Twelfth Night Analysis
NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
Department of Literature and Languages
NAMES: KANANA HARRISON
NUC #: 20103674
COURSE: ENGLISH 121
LECTURER: MR TEMBO
ASSIGNMENT: Discuss the role and effect of disguise and mistaken identity in Twelfth Night. How does Shakespeare use these to advance his plot?
DUE DATE: 17 JUNE 2011
Before explicating how Shakespeare utilised disguise and mistaken identity in Twelfth Night to develop his plot, it is important to understand the meaning of Twelfth Night. In the eastern most part of Canada is a province called Newfoundland and Labrador, a long forgotten English tradition- mummering has been renewed. This tradition occurs in the course of the 12 days of Christmas, normally on the night of 5 January, the eve of Epiphany which is normally referred to as the Old Twelfth, or Twelfth Night. Grownups either disguise themselves with masks or dress up in clothes of the opposite gender. Afterwards, the tradition is characterised by visitations to friends in the neighbourhood where short songs and dance are staged out, all the time ensuring that they are not recognised. They are rewarded with cakes and wine among other things. (Encarta 2009).
Shakespeare in this renowned romantic comedy cultivates the aspect that both male and female sexes are arbitrary. In an art of mastery, he portrayed Viola, the protagonist as a transvestite. Viola, after a shipwreck off the coast of Irwin lost her twin brother. In an apparent pursuit to search for him, she disguised herself as a male, adopting the name Cesario to heighten irony, develop theme and enhance a comic innuendo as cited below: Shakespeare,
creates a plot that revolves around mistaken identity and deception. Mistaken identity, along with disguises, rules the play and affects the lives of several of the characters. Shakespeare 's techniques involve mistaken identity to bring humor, mystery, and complication to the play. Many
Department of Literature and Languages
NAMES: KANANA HARRISON
NUC #: 20103674
COURSE: ENGLISH 121
LECTURER: MR TEMBO
ASSIGNMENT: Discuss the role and effect of disguise and mistaken identity in Twelfth Night. How does Shakespeare use these to advance his plot?
DUE DATE: 17 JUNE 2011
Before explicating how Shakespeare utilised disguise and mistaken identity in Twelfth Night to develop his plot, it is important to understand the meaning of Twelfth Night. In the eastern most part of Canada is a province called Newfoundland and Labrador, a long forgotten English tradition- mummering has been renewed. This tradition occurs in the course of the 12 days of Christmas, normally on the night of 5 January, the eve of Epiphany which is normally referred to as the Old Twelfth, or Twelfth Night. Grownups either disguise themselves with masks or dress up in clothes of the opposite gender. Afterwards, the tradition is characterised by visitations to friends in the neighbourhood where short songs and dance are staged out, all the time ensuring that they are not recognised. They are rewarded with cakes and wine among other things. (Encarta 2009).
Shakespeare in this renowned romantic comedy cultivates the aspect that both male and female sexes are arbitrary. In an art of mastery, he portrayed Viola, the protagonist as a transvestite. Viola, after a shipwreck off the coast of Irwin lost her twin brother. In an apparent pursuit to search for him, she disguised herself as a male, adopting the name Cesario to heighten irony, develop theme and enhance a comic innuendo as cited below: Shakespeare,
creates a plot that revolves around mistaken identity and deception. Mistaken identity, along with disguises, rules the play and affects the lives of several of the characters. Shakespeare 's techniques involve mistaken identity to bring humor, mystery, and complication to the play. Many
Bibliography: Restad, Penne. "Christmas." Microsoft® Encarta® 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008. http://www.oppapers.com/ (accessed 7 June 2011) http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/ (accessed 7 June 2011) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelfth_Night (accessed 7 June 2011) http://mural.uv.es/juver/mistaken.html (accessed 7 June 2011) http://www.twelfthnightsite.co.uk/ (accessed 7 June 2011) 5