Twelfth Night

In Twelfth Night, Shakespeare contradicts vapid stereotypes about gender. Through Viola’s disguise as Cesario, he is able to prove that a woman is able to fulfill a man 's role in society. She is able to fool the other characters and is even able to woo another woman. This reinforces ideas about how invalid the rules and regulations society has made since Viola easily broke through them. Later on in the story, Sir Andrew challenges Viola to a duel. Viola expects Sir Andrew to be a great fighter, and he expects the same from her. This creates a comedic situation since they both are too afraid of each other to engage in the fight. (3.4, 223-298)

     Unlike the other characters in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", Viola's feelings of love are genuine. She is not mistaken about Orsino's true nature and loves him for who he really is, while the other characters in the play seem to be in love with an illusion. Viola's love for Orsino does not alter during the play, nor is it transferred to another person.

She shows her feelings for Orsino when she states: “...To woo your lady. [Aside] Yet a barful strife!/ Whoe’er I woo, myself would be his wife.” (I.iv.41-42). Viola has feelings for Orsino, but since she is disguised as a male it is difficult for her to express them to Orsino. When Viola says “...myself would be his wife.”

From the difference in character and personality between Viola and Orsino, we can see that Viola is displayed as a rational, witty, yet manipulative woman, who loves deeply and sincerely. This is shown from, “If I did love you in my master’s flame/With such a suff’ring/such a deadly life”, as it implies that Viola’s love towards Orsino, is true, and has depth, and other-centred. This is in comparison to Orsino’s love towards Olivia, displayed in his portrayal of love towards her. This can be seen from, “With adorations, fertile tears/With

Viola is the main character in both works, who disguises herself as a male to fit into an area where men typically dominate. Duke Orsino is the main romantic interest to Viola in Twelfth Night and She’s the Man; a man who is hopelessly in love with Lady Olivia, who pays no attention to him because she is infatuated with Viola’s male identity. Next to the characters, the plot in both works are nearly identical: the female lead, Viola, wishes to conquer gender inequalities and pretends to be a male, only to gain the affections of a fairly popular woman, Olivia. Meanwhile, Viola harbors feelings for the male lead, Orsino, who desires the heart of Olivia. Both stories end with Viola and Sebastian ending up in the same place with the rest of the characters, bring a disturbing but satisfying conclusion to all the disorder. This confusing love triangle is what fuels the film and its Shakespearean source, and runs as the theme in both stories. With a female protagonist interested in a male lead, who in turn is interested in a female side character that is interested in the gender-bent identity of the protagonist, only confusion and chaos is to ensue. It is this confusion that spreads through all of the characters outside of Viola, Orsino, and Olivia, and propels the actions of many characters in both Twelfth Night and She’s the

Olivia fell so in love with Cesario that she now refers to him as husband and when Duke hears this, he is shocked so Viola try’s to cover it up, to protect her relationship with Duke. This is why disguise caused the wrong characters to fall in love with each other and create

Viola’s first words that lay out her gender defying scheme are “Conceal me what I am and be my aid for sure a disguise as haply shall become the form of my intent” (Shakespeare 1.2.53-56). Throughout Twelfth Night Shakespeare plays with the idea of gender and its role in society. The audience sees Orsino, the duke, trip over his words in his misogynistic contradictions of his opinions on women and their ability to love. Surprisingly, Viola also shares in such contradictions. However she is far from being misogynistic in modern terms. Viola’s outward duality is Shakespeare’s means of contrasting her with Orsino and reinforcing her disguise. (maybe: commenting on the nature of disguises)

Diana’s lip/ Is not more smooth and rubious, thy small pipe/ Is the maiden’s organ” ( 1.5.34-36). This quote is ironic because, Orsino is saying that Viola’s features seem lady like, when in reality she is really a women. When Viola realizes that Olivia is in love with her, because she believes Viola is a man, Viola does not speak up. Since she does not speak up about her true identity, Viola’s disguise causes more problems in the play.

The reasons Viola chooses to disguise herself, however, are to protect herself from danger, and to win the love of the Duke. In a few days' time while masked in this disguise, through her wit, charm, loyalty and musical ability she wins the trust of the Duke, who employs her to woo Olivia. In her loyalty to the Duke, though she is deeply in love with him, she makes an honest attempt to win Olivia's love.

The audience knows of Viola’s true identity which helps them form the idea that Olivia

Viola’s idea for the Captain to, “present [her] as a eunuch” (1.3.59) not only reduces her status of a Noble to one of a common servant but it presents her as a male as well. Simultaneously Viola has lowered her status yet expanded her opportunities as men were less restricted than women. Additionally, the blooming relationship with Duke Orsino and the one-sided lust of the Countess Olivia both defy the traditional ideals of marrying within one’s own class. The relationship Cesario shares with Orsino is the most absurd within the play as a whole. From the beginning, Orsino noted Cesario’s woman like countenance stating, “Diana’s lip Is not more smooth and rubious; thy small pipe Is as the maiden’s organ, shrill and sound, And all is semblative a woman’s part” (1.4.32).

Viola is not the only one affected by her plan; Olivia falls in love with Viola,

A key interaction occurs between Orsino and Viola regarding the capacity of a woman's love. Orsino speaks to Viola (who is currently disguised as Cesario):

Viola sacrificed who she was and expressing her love to Orsino so that she could create her voice in the world and be accepted in a dominate male society. Act one, scene two, lines 53 and 54, Viola says, “Conceal me what I am, and be my aid for such disguise as haply shall become.” She portrays her courage when she decides to disguise herself as a young man. She does not have to mask her inner bravery while dressed as a man, because it’s acceptable for a male to be openly courageous constantly, while Desdemona showed moments of her strength which I will discuss. Viola becomes “Cesario” and Olivia becomes infatuated with him because he is unlike any other man she has encountered. Act one, scene five, lines 296-298, Olivia speaks to herself after Cesario has exited, “Methinks I feel this youth’s perfections with an invisible and subtle stealth to creep in at mine eyes. Well, let it be.” Cesario acts as a close female friend would, because he is actually a female. He listens, cares, and makes Olivia a priority. I believe that this is Shakespeare’s way of convincing or proving to 1600’s men in the audience that if they show compassion and understanding toward women, young ladies will fall in love with them easier.

Also, perhaps Viola is in disguise herself.  She can see through other people's disguises or flaws, that not even they are able to spot.  Some characters are deceived about their true nature.  An example of this is that Orsino sees himself becoming "one self same king" of Olivia's "sweet perfections", fulfilling her sexual desire, thought and feeling "liver, brain and heart".  He naively believes that he is in love with Olivia when he has never really conversed with her.