to others as his hair is first described as “locks curled as they were laid in a press” (______ 81). Furthermore, his apparel is described as being “Embroidered... as it were a mead” (_______ 89). His appearence being made an apparent priority, comes off to

“He went home ashamed and indignant, choking with anger and confusion, the more dejected that he was capable, with his Norman cunning, of doing what they had accused him of and ever boasting of it as of a good turn.”