Introduction to “Twelfth Night”
“Twelfth Night” is a comedy written by William Shakespeare in the late 16th century. The play is based on the themes of love, identity, social climbing, and features numerous dramatical twists and comical situations, typical for the Shakespeare’s comedies. The play takes place in the imaginary country of Illyria; the main characters include Viola and Sebastian who are twins but get split in a shipwreck. Viola appears as a man named Cesario, which creates a lot of confusion and misunderstandings as far as relationships are concerned. In this play, there are many aspects of human nature and social relations depicted with the help of bright personalities and societal norms.
Themes in “Twelfth Night”
1- The Complexity of Love
The complexity of love is one of the important themes in “Twelfth Night”. The theme is quite diverse and not very simple, as it has different types of love – love to oneself, romantic love and love of friends. Shakespeare shows how love brings happiness, and, at the same time, causes individuals to be in a state of confusion and madness.
Orsino’s famous opening lines express the theme of romantic love and its overpowering nature:
“If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it; that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die.” (Act 1, Scene 1)
Orsino’s thoughts on love shows that he is more in love with the idea of being in love, than with love itself. This is because his language is overstated to show the lunacy and passion of love.
Throughout the play, characters experience love’s complexities: The love that Viola has for Orsino, Olivia’s love for Cesario who is actually Viola in male disguise and the various comic conflicts that occur in the play. Shakespeare employs these situations to explain how love is capricious and that can befuddle people at times.
2- Identity and Disguise
One of the most important themes of the play is the identity and disguise, which is played out through the characters’ switching between different roles, appearance and gender.
Viola’s decision to disguise herself as a man sets the stage for the play’s exploration of identity:
“Conceal me what I am, and be my aid For such disguise as haply shall become The form of my intent.” (Act 1, Scene 2)
Viola in the course of the play disguises herself as Cesario and this leads to various cases of people being mistaken for others. Her male attire creates a conflict in her feelings towards Orsino and the attraction that Olivia has towards her, stressing on the aspect of gender and identity.
Disguise as a technique operates on the levels of gender as a representation of the centrifugal forces that define social roles, and on the level of the nature of identity as something that is performed and can be altered. Thus, the ending of the play, which is marked by the characters’ unmasking, points to the convergence of these themes.
3- The Folly of Ambition
Social climbing and its consequences have been satirized in the play “Twelfth Night”; the character Malvolio is a good example, whose desires lead to his of a lordly mouthed upstart who meets his come-uppance.
Malvolio’s fantasies about marrying Olivia illustrate his ambitious nature:
“To be Count Malvolio!” (Act 2, Scene 5)
While the main plot illuminates the themes of love and appearance versus reality, the comic plot focuses on the characters’ desire for power and their ability to manipulate others. The pompous nature and greed of Malvolio are satirized, his fall from grace is an example of the consequences of ambition.
Shakespeare criticize the society of his time and how ambition makes people lose touch with reality and perish. This, therefore, goes to show that every character in the play has a lesson to learn, and Malvolio’s lesson is one that is a lesson to everyone; the dangers of social climbing and self-deception.
4- Madness and Foolishness
The elements of the play that relate to the themes of ‘madness and foolishness’ are well depicted in “Twelfth Night” through the actions of the characters provoked by love, power and malice.
Feste, the fool, comments on the folly of others, including Olivia’s excessive mourning:
“Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.” (Act 1, Scene 5)
The major function of Feste is the fool who can dare to tell the truth to the power and expose the stupidity of those around him. Orsino, Olivia, and Malvolio are depicted as foolish because of the overexaggerated emotions and wrong doings.
Thus, Feste’s remarks and other characters’ absurd behavior help Shakespeare to develop the theme of the thin line between reason and irrationality, which implies that people’s foolishness is inevitable. The theme contributes to the comedic mood of the play and at the same time reveals certain aspects of human character.
5- The Joys and Sorrows of Festivity
The title of the play is a reference to the final night of the Christmas celebrations that are characterized by merrymaking and the subversion of conventional social order. The play is consistent with this spirit through its joyful mood and treatment of such themes as festivity and debauchery.
Sir Toby’s hedonistic philosophy captures the play’s festive spirit:
“Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?” (Act 2, Scene 3)
Sir Toby also loves the festivities and does not care for the rules of the society that govern the others’ behavior in Twelfth Night. The aspects of drinking, singing and practical jokes used in the play enhance the celebration mood of the play.
However, Shakespeare also does not fail to portray the evil that comes with celebration for instance, the effects of over-celebration and the resultant chaos. The element of joy and sorrow in the festivities captures the play’s analysis of the human emotions and relationships.
6- The Fluidity of Gender
“Twelfth Night” relates to the theme of gender role reversal because it includes cross-dressing as well as uncertainties regarding identity.
Viola’s disguise as Cesario creates confusion about gender and attraction:
“I am all the daughters of my father’s house, And all the brothers too—and yet I know not.” (Act 2, Scene 4)
Viola dual identity as a male and female in the play creates an intricate dynamics of attraction and identity. Olivia falling in love with Cesario and Orsino’s developing affection for his page boy, who is in fact Viola, complicates the established gender roles.
Shakespeare’s cross-dressing defies gender stereotyping, and perpetration of such issues gives the impression that the role of gender is more fluid than fixed. The theme of gender and identity makes “Twelfth Night” an important part of the contemporary discourse.
See also: Themes in The Stranger
7- The Role of Music
In the play, music occupies a very important place. It reflects the inner character’s conditions and emphasizes the major aspects of the play such as love and merriment.
Orsino’s opening line emphasizes the connection between music and love:
“If music be the food of love, play on.” (Act 1, Scene 1)
Music is a powerful symbol in “Twelfth Night” that reflects the characters’ feelings and the overall environment of the play. Orsino’s use of allegorical music as per his love feelings is a good setting of the play as a whole when it comes to the aspect of love. The songs performed by Feste and other characters is connected to love, death and celebration, which contributes to the play’s plot.
The use of music by Shakespeare emphasizes the ethical and thematic themes of the play. It indicates its role as a universal language that outstrip the words.
8- Mistaken Identity and Deception
Identity mix-up and playing disguise is the main theme of ‘Twelfth Night’. It creates comic element and explores the themes of truth and appearance.
The confusion caused by Viola’s disguise is central to the play’s plot:
“Disguise, I see, thou art a wickedness.” (Act 2, Scene 2)
Here, the disguise of Viola as Cesario creates tension because it is the cause of various cases of mistaken identities among the characters. The moment when Olivia is fond of Cesario and the appearance of Sebastian, Viola’s twin brother, intensify the play’s confusion.
Shakespeare employs these elements of comedy as a way to discuss topics of deception and nature of self. The mistaken identities at the end of the play is an aspect that portrays the reality that truth and appearance in human relationships are not always clear-cut, and this is accompanied by the realities of the consequences of deception.
9- The Power of Language
Language is crucial to the play and wordplays are used therein to facilitate the social relations and feelings of characters.
Feste’s clever use of language exemplifies this theme:
“Words are very rascals since bonds disgraced them.” (Act 3, Scene 1)
The use of words and the conversations between the characters particularly Feste reveal the role of language in the play. The role of language in the characters’ lives is evident as they manipulate it to deceive, convince, and even entertain, thus demonstrating its significance.
Shakespeare used puns, metaphors and other figures of speech to enrich the dialogue and depict language as a system of social relations and individual’s self-presentation. Thus, the play’s linguistic aspect is another example of how communication is a multilayered process that plays a crucial role in defining people’s interactions.
10- Social Class and Mobility
The play analyses the issues of class and social climbing, making fun of the existing class divisions and considering the possibilities for their shift.
Malvolio’s aspirations to rise above his social station illustrate this theme:
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em.” (Act 2, Scene 5)
Malvolio for instance, has the notion that through marriage to Olivia he will be able to gain social status, identified by the theme of social mobility. The plot of his fall by other characters’ actions represents the author’s criticism of the protagonist’s excessive desire and the stratified society.
Shakespeare also employs Malvolio’s character to consider the concept of social climbing and the roles of class hierarchy, thus raising issue with the society’s social stratification system. The play’s resolution, as a comedy, is also a happier ending as the characters are rewarded with happiness despite their social standing in life, which seems to support a more fluid and equal society.
See also: Themes in Death of A Salesman
