Twelfth Night Analysis

In the play Twelfth Night, written by William Shakespeare, we learn its comparison to a movie titled She's the Man directed by Andy Fickman. Both the play and the movie are very similar in the case that the main characters name is Viola. The movie illustrates the need for Viola to play for and be accepted by a soccer team. In the play, Viola is shipwrecked and is searching to find a viable source of income in a part of the world she doesn't know. In both adaptations, Viola dresses as a boy to achieve these goals. Viola isn't seeking love, just the solitude of trying to fit in and make it in a strange new world. Both the movie and play Viola are trying to do whatever it takes to achieve something greater, but why does she have to hide her true self to gain acceptance? Why not come out in the open and be who you are and be true to yourself? If this were set in the real world, one would get a better sense of gratification of achievement it being who you really are, and not pretend to be someone else.
In the play, Viola is shipwrecked with the Captain and they wash up on the shores of Illyria. Knowing that she will not be able to make it on her own she asks the Captain, "Conceal me what I am, and be my …show more content…
In the 1600's when Shakespeare wrote the play, women didn't have many options. They were either rich, poor, or served as a handmaid. In Fickman's version, it is set in the 21st century were women want to be equals to men. This is where I have a problem with the movie and not so much the play. The movie is fantasy and supposed to be funny, but I would think that Disney would want to set a precedence and show a strong female character instead of a girl hiding behind boys clothing. In the 1600's it was just fun and games to think that a girl would act as a boy to avoid poverty. In the 21st century, there are too many women who would not hide behind a boys clothing to achieve a higher