Marriage and Twelfth Night - 1541 Words

‘At the end of Shakespeare’s comedic plays all complications and disorders are resolved and a new order is generated to the satisfaction of the audience.’ to what extent is this true of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night? It is easily argued that Shakespeare’s comedic plays have a similar, formulaic, structure. Dr Schwartz from the California Polytechnic State University argues that the ‘action of a comedy traces a movement from conflict to the resolution of conflict’. There are many disorders and complications in each plot, which by the end of the play must be resolved for the satisfaction of the Elizabethan audience, and in some perspectives, this applies to the modern day audience as well. Twelfth Night poses many different arguments as to†¦show more content†¦Antonio is a character whom it could be argued does not receive a happy ending. It is easily identified by particularly modern audiences, that Antonio is a character who may have homosexual desires. The language used in: ‘my desire, more sharp than steel, did spur me on’ could be interpreted as rather lustful especially the words ‘sharper than steel’ which suggests sexual imagery. This ci rcumstance of mistaken identity, when Antonio is in trouble and mistakes Cesario for Sebastian, for some audiences leans more towards tragedy than comedy because the consequences are more severe. We see how betrayed Antonio feels in the line ‘how vile an idol proves his god!’ Antonio worshipped Sebastian like an idol, and ‘relieved him with such sanctity of love’, only to discover he is the ‘beauteous evil’. The audience may feel pity towards Antonio; this is something they will want resolved. It can be argued this does happen when Sebastian returns. This may have been a good enough resolution for an Elizabethan audience, as many of them will have had no desire to see a homosexual pairing, and perhaps Sebastian’s marriage to Olivia would leave them satisfied that no homoerotic acts occur. The question to Antonio’s happiness never seems to be resolved,Show MoreRelatedThe Twelfth Night: A Happy Ending? Essay1501 Words   |  7 Pag esend these will be resolved and the play will have a traditional happy-ending with a marriage or a celebration in the final scene. The â€Å"Twelfth Night† is no exception to this rule. Despite problems of confused identities and sexualities, the play ends with marriage for the major characters because they â€Å"have learned enough about their own foolishness to accept it wisely, and their reward, as it should be, is marriage.†(Schwartz 5140). There is a resolution of harmony to a certain extent and an endorsementRead MoreThemes Of Social Mobility Through Marriage1655 Words   |  7 Pagesthe theme of social mobility through marriage in Shakespeare’s play ‘Twelfth Night’. In addition, the paper highlights how different characters in the play got into higher social classes or desired to be in higher social classes through marriage. This paper holds that in a highly stratified society such as that presented in the Shakespeare’s play; marriag e plays a significant role in in social class mobility. As opposed to some traditional society where marriage was only permitted along an individual’sRead More The Character of Sebastian in Shakespeares Twelfth Night: Essay838 Words   |  4 PagesThe Character of Sebastian in Shakespeares Twelfth Night:      Ã‚  Ã‚   Sebastians presence in William Shakespeares Twelfth Night: or What You Will is a vexation. More pointedly, it is his sudden marriage to Olivia which troubles me so. Was he written in to give a parallel storyline between Olivia and Viola? Was he a convenient way to have a double wedding, which Shakespeare seemed to prefer for his happy endings? Or, could there be some other meaning to Sebastian?    The last dayRead More A Comparison of Romantic Love in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest, and Twelfth Night1505 Words   |  7 PagesRomantic Love in A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest, and Twelfth Night In all of Shakespeares plays, there is a definitive style present, a style he perfected. From his very first play (The Comedy of Errors) to his very last (The Tempest), he uses unique symbolism and descriptive poetry to express and explain the actions and events he writes about. Twelfth Night, The Tempest and A Midsummer Nights Dream are all tragicomedies that epitomise the best use of the themes and ideologyRead MoreThe Limitations Of Frye s Green World 1729 Words   |  7 PagesWhat are the limitations of Frye’s ‘Green World’ model as applied to ‘Twelfth Night’ by William Shakespeare? Twelfth Night was thought to be written in 1600-1. The play – known for adhering to a genre of romantic comedy by utilising pathos combined with humour – is listed under comedies in the First Folio of 1623 with another of Shakespeare’s works As You Like It. Twelfth Night adheres to Frye’s theory to some extent. The old world, one of repression, is conveyed through the puritanical beliefs ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Twelfth Night Essay1146 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Twelfth Night The use of genre in any literary work assist the responder in understanding the text, as prior knowledge and past experience are used by composers to construct certain expectations due to characteristics that are recognised. Shakespeare, in his play Twelfth Night uses the Romantic comedy genre and its conventions of strong themes of love and a series of obstacles and misunderstandings concluded with a harmonious union of the loversRead MoreThe Impervious Perception of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night1631 Words   |  7 PagesIn the kingdom of Illyria (fantasy world), Twelfth Night was supposedly originally written for the entertainment of Queen Elizabeth I. William Shakespeare’s comedy associates with the Feast of Epiphany (January 6th) and was means for entertainment in the seventeenth century. It contains some aspects that can be thought of as a successful comedy when compared to the standards of today’s society. The play incorporates some of the very same devices that are used in modern comedies today, such as topsy-turvyRead MoreDisguised characters in plays1131 Words   |  5 Pagessafety. However, as the plays progress we see characters using their disguise to overcome social norms, observe behind the scenes, and to teach other major characters about love. In this paper I will compare and contrast As You Like It’s Rosalind and Twelfth Night’s Viola circumstances for disguising themselves as men, how they use their disguise, and the problems that were created in play because of their disguise. In As You Like It, a comedy written by Shakespeare, Shakespeare has two major charactersRead MoreTwelfth night- mistaken identity1169 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Coursework- The comedy in ‘Twelfth Night’ is largely generated by episodes involving mistaken identity. How far do you agree? William Shakespeare, in his well-known comic play, Twelfth Night, creates a plot that revolves around mistaken identity and deception. Mistaken identity, along with disguises, affects the lives of several of the characters. Shakespeare s techniques involve mistaken identity to bring comedy, mystery, and complication to the play. Some charactersRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Twelfth Night1507 Words   |  7 Pages Twelfth Night is a dramatic comedy which revolves around the classic Shakespearean traits of comedy, which are difficult to categorise but generally identifiable in that they often contain dazzling word play, irony, and a greater emphasis on situations than characters. While in many ways the play is a celebration of social upheaval through its characters, the play is very much characteristic to typical conventions seen in Shakespeare’s comedies when it’s identifying features are considered. By