The Theme Of Illness In 'Twelfth Night'

The sudden onset of illness might be in part a form of protest by Phillis. She may be somewhat aware of this societal scrutiny she is constantly subject to and feels pressured because of it. Phillis catches Paul and Holdsworth looking at her and is obviously uncomfortable due to it – “she coloured all over, and hurried away ”. Phillis tries to physically escape from the stares she is given but this is not a true solution. In her illness, however, she is able to completely withdraw herself from society and remove herself from the view of others. In this light, Phillis’ illness could be considered a form of self-sabotage, as she uses it as a means to hide herself away – “They required no one else about their child; even Betty only went into the room for the most necessary purposes ”. …show more content…
“Deliberate disfigurement [is a] conventional sign of mourning ”; perhaps both characters are mourning the loss of themselves and the perceived lack of control over their bodies and perceptions. This links to the idea of the male gaze; “the act of looking is an important factor of the male gaze, stressing that the scenario most often involves the man looking and the female being looked at ”. This is relevant when considering Holdsworth’s marriage to Lucille, a woman who is “curiously like Phillis Holman ”. By including this comparison to Phillis, it so appears Holdsworth has subconsciously replaced Phillis with his new wife, as when he left Hope Farm he was unable to look at her. It seems as though this marriage is just a matter of convenience for him, letting him look upon a similar woman that is more readily available to fulfill his desire to just watch. This seems to imply women are impersonal and interchangeable, with one bearing no individuality than