AE Project Preliminaries

In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, characters Viola and Antonio are reasonably two of the most controversial characters throughout the play as they exemplify: social disorder, gender identity, and social class. Shakespeare portrayed such themes in this play to highlight the essence of breaking through his reserved society. Not only are such themes repeated in his other works, but are also important because modern society can connect with the issues that he mentions in his work. Viola, the protagonist, disguises herself as Cesario, a male who serves the Duke of Illyeria, in order to get closer to a powerful woman Olivia who is rather similar to her. Antonio, a banned and wanted pirate in Illyeria, saves Viola’s twin brother Sebastian, whom he also has homosexual feeling for. Although Viola disguises her gender identity, and Antonio explores his, they are both imperative examples of confident identity, which can highlight that those that seem to go against the social norm are ones that are more secure with their identity rather than those that fear going against social order and the typical norm. In other words, Shakespeare wrote about such opposing themes to expose his world as one full of contradiction, and those people in the high social order hide their true intentions because opposition represents the false society in which they reside in. Overall, people that defy the normal society are ones that are emotionally and mentally capable of surpassing the stereotypes of rebels.

Quote Analysis

“Ceasrio, come - / For so you shall be while you are a man. / But when in other habits you are seen, Orsino's mistress, and his fancy's queen" (5.1.380-83).

, “we men may say more, swear more, but indeed / Our shows are more than will; for still we prove / Much in our vows but little in our love” (2.4. 116-18).

His life I gave him and did thereto add

My  love, without retention or restraint

All his dedication. For his sake

Did I expose myself pure for his love,

Into the danger of this adverse town; (5.1 75-79).

“so much against the mettle of your sex, / So far beneath your soft and tender breeding / And since you called me master for so long, / Here is my hand. You shall from this time be / Your master’s mistress” (5.1. 318-322).

“she never told her love, But let concealment like a worm i’ th’ bud / Feed on her damask cheek: / she pin’d in thought, / And with a green and yellow melancholy / She sat like Patience on a / monument, / Smiling at grief. Was not this love indeed? (111–16)

Critical Article Analysis

            In “Rethinking Sexuality and Class in Twelfth Night” by Nancy Lindheim, the author focuses on gender and class issues, but in a much more profound context. In other words, the author emphasizes on the actual understanding of the comedic play, and explains the main character’s contribution to the play. To be precise, Lindheim analyzes each character’s purpose and the reason for their role in the play. For example, she discusses Viola and Orsino’s anomalous relationship and Maria and Sir Toby’s as well while also evaluating the importance of each character’s input to their society. To begin with, Lindheim briefly discusses each character’s love affair and role, and the way that the audience may perceive or modify such details. Not only does the author do this, but she also takes into consideration the way Elizabethean audience may have changed the meaning of each character and of the play because they were reserved or afraid to think differently than what their society portrayed. I think that Lindheim’s article is similar to my interpretation of Twelfth Night to an extent because I do refer to social norms and how it can be distorted through rebellious characters, but also how those high on the social ladder can misrepresent such character’s actions to disguise their own intentions. Her interpretation is also dissimilar as she defines Orsino and Cesario’s relationship as a friendly on instead of emphasizing the homosexual undertones. Regardless, I like how Lindheim takes a look into the audience’s perspective as she further interprets her own analysis.

                                                Article Quote Analysis

“The tactic of foregrounding Viola’s female identity also promotes a degree of titillation at the potential sexual transgressions of her engagement with Olivia. As critics often note, however, lesbianism was barely conceivable as a practice in the period.” (Lindheim 683). This Shows how profoundly she connotes the relationship of Olivia and Viola, which shows the many different homosexual undertones as I will dissect in my essay.

“Cesario offers sympathy, service, intelligence, loyalty, and wondrous articulateness (‘Thou dost speak masterly’) – even, as Orsino realizes in 5.1, self-sacrifice.” (686). This quote shows the reason for Viola’s disguise and how powerful her voice can be projected when she is a male.

“Antonio and Sebastian offer a not-to-be-reordered example of one male’s love for

another. To the extent that this unscrambling the lovers depends upon

Elizabethan assumptions about binary gender designations and normative

expectations of male and female behaviour, I have silently relied on the

general consensus found in the criticism” (688). This quote illustrates the audience’s perspective on homosexuality, and how their view on it is difficult to process.

“According to Renaissance theory, friendship occurs between male

equals, usually either aristocrats or gentlemen; it is superior to male-female

erotic relationships because it is a product of moral choice which finds

pleasure in souls, not bodies, and superior also to marriage (a contract with

extraneous tangled goals)” (689). This quote can also benefit my argument in the sense of showing the sophistication it takes to be true with self identity and knowing the consequences of immoral behavior.

“Aristotle’s discussion of catharsis assumes that drama affects us

emotionally and intellectually as though it were our own lives.49 The idea

underpins axioms today about ‘identifying’ with protagonists” (695). This can validate my argument as it shows the reason why Shakespeare wrote about such controversial topics because he knew that his audience could relate and perhaps make a difference in society after reading his work. 

 

Works cited

Lindheim, Nancy. "Rethinking Sexuality And Class In "Twelfth Night.." University Of Toronto Quarterly 76.2 (2007): 679-713. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.