Confusion And Misunderstandings In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

Decent Essays
We are taught that we can choose to be anything we want, but we cannot be anyone we want, because we have no choice but be ourselves. Pretending to be someone you are not creates a situation that will eventually cause destruction within your family, friends, and mind. This is noticeable in the comedy Twelfth Night, as the reader is exposed to the building of confusion and misunderstandings experienced by the characters. This is produced from simply disguising oneself. In the play, Viola, a young female who washed ashore on the land of Illyria, decides to dress as a male to work as a messenger for the Duke, Orsino. It is clear that she would not have the freedom or job opportunities being a female, which affects her living situation, leading …show more content…
The advantages of her disguise gives her the opportunity to work for the Duke. Ironically, her new job consists of interacting with the Countess, Olivia, the woman she first considered working for. To advance the plot, Olivia becomes attracted to Viola. This now creates a comical love triangle where Viola loves Orsino, who loves Olivia, who in return loves Viola. This leaves Viola in a critical position, she realizes the mistakes of her disguise and the hardship that it comes with. She reveals that this is a problem beyond the reach of her hands when she declares, “disguise, I see thou art a wickedness,/Wherein the pregnant enemy does much…./O time, thou must untangle this, not I./It is too hard a knot for me to untie!” (II, ii, 27- 41). Secondly, even though, Viola figures out the faults of her disguise, she still hopelessly involved in the relationship with Olivia, which affects her. Olivia is further brought to believe that she might have a chance of winning the hand of Viola. This alters their relationship because it is built on false hope. During her encounters with Olivia, she avoids her flirtation and admits she is not what everyone thinks her to be. She also reveals that she will never return to her, when she states, “by innocence I swear, and by my youth/I have one heart, one bosom, and one truth,/And that no woman has, nor never none/Shall mistress be of it, save I alone./And so adieu, …show more content…
Viola’s disguise is the source that lead to many problematic scenes for her relationships with Orsino, Olivia, and ultimately Sebastian. It confines her from revealing her true feeling for the Duke. Further problems include, the bizarre love triangle, as well as, hand to hand combat. The usage of a disguise relates the modern day issue of drinking. When it comes to drinking, the more you drink, the worse you feel, and the more badly you feel, the more you drink. Viola chooses not to confess her true self even though, it is possible at any time. Getting so consumed in the trickery, it is impossible for her to give herself

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