How Does Shakespeare Present The Theme Of Deception In Twelfth Night
How does Shakespeare present the theme of deception in the first two acts of Twelfth night?
Shakespeare's Twelfth night, focuses mainly on the theme of deception in both main plot and the sub-plot. Not only do the characters deceive each other, but many of them are also self-deceived and we, as the audience, begin to realise ourselves that we are sometimes deceived. This creates great opportunities for Shakespeare to create humour and dramatic irony, which a Shakespearian audience would understand. Deception also links in with the other key themes of love and disguise. When Shakespeare first introduces Viola, we realise from the main plot that she is the main part of deception. We learn that she is a strong and resourceful character in her situation. We learn that she has lost her brother in a shipwreck and doesn't no if he is dead or alive. A woman would be very vulnerable, at the time the play was written in strange foreign country all alone, so for protection she decides to dress up as a man. We find out that she will call herself Cesario and try to find work, with the duke Orsino. When she states this intention we know that confusion and humour will be involved in the plot of the play. Viola will be deceiving everyone into thinking she's a man but unlike all of the other characters she is not self-deceived. Shakespeare creates a …show more content…
great ironic twist with Violas situation. In act 1 scene 4 when Viola has successfully taken on the role of Cesario, we see Orsino has grown very close to him/her, and sees him as a good friend after only knowing him a couple of days, if the duke continues these favours towards you, Cesario, you are like to be much advanced'.
The audience can tell that Viola has done very well in deceiving Orsino into thinking into thinking she is a man, and has already made an excellent impression. Orsino is so impressed by Cesario that he has revealed everything about his love for Olivia, Thou know'st no less but all; I have unclasped to thee book even of my secret
soul'. The audience now see dramatic irony brought into the plot Orsino demands that Cesario should deliver a message to Olivia to tell her of his love for her. The dramatic irony is shown through the way Cesario (viola) herself has fallen in love with Orsino and can do absolutely nothing about it because she is disguised as a man. Cesario would rather be the one he was in love with, yet a barful strife! Whoe'er I was myself be his wife'. This would originally create humour with the confusion of the situation making problems for the characters. However the audience begins to realise that it is a more serious situation for Viola. This becomes clear later on in the play when she utters disguise I see thou art a wickedness'. When Cesario is speaking with Orsino he compares her so much to a women, Diana's lip is not more smooth and rubious' and all is semblative to a woman's part. That creates more humour and irony but also an extremely difficult situation for Cesario. In the opening of act 1 scene 5 Viola is again shown as a determined character, he'll stand at your door like sheriffs post' declares Malvolio to Olivia describing Viola. When Olivia is first told that there is a messenger from Orsino wanting to speak with her she makes up excuses, I am sick or not at home'. This shows she has probably had many messengers from Orsino and doesn't wish to speak with them anymore. Olivia has sadly lost her brother and has announced that she is going to abjure the company of men' for seven years. This is very extreme behaviour and we begin to discover that she is self-deceiving herself in the way that she feels she must mourn for her brother. That her behaviour is highly unnatural is suggested in a number of ways. Firstly Shakespeare has given us, in Viola, a character in a similar situation to Olivia but she has taken a very different approach to the situation. Secondly Sir Toby and Feste draw attention to how absurd Olivia's behaviour is. Feste proves she is a fool' to mourn a soul in heaven. Olivia is greatly amused by Feste in act 1 scene 5 showing us the strong, lively character she is wrongly trying to repress. In the film version before Cesario enters Olivia says to Maria Give me my veil', to show she is still a women in mourning and at this point both Maria and Olivia put on veils. When Cesario enters two women in veils therefore great her. Shakespeare shows another act of deception here. Olivia is deceiving Cesario so he doesn't know who the lady of the house is'. This shows a wicked sense of humour in Olivia and hints at the lively character hidden under the sad, serious exterior. In the film version this gives the directors and actors a chance to add more humour and fully show the confusion of Cesario. As Cesario repeats to Olivia the very poetical' speech from Orsino in praise of Olivia we see another form of deception, which is emphasised by the acting imagery Viola uses, I have taken great pains to con it' and it is excellently well penned'. We can furthermore tell that Cesario is playing a part when he says that is out of my part' and I am not that I play'. We now learn that Orsino's love for Olivia is possibly only surface deep and only infatuation, when Olivia states that Orsino's poetical' speech is more like to be feigned'. This is our first hint that Orsino may not really be in love with Olivia. Cesario tells Olivia what he would do if he were in love with her make me a willow cabin at your gate make the babbling gossip of the air cry out Olivia!' Olivia seems to admire what Cesario is saying very much. We the audience, realise maybe that if Orsino had come to see Olivia herself and told her of his lover for her instead of sending others to do so, that possibly she would off fallen in love with him. However we think that he would rather sit at home weeping about his unrequited love for Olivia, acting like a sad, lonely man in love. Pathos is felt frequently in act 2 scene 4, through the way Orsino speaks with Cesario, as a man would talk to another man, about love and men and women's attitudes towards it. Orsino offends women in the process, yet Viola has to try to defend women without giving herself away. Shakespeare shows how hard this situation is for Viola. Although it creates dramatic irony, the audience realise that this is a genuinely sad and serious situation for Viola. This is one of the more emotional scenes in the play; the audience would feel real sympathy for Viola. Another character involved in the theme of deception is Sir Andrew Aguecheek, who is first shown in act 1 scene 3. He is in the sub-plot of deception as he is deceived by Sir Toby into thinking he is an excellent suitor/lover for Olivia, but he is also a victim of self-deception. Our first impressions of him are that he is stupid and shown as the real fool of the play. He doesn't understand when he is speaking with Sir Toby and Maria when Sir Toby says Accost Sir Andrew Accost'; he misunderstands this as he does most words addressing Maria as Mistress Accost'. We can tell that he will fail pathetically in trying to woo' Olivia. We know this because we have heard Olivia describe Orsino in words of great praise, yet she says she cannot have him, so Sir Andrew has no hope of her falling in love with him. However although he knows he is not intelligent, he is self-deluded, as he seems to think that he is attractive. He comments on his hair it becomes me well enough' but Sir Toby mocks him quite scandously here I hope to see a housewife take thee between her legs, and spin it off', but Sir Andrew misses the humour and the sexual innuends. He also comments on how good his legs look in a flame-coloured' stocking. Sir Toby puns on most of Sir Andrew's words, but he doesn't seem to notice. He shows how pathetic he is when he says he is an excellent dancer and starts to dance. This creates great humour for the audience. Malvolio is the most self-deceived character in the play. He is first shown speaking in supercilious and contemptuous way to Olivia, I marvel your ladyship speak takes a delight in such a barren rascal', referring to Feste, whom Olivia has just praised. Olivia comments on how Malvolio is sick of self love'. This is our first hint that Malvolio thinks too highly of himself; this will prove of consequence later in the play when Maria plays her trick on him. This also hints at the face that he lacks self-knowledge. Malvolio thinks that he is superior to others. This is shown in act 2 scene 3; when Malvolio is disturbed by the noise Sir Toby and Sir Andrew are making and comes down to rebuke them. Malvolio speaks quite offensively to them, my masters are you mad', have you no wit manners nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night'. It is unusual for a steward to talk to people of a higher rank in this way. The others mock Malvolio and carry on singing. Sir Toby reminds Malvolio that he is only a steward, but is presuming to order them around. Malvolio is a strict puritan, so Sir Toby angrily challenges Malvolio for his puritanical attitude. Malvolio is shown as a hypocrite and not a true puritan. Maria hints that her plan to deceive him will work precisely because he thinks to highly of himself. The socio-historical context shows that Puritans in Shakespeare's' time were a particular sect of protestants who had their own narrow-minded views and wanted to close all theatres. Shakespeare would have therefore disliked puritans and would have mocked them as being hypocrites. When Maria says of Malvolio that sometimes he is a kind of puritan', but that, in reality he is a time pleaser', she means that he behaves like a puritan when its suit him, but that he does not genuinely subscribe to Puritanism as a faith. In act 2 scene 5 there are examples to confirm that Malvolio is not a true puritan. Before he finds Maria's letter he thinks of being married to Olivia and of wearing rich jewels' and a velvet gown and thinks of sexual thoughts about Olivia; these are all non-puritan acts. Deception is used frequently in the first two acts of twelfth night in many different ways in both the main-plot and the sub-plot. Deception has provided humour in both plots but has also raised some serious issues, including the need to have self-knowledge.
Shakespeare's Twelfth night, focuses mainly on the theme of deception in both main plot and the sub-plot. Not only do the characters deceive each other, but many of them are also self-deceived and we, as the audience, begin to realise ourselves that we are sometimes deceived. This creates great opportunities for Shakespeare to create humour and dramatic irony, which a Shakespearian audience would understand. Deception also links in with the other key themes of love and disguise. When Shakespeare first introduces Viola, we realise from the main plot that she is the main part of deception. We learn that she is a strong and resourceful character in her situation. We learn that she has lost her brother in a shipwreck and doesn't no if he is dead or alive. A woman would be very vulnerable, at the time the play was written in strange foreign country all alone, so for protection she decides to dress up as a man. We find out that she will call herself Cesario and try to find work, with the duke Orsino. When she states this intention we know that confusion and humour will be involved in the plot of the play. Viola will be deceiving everyone into thinking she's a man but unlike all of the other characters she is not self-deceived. Shakespeare creates a …show more content…
great ironic twist with Violas situation. In act 1 scene 4 when Viola has successfully taken on the role of Cesario, we see Orsino has grown very close to him/her, and sees him as a good friend after only knowing him a couple of days, if the duke continues these favours towards you, Cesario, you are like to be much advanced'.
The audience can tell that Viola has done very well in deceiving Orsino into thinking into thinking she is a man, and has already made an excellent impression. Orsino is so impressed by Cesario that he has revealed everything about his love for Olivia, Thou know'st no less but all; I have unclasped to thee book even of my secret
soul'. The audience now see dramatic irony brought into the plot Orsino demands that Cesario should deliver a message to Olivia to tell her of his love for her. The dramatic irony is shown through the way Cesario (viola) herself has fallen in love with Orsino and can do absolutely nothing about it because she is disguised as a man. Cesario would rather be the one he was in love with, yet a barful strife! Whoe'er I was myself be his wife'. This would originally create humour with the confusion of the situation making problems for the characters. However the audience begins to realise that it is a more serious situation for Viola. This becomes clear later on in the play when she utters disguise I see thou art a wickedness'. When Cesario is speaking with Orsino he compares her so much to a women, Diana's lip is not more smooth and rubious' and all is semblative to a woman's part. That creates more humour and irony but also an extremely difficult situation for Cesario. In the opening of act 1 scene 5 Viola is again shown as a determined character, he'll stand at your door like sheriffs post' declares Malvolio to Olivia describing Viola. When Olivia is first told that there is a messenger from Orsino wanting to speak with her she makes up excuses, I am sick or not at home'. This shows she has probably had many messengers from Orsino and doesn't wish to speak with them anymore. Olivia has sadly lost her brother and has announced that she is going to abjure the company of men' for seven years. This is very extreme behaviour and we begin to discover that she is self-deceiving herself in the way that she feels she must mourn for her brother. That her behaviour is highly unnatural is suggested in a number of ways. Firstly Shakespeare has given us, in Viola, a character in a similar situation to Olivia but she has taken a very different approach to the situation. Secondly Sir Toby and Feste draw attention to how absurd Olivia's behaviour is. Feste proves she is a fool' to mourn a soul in heaven. Olivia is greatly amused by Feste in act 1 scene 5 showing us the strong, lively character she is wrongly trying to repress. In the film version before Cesario enters Olivia says to Maria Give me my veil', to show she is still a women in mourning and at this point both Maria and Olivia put on veils. When Cesario enters two women in veils therefore great her. Shakespeare shows another act of deception here. Olivia is deceiving Cesario so he doesn't know who the lady of the house is'. This shows a wicked sense of humour in Olivia and hints at the lively character hidden under the sad, serious exterior. In the film version this gives the directors and actors a chance to add more humour and fully show the confusion of Cesario. As Cesario repeats to Olivia the very poetical' speech from Orsino in praise of Olivia we see another form of deception, which is emphasised by the acting imagery Viola uses, I have taken great pains to con it' and it is excellently well penned'. We can furthermore tell that Cesario is playing a part when he says that is out of my part' and I am not that I play'. We now learn that Orsino's love for Olivia is possibly only surface deep and only infatuation, when Olivia states that Orsino's poetical' speech is more like to be feigned'. This is our first hint that Orsino may not really be in love with Olivia. Cesario tells Olivia what he would do if he were in love with her make me a willow cabin at your gate make the babbling gossip of the air cry out Olivia!' Olivia seems to admire what Cesario is saying very much. We the audience, realise maybe that if Orsino had come to see Olivia herself and told her of his lover for her instead of sending others to do so, that possibly she would off fallen in love with him. However we think that he would rather sit at home weeping about his unrequited love for Olivia, acting like a sad, lonely man in love. Pathos is felt frequently in act 2 scene 4, through the way Orsino speaks with Cesario, as a man would talk to another man, about love and men and women's attitudes towards it. Orsino offends women in the process, yet Viola has to try to defend women without giving herself away. Shakespeare shows how hard this situation is for Viola. Although it creates dramatic irony, the audience realise that this is a genuinely sad and serious situation for Viola. This is one of the more emotional scenes in the play; the audience would feel real sympathy for Viola. Another character involved in the theme of deception is Sir Andrew Aguecheek, who is first shown in act 1 scene 3. He is in the sub-plot of deception as he is deceived by Sir Toby into thinking he is an excellent suitor/lover for Olivia, but he is also a victim of self-deception. Our first impressions of him are that he is stupid and shown as the real fool of the play. He doesn't understand when he is speaking with Sir Toby and Maria when Sir Toby says Accost Sir Andrew Accost'; he misunderstands this as he does most words addressing Maria as Mistress Accost'. We can tell that he will fail pathetically in trying to woo' Olivia. We know this because we have heard Olivia describe Orsino in words of great praise, yet she says she cannot have him, so Sir Andrew has no hope of her falling in love with him. However although he knows he is not intelligent, he is self-deluded, as he seems to think that he is attractive. He comments on his hair it becomes me well enough' but Sir Toby mocks him quite scandously here I hope to see a housewife take thee between her legs, and spin it off', but Sir Andrew misses the humour and the sexual innuends. He also comments on how good his legs look in a flame-coloured' stocking. Sir Toby puns on most of Sir Andrew's words, but he doesn't seem to notice. He shows how pathetic he is when he says he is an excellent dancer and starts to dance. This creates great humour for the audience. Malvolio is the most self-deceived character in the play. He is first shown speaking in supercilious and contemptuous way to Olivia, I marvel your ladyship speak takes a delight in such a barren rascal', referring to Feste, whom Olivia has just praised. Olivia comments on how Malvolio is sick of self love'. This is our first hint that Malvolio thinks too highly of himself; this will prove of consequence later in the play when Maria plays her trick on him. This also hints at the face that he lacks self-knowledge. Malvolio thinks that he is superior to others. This is shown in act 2 scene 3; when Malvolio is disturbed by the noise Sir Toby and Sir Andrew are making and comes down to rebuke them. Malvolio speaks quite offensively to them, my masters are you mad', have you no wit manners nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night'. It is unusual for a steward to talk to people of a higher rank in this way. The others mock Malvolio and carry on singing. Sir Toby reminds Malvolio that he is only a steward, but is presuming to order them around. Malvolio is a strict puritan, so Sir Toby angrily challenges Malvolio for his puritanical attitude. Malvolio is shown as a hypocrite and not a true puritan. Maria hints that her plan to deceive him will work precisely because he thinks to highly of himself. The socio-historical context shows that Puritans in Shakespeare's' time were a particular sect of protestants who had their own narrow-minded views and wanted to close all theatres. Shakespeare would have therefore disliked puritans and would have mocked them as being hypocrites. When Maria says of Malvolio that sometimes he is a kind of puritan', but that, in reality he is a time pleaser', she means that he behaves like a puritan when its suit him, but that he does not genuinely subscribe to Puritanism as a faith. In act 2 scene 5 there are examples to confirm that Malvolio is not a true puritan. Before he finds Maria's letter he thinks of being married to Olivia and of wearing rich jewels' and a velvet gown and thinks of sexual thoughts about Olivia; these are all non-puritan acts. Deception is used frequently in the first two acts of twelfth night in many different ways in both the main-plot and the sub-plot. Deception has provided humour in both plots but has also raised some serious issues, including the need to have self-knowledge.