mistaken identities and misunderstanding within twelfth night
‘Comedy relies on familiar sources of misunderstanding’. To what extent are mistaken identities and misunderstanding central to the comedy of ‘Twelfth Night’?
Much of the Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ focuses on misconceptions and the way disguises cause the root of misunderstandings in which mistaken identities arise, a fortuitous device for complicating action. Critic John Hollander described the play to be a ‘ritualized Twelfth Night festivity in itself’ . The comedic aspect is all due to the privileged position that the audience hold, consuming more understanding of the true situation than the characters themselves. It also manages to expose the habits and pretences people in the modern world take for granted, thus linking to parody. Reflecting the popular medieval festival The Feast of Fools, a time when rules were subverted through human chaos and masquerade was common, Viola’s decision to cross dress inevitably causes misunderstanding, alongside the appearance of her identical twin, Sebastian. It was especially effective for Shakespeare to incorporate twins, as Eric Weitz describes them as a ‘kind of human pun’ , especially as this double identity heightens the comic value, as well as it being a deliberate evasion. Furthermore, another main concept of misunderstanding is through Malvolio becoming the unconscious victim of the irrational spirit of holiday that he so strongly despises. The festivities, believed to have evolved from the Roman festival Saturnalia, held in honour of the god Saturn, are revealed in the similarity with which all characters overturn societal rules which distresses Malvolio. His anxiety is enjoyed all the more due to double meanings and how he is egotistically trapped in misapprehension. This can be interpreted as an implication as to how our social manners can cause false representation of our true feelings.
The common misconception from the other characters towards Viola’s true identity stems from her decision to take
Much of the Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ focuses on misconceptions and the way disguises cause the root of misunderstandings in which mistaken identities arise, a fortuitous device for complicating action. Critic John Hollander described the play to be a ‘ritualized Twelfth Night festivity in itself’ . The comedic aspect is all due to the privileged position that the audience hold, consuming more understanding of the true situation than the characters themselves. It also manages to expose the habits and pretences people in the modern world take for granted, thus linking to parody. Reflecting the popular medieval festival The Feast of Fools, a time when rules were subverted through human chaos and masquerade was common, Viola’s decision to cross dress inevitably causes misunderstanding, alongside the appearance of her identical twin, Sebastian. It was especially effective for Shakespeare to incorporate twins, as Eric Weitz describes them as a ‘kind of human pun’ , especially as this double identity heightens the comic value, as well as it being a deliberate evasion. Furthermore, another main concept of misunderstanding is through Malvolio becoming the unconscious victim of the irrational spirit of holiday that he so strongly despises. The festivities, believed to have evolved from the Roman festival Saturnalia, held in honour of the god Saturn, are revealed in the similarity with which all characters overturn societal rules which distresses Malvolio. His anxiety is enjoyed all the more due to double meanings and how he is egotistically trapped in misapprehension. This can be interpreted as an implication as to how our social manners can cause false representation of our true feelings.
The common misconception from the other characters towards Viola’s true identity stems from her decision to take