Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in twelfth night, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Character analysis viola in twelfth night english literature essay twelfth night is a perfect blend of romance and comedy by william shakespeare. Viola cesario character analysis in twelfth night litcharts. Twelfth night characters william shakespeare this study guide consists of approximately 156 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of twelfth night. Orsino, the duke and count of illyria, is a young man deeply and fashionably in love with olivia. Because of her disguise, she must be both herself and cesario. Orsino jumps from olivia to viola, olivia jumps from viola to sebastian, and sir toby and marias marriage seems more a matter of whim than an expression of. William shakespeares play twelfth night is one of many different themes. The play begins when viola is shipwrecked far from home in the land of illyria. Twelfth night character analysis works cited shmoop editorial team. Twelfth night character analysis 1739 words 7 pages. Character profile for viola from twelfth night page 1. The survivor of a shipwreck that separates her from her twin brother, viola washes up on shore in illyria, where she decides to crossdress as a boy and take a job at duke orsinos court.
He is mercurial and passionate, and he is more in love with the idea of being in love than he is with any person. Were twelfth night not a comedy, this pressure might cause viola to break down. She has no serious faults, and we can easily discount the peculiarity of her decision to dress as a man, since it sets the entire plot in motion. And within a short three days time, her wit, charm, loyalty, and her skill in music and conversation won for her the complete trust of duke orsino. Sebastian is a very selfabsorbed character in twelfth night.
It is these themes that make twelfth night a wonderful and revolutionary tale for that time period. Twelfth night by william shakespeare summary, themes. Play by william shakespeare in the play twelfth night, malvolio is one of the characters on whom the comedy is acted. Viola is the protagonist of shakespeares comedy twelfth night. Forced to dress like a boy in order to get a position in a royal household, viola takes on the name cesario. Though viola was born a noblewoman, her willingness to work proves she doesnt depend on anyone to take care of her. This, they argue, makes viola just as silly as all the other characters that fall for inappropriate partners olivia. Francis wheatley painted the character viola preparing to duel, circa 1771.
We explore key questions for each character and link to further analysis of their language. Viola cesario after being shipwrecked, she disguises herself as a young boy, takes the name of cesario, and attains a position in duke orsinos household because of her wit and charm. This is not an example of the work produced by our essay writing service. Each character has hisher function to assist the secret plan to develop. She disguises herself as a young man, calling herself cesario, and becomes a page to duke orsino. An aristocratic woman, she is tossed up on the coast of illyria by a shipwreck at the beginning of the play and disguises herself as the pageboy, cesario, to make her way. At the opening of the comedy, he is desperately in love with lady olivia, who spurns his romantic overtures in spite of the fact that he is a perfect and ideal gentleman. Viola hints to orsino about her true feelings for him. Viola a young woman of aristocratic birth, and the plays protagonist. The next day, orsino lounges in his palace as usual, attended by cesario, curio, and other servants and musicians.
As a boy, she is then used as an emissary from the duke to court lady olivia. Her twin brother, sebastian, looks exactly like her. An aristocratic woman, she is tossed up on the coast of illyria by a shipwreck at the beginning of the play and disguises herself. Sebastian, who independent of his sister is not much of a character, takes over the aspects of violas disguise that she no longer wishes to maintain. Twelfth night is a romantic comedy that questions the nature of love, gender, and class. The play also features a subplot in which the noble characters play a trick on the steward malvolio because of his egotistical and. The characters of twelfth night are varied in footings of their personality. Yet, with orsino once again acting selfabsorbedhe only briefly listens to the storythe scene suggests that perhaps orsinos love is selfish. Twelfth night character analysis on viola writework. We dont know exactly when shakespeare wrote twelfth night, though it was likely written around 1601. Extended character analysis viola is the protagonist of shakespeares comedy twelfth night. Her rejection of him leaves him in a deep and just as fashionable melancholy. Surrounded by characters who express the extremes of emotionalism and melancholy that is, viola is caught between duke orsinos extreme melancholy and lady olivias aggressive emotionalism yet she represents the norm of behavior in this strange world of illyria. After finding out that she cannot serve the countess olivia, viola has the sea captain dress her as a man to become a eunuch for duke orsino.
Tools of characterization in twelfth night, or what you will. Viola is one of shakespeares most endearing female characters. Her love unlike the other characters in the play, seem to be the only form of passionate and true love, as compared to selfindulgent love sickness. This mounting identity crisis culminates in the final scene, when viola finds herself surrounded by. Character list orsino the duke of illyria and its ruler. Viola says that since olivia is so beautiful, it would be a shame for her to remain single and thus, presumably childless. Character analysis of malvolio and sir andrew aguecheek in twelfth night by william shakespeare. Twelfth night character analysis 987 words 4 pages. Viola is the character in twelfth night who is most constant and truthful with her emotions. Viola cesario after being shipwrecked, she disguises herself as a young boy, takes the name of cesario, and attains a position in. Sebastian, who independent of his sister is not much of a character, takes over the aspects of viola s disguise that she no longer wishes to maintain. Character analysis viola surrounded by characters who express the extremes of emotionalism and melancholy that is, viola is caught between duke orsinos extreme melancholy and lady olivias aggressive emotionalism yet she represents the norm of behavior in this strange world of illyria. Although her disguise puts her in an impossible position, she maintains selfcontrol and a quiet.
Shakespeares twelfth night essay, summary, quotes and. Review of each character s role in the play including defining quotes and character motivations for all major characters. Twelfth night detailed character information shakespeare. Viola cesario viola is twelfth night s genderbending heroine. Antonio saves sebastian, and gives him food and shelter, and cares for him to the point of putting himself in danger, but sebastian is really focused on his own needs and wants, and what is happening in the moment. In twelfth night, erotic desire is one of the most important tools we have for assessing character. This pretty much sums up the way the character rides through life on a highhorse, criticizing just about everyone around him and raining on the plays parade. Twelfth night character analysis 1739 words bartleby. Despite suffering from grief, she is strong enough to decide on a course of action. Forced to masquerade as a man named cesario for most of the play, viola falls in love.
She is an aristocrat who disguises herself as a young man named cesario after being shipwrecked on the. A persons love life can reveal some pretty significant information. Many critics have judged his character as an amazing and fantastic one. Like most of shakespeares heroines, viola is a tremendously likable figure. Viola cesario in twelfth night, or what you will shmoop. It is a romantic comedy of mistaken identities and love triangles. Shes the twin sister of sebastian, and after being shipwrecked, finds herself on the coast of the kingdom of illyria. Aug 04, 2018 twelfth night also known as twelfth night. While it has many sets of lovers, its main protagonist is viola, an aristocratic woman shipwrecked and. The complete description of him is given by maria when she says in act ii scene 3 that, the devil a puritan that he is, or anything, constantly, but a timepleaser, an affectioned ass that cons state without book and utters. Washed up on the shore of illyria when her ship is wrecked in a storm, viola decides to make her own way in the world. It is because of her role that the play ends in a celebration of marriage which makes it a romantic comedy. While the plot utilizes common tropes to tell a story about overcoming the obstacles to true love, twelfth nights empowered female lead viola not only drives the plot but captures the audiences interest. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Everyone else around her, from her brother sebastian, to orsino and olivia, is somewhat flighty, and in. Viola is introduced to the drama when she is in mourning for her twin brother who she believed she has lost. The play centres on the twins viola and sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Play by william shakespeare viola is one of the major characters of the play twelfth night and the play develops further with her actions. Viola is introduced to the play when she is in mourning for her twin brother who she believed she has lost. Character analysis viola for most critics, viola is one of shakespeares most delightful and beloved feminine creations from his comedies. Each character has hisher role to help the plot to develop. See below for a full list of all the characters in twelfth night.
Learn more about viola and other characters in the twelfth night on our website. After the shipwreck, he was rescued by antonio, and spent three months in his company. Viola s disguise is once again a source of dramatic irony. Learn more about the characters of viola, orsino, olivia and malvolio with photo galleries and study grids to complete. Character profiles she has a twin brother who she loves very much who she thinks died in the shipwreck. Orsino does not pick up on the clues because he believes viola is a man, and that the two of them are speaking man to man. Character analysis viola in twelfth night english literature essay. Orsino assumes viola is talking about a sister but the audience knows viola is really speaking about herself. Twelfth night is one of shakespeares romantic comedies. Viola is the protagonist of the play twelfth night, written by william shakespeare. The characters of twelfth night are varied in terms of their personality. May 18, 2006 characters in shakespeares twelfth night.
Viola is the central character in william shakespeares play, twelfth night. Character analysis of viola in twelfth night english. Viola she is a immensely likeable character in this play, and she does not have serious faults. Among all the characters, viola s love seems to be the truest and purest one. Orsino, the duke of lllyria, is in love with the countess olivia. Viola rebukes olivia for rejecting orsino, and for insisting on remaining single. She does not have any serious fault and has a strong decisive power. Learn all about how the characters in twelfth night such as viola and orsino contribute to the story and how they fit into the plot. Twelfth night cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. Two of the most recurring themes are sexuality and gender identity. Viola disguises herself as cesario, and this transformation into cesario by viola draws the admiration of olivia. Or what you will is a 1996 british film adaptation of william shakespeares play, directed by trevor nunn and featuring an allstar cast.
Twelfth night act 1 summary and analysis gradesaver. She loves orisino with all her heart and tries to win his love. Twelfth night an in depth character analysis prezi. Thats what is happening to viola, one of the main characters in william shakespeares comedy twelfth night. Character analysis viola in twelfth night english literature. In the beginning viola is found shipwrecked on the shores of illyria and separated. Twelfth night, or what you will is a romantic comedy by william shakespeare, believed to have been written around 16011602 as a twelfth nights entertainment for the close of the christmas season. At the opening of the comedy, he is desperately in love with lady olivia, who spurns his romantic overtures in spite.
310 146 668 1187 1348 269 1265 55 882 684 308 1513 795 1183 1262 861 1363 1424 945 1161 1121 819 390 1450 1016 391 985 260 555 1206 1266 1413 577 1291 1020 1250 274 1128 20 1037