Hyperbole In Twelfth Night
During the “willow cabin” passage in Twelfth Night, hyperbole and polysyndeton are used to exaggerate the tone of Viola’s irritation and desperation.
The entire speech is an amplification of how Viola feels and what she would really do in this kind of situation. The speech speaks highly of the love that Viola has for Orsino and the extent of what she would do to get it. Not only is she desperate for his love, but he is gunning after Oliva, someone who will never want him back. Viola tells Olivia that she would build “willow cabin at [her] gate” (271) if she were Orsino. But, Viola will not truly build a house outside of Olivia’s house, she states this because she wants to show that she would do something truly obscure just to get the attention
The entire speech is an amplification of how Viola feels and what she would really do in this kind of situation. The speech speaks highly of the love that Viola has for Orsino and the extent of what she would do to get it. Not only is she desperate for his love, but he is gunning after Oliva, someone who will never want him back. Viola tells Olivia that she would build “willow cabin at [her] gate” (271) if she were Orsino. But, Viola will not truly build a house outside of Olivia’s house, she states this because she wants to show that she would do something truly obscure just to get the attention