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Viola In William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

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Viola In William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
CHARACTER SKETCH ESSAY: One of the most significant characters in William Shakespeare Twelfth Night is Viola, a girl who disguises as a young boy in order to be employed by the duke of Illyria Orsino. Throughout the play Viola goes through different obstacles and struggles but ends up on finding the correct path toward her happiness. Which then makes Viola is a good woman because she is obedient,selfless and brave.

To begin, Viola is a good woman because she is obedient. Viola is compliant to all the people in Orsino’s court and Olivia's court then later on Orsino addresses Viola to enter Olivia's gates and woo Olivia for him, Orsino says to Viola “Therefore good youth address thy gait unto her and stand at her doors and tell them there
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Viola is brave because is challenged in a sword duel with Sir Andrew Agucheek. Viola accepts the challenge that Sir Andrew Agucheek request and its up her sword for battle knowing that she does not know how to fight and that her life could be at risk. This shows that Viola is brave because she demonstrates her self esteem by thinking that she could beat Sir Andrew Agucheek in the sword battle.(TRANSITION WORD) Viola is brave because she reveals her true identity. Viola exposes herself to everyone in Olivia's court knowing that she can be thrown into prison for being an imposter by not showing her true identity and also working for Orsino pretending to be a young boy Viola says to Sebastian “Do not embrace me till each circumstance of place, time, fortune do cohere and jump that I am Viola”(v.i.263-265). Viola is saying who she really is to her brother Sebastian while everyone in Olivia's court including Orsino is a audience. Being brave means to take your chances when your left at the edge of a cliff even if it risks everything you have and Viola is an example of what bravery should look like. Viola is brave because she accepts Sir Andrew Agucheeks challenge in a sword duel and she exposes her identity knowing all of the risks that it could cause her. In conclusion, Viola depicts the essential qualities of obedient, selfless and brave that are nesscery in a good woman. Viola’s actions produces all of the plays momentum,

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