““Twelfth Night, or What Twelfth Night, or What You Will”You Will”

Title’s SignificanceTitle’s Significance

Final night in Twelve Days of Christmas: Final night in Twelve Days of Christmas: break from the rigid day-to-day life of the break from the rigid day-to-day life of the Elizabethan period that enforced Elizabethan period that enforced deference, sobriety, and strict obedience deference, sobriety, and strict obedience to authority. to authority.

Everything was turned upside down: heavy Everything was turned upside down: heavy drinking, revelry, feasting. e.g. young boys drinking, revelry, feasting. e.g. young boys crowned for a day as bishops and carried crowned for a day as bishops and carried through the streets in mock religious through the streets in mock religious processions.processions.

Title Cont’dTitle Cont’d

Clue to happenings in the play: gender Clue to happenings in the play: gender confusion, swapping of lovers, potential confusion, swapping of lovers, potential shifts in (normally rigid) social position, shifts in (normally rigid) social position, drinking, joking, pranks. drinking, joking, pranks.

Title also implies that audiences may Title also implies that audiences may construct their own meaning of the construct their own meaning of the play: Shakespeare is inviting audiences play: Shakespeare is inviting audiences to interpret the events of the play on to interpret the events of the play on their own terms.their own terms.

PLOTPLOT Viola shipwrecked off coast of Illyria and Viola shipwrecked off coast of Illyria and

believes her identical twin brother dead. believes her identical twin brother dead.

Alone with no protection, decides to disguise Alone with no protection, decides to disguise herself as young man. Finds work with herself as young man. Finds work with powerful nobleman, Duke Orsino. powerful nobleman, Duke Orsino.

Orsino in love with a noblewoman, Olivia. Orsino in love with a noblewoman, Olivia. Orsino gets Viola – disguised as Cesario, the Orsino gets Viola – disguised as Cesario, the young man – to go to Olivia and convince young man – to go to Olivia and convince Olivia to fall for the Duke. Olivia to fall for the Duke.

Viola falls in love with Orsino (who thinks her Viola falls in love with Orsino (who thinks her the man, Cesario); Olivia falls in love with the man, Cesario); Olivia falls in love with Cesario/Viola. Cesario/Viola.

THEMESTHEMES

Love as a cause of sufferingLove as a cause of suffering

The folly of ambitionThe folly of ambition

Uncertainty of GenderUncertainty of Gender

LOVELOVEOrsino refers to desire as “savage & cruel Orsino refers to desire as “savage & cruel hounds” that hunt him (Act 1 Scene 1); talks hounds” that hunt him (Act 1 Scene 1); talks about its “sweet pangs” (Act 2 Scene 4); about its “sweet pangs” (Act 2 Scene 4);

Viola is sorry that Olivia has fallen for her Viola is sorry that Olivia has fallen for her and “desperate for her Master’s love” (Act 2 and “desperate for her Master’s love” (Act 2 Scene 2);Scene 2);

Olivia makes comparison with “the plague” Olivia makes comparison with “the plague” (Act 1 Scene 5)(Act 1 Scene 5)

Love is also described as something that Love is also described as something that happens to happens to someone rather than something someone rather than something that happens between two people that happens between two people consciously. The person who has fallen in love consciously. The person who has fallen in love is like an innocent bystander who is “bowled is like an innocent bystander who is “bowled over” by love. over” by love.

AMBITIONAMBITION

Works itself out largely through the Works itself out largely through the character of Malvolio, a puritan and character of Malvolio, a puritan and Olivia’s steward. Olivia’s steward.

Conceited, self-centred, & has ambitions Conceited, self-centred, & has ambitions to rise above his social class: not to rise above his social class: not something to be taken lightly. something to be taken lightly.

His ambition exploited by other characters His ambition exploited by other characters & ultimately leads to his downfall. Tricked & ultimately leads to his downfall. Tricked into believing Lady Olivia loves him and so into believing Lady Olivia loves him and so acts in such a way that others believe he’s acts in such a way that others believe he’s gone mad and lock him up. gone mad and lock him up.

GENDERGENDER Woman (Viola) disguises herself as man Woman (Viola) disguises herself as man

(Cesario) & falls in love with another man (Cesario) & falls in love with another man (Orsino);(Orsino);

Woman (Olivia) falls in love with Cesario Woman (Olivia) falls in love with Cesario (really Viola); (really Viola);

Keep in mind that women played by Keep in mind that women played by men/boys. Good demonstration of men/boys. Good demonstration of Shakespeare’s use of farce. Shakespeare’s use of farce.

Farfetched to mistake a woman for a man Farfetched to mistake a woman for a man because she changed her clothes?? To because she changed her clothes?? To believe that twins of opposite sex virtually believe that twins of opposite sex virtually identical??identical??

Gender Cont’dGender Cont’d

Keep in mind:Keep in mind:

1.1. Use of farceUse of farce: Characters ham it up, : Characters ham it up, audience laughs at seeing a audience laughs at seeing a man/boy playing a womanman/boy playing a woman [remember [remember Shakespeare in LoveShakespeare in Love?] ?]

2.2. Audience can suspend disbelief if Audience can suspend disbelief if actors are good & actors are good & theythey buy into it. buy into it. (e.g. movie like (e.g. movie like “The Blair Witch “The Blair Witch Project”:Project”: see only how actors are see only how actors are reacting & we get scared)reacting & we get scared)

GENDER CONT’DGENDER CONT’D

3.3. Galen model: male/female Galen model: male/female biologically identical, females as biologically identical, females as “incomplete” males:“incomplete” males:

CChallenged in Shakespeare’s time hallenged in Shakespeare’s time

but still influential: Boys & girls but still influential: Boys & girls dressed alike until 7. Gender dressed alike until 7. Gender based on clothing so masculinity based on clothing so masculinity & feminity achieved by dressing & feminity achieved by dressing like man or woman & adopting like man or woman & adopting appropriate mannerisms. appropriate mannerisms.

GENDER CONT’DGENDER CONT’D

Shakespeare poking fun at this Shakespeare poking fun at this notion of gender – especially at the notion of gender – especially at the end of the play: Viola/Cesario end of the play: Viola/Cesario revealed as woman & will marry revealed as woman & will marry Orsino. But wedding can’t happen Orsino. But wedding can’t happen while she’s dressed as a man – while she’s dressed as a man – needs her own female clothing needs her own female clothing before it can happen. Also, Orsino before it can happen. Also, Orsino refuses to call Viola by her real refuses to call Viola by her real name, instead referring to her as name, instead referring to her as Cesario (until she changes her Cesario (until she changes her clothes).clothes).