Twelfth Night: Theme of Love
In the play "Twelfth Night," Shakespeare explores and illustrates the
emotion of love with precise detail. According to "Webster's New World
Dictionary," love is defined as "a strong affection or liking for someone."
Throughout the play Shakespeare examines three different types of love: true
love, self love and friendship.
"Twelfth Night" consists of many love triangles, however many of the
characters who are tangled up in the web of love are blind to see that their
emotions and feelings toward other characters are untrue. They are being
deceived by themselves and/or the others around them. There are certain
instances in the play where the emotion of love is true, and the two people
involved feel very strongly toward one another. Viola's love for Orsino is a
great example of true love. Although she is pretending to be a man and is
virtually unknown in Illyria, she hopes to win the Duke's heart. In act 1,
scene 4, Viola let's out her true feelings for Cesario, "yet a barful strife!
Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife (1)." That statement becomes true when
Viola reveals her true identity. Viola and Orsino had a very good friendship,
and making the switch to husband and wife was easy. Viola was caught up in
another true love scenario, only this time she was on the receiving end, and
things didn't work out so smoothly. During her attempts to court Olivia for
Orsino, Olivia grew to love Cesario. Viola was now caught in a terrible
situation and there was only one way out, but that would jeopardize her chances
with Orsino. It's amazing that Olivia could fall for a woman dressed as a man,
but because Viola knew what women like to hear, her words won Olivia's heart.
The next case of true love is on a less intimate and romantic scale, and more
family oriented. Viola and Sebastian's love for one another is a bond felt by
all siblings. Through their times of sorrow and mourning for each of their
apparent deaths they still... [continues]
In the play "Twelfth Night," Shakespeare explores and illustrates the
emotion of love with precise detail. According to "Webster's New World
Dictionary," love is defined as "a strong affection or liking for someone."
Throughout the play Shakespeare examines three different types of love: true
love, self love and friendship.
"Twelfth Night" consists of many love triangles, however many of the
characters who are tangled up in the web of love are blind to see that their
emotions and feelings toward other characters are untrue. They are being
deceived by themselves and/or the others around them. There are certain
instances in the play where the emotion of love is true, and the two people
involved feel very strongly toward one another. Viola's love for Orsino is a
great example of true love. Although she is pretending to be a man and is
virtually unknown in Illyria, she hopes to win the Duke's heart. In act 1,
scene 4, Viola let's out her true feelings for Cesario, "yet a barful strife!
Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife (1)." That statement becomes true when
Viola reveals her true identity. Viola and Orsino had a very good friendship,
and making the switch to husband and wife was easy. Viola was caught up in
another true love scenario, only this time she was on the receiving end, and
things didn't work out so smoothly. During her attempts to court Olivia for
Orsino, Olivia grew to love Cesario. Viola was now caught in a terrible
situation and there was only one way out, but that would jeopardize her chances
with Orsino. It's amazing that Olivia could fall for a woman dressed as a man,
but because Viola knew what women like to hear, her words won Olivia's heart.
The next case of true love is on a less intimate and romantic scale, and more
family oriented. Viola and Sebastian's love for one another is a bond felt by
all siblings. Through their times of sorrow and mourning for each of their
apparent deaths they still... [continues]
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