A lot of action happens in the first 2 acts of the play. How does Shakespeare introduce themes in these acts both verbally and visually?

'I am not what I am.' Viola says this and this is true she no longer is Viola she is Cesario. Which we would expect because 12th Night is about dressing up and deceiving others. Disguise is a massive part of the theme in 12th Night, why? Because everybody is hiding behind a mask or costume. Olivia mourning her brother always behind a veil, Viola trying to fit in and Feste the jester who alas is wise and considerably aware of the situation is always changing his attitude and his costume. The audience know by now the danger that is brewing from the disguises and know both personalities of one person. Feste the fool who is no fool at all is responsible for a lot of verbal wit and more. The proof of this is that he exposes Olivia for mourning her brother. 'I think his soul is in hell, Madonna.' Olivia-'I know his soul is in heaven, fool,' 'The more fool you Madonna to mourn for your brothers soul being in heaven.' Feste has tricked her exposing in the process. The he uncovers the disguise of Viola saying 'Jove in his next commodity of hair send thee a beard.' The songs that Feste sing come from the heart and this helps to reveal his character he speaks the truth in the words that he sings. He also fools with Sir Toby and Andrew. There is falseness in other characters like Sir Toby and Sir Andrew. These two characters are not what they seem for behind closed doors they are like children in an adult world. Sir Toby when in company is a gentlemen a person of dignity and power but his behaviour does not show this. He likes to drink a lot and is far from quiet. He likes to sing and dance not sit and be formal he likes to be different. ' To hear by the nose, it is dulcet in contagion. But we make welkin dance indeed? Shall we rouse the night owl in a catch that we will draw three souls out of one weaver? Shall we do that?' (Drink until the sky spins round). This is not what a formal intellectual would do. Malvolio woken up in the night by their drunkenness announces 'My masters are ye mad or what are you' Malvolio is not pleased him being a man of normality. Sir Andrew too is one for drink but without a brain likes to have fun and be too as loud as Toby. All of this is visual appearance and Shakespeare wants you to notice this. Malvolio is also one for deception but he is only deceiving himself. Malvolio is a steward and nothing more and has ideas way above his station as Toby points out. The plot to fool him is well deserved for his arrogance, but we wait to see where it ends. Olivia clearly states, he is 'Sick of self love' and cannot relax in any situation.

The next theme developed is that if bewilderment or foolishness. This theme is not particularly big in the early stages of the play but from what is happening you can tell it will be a main theme later to come. People in the play are not what they seem nor what they truly are, and then an element is developing chaos. We the reader or audience knows who is who at the moment but the actors do not for example no body knows that Cesario is actually viola in disguise although Feste has his suspicions but that is the whole point the element of surprise the day of trading places 12th night that is what is meant by the name. The audience also know that her twin brother Sebastian is still alive and has not perished and even more surprising he is in the land as her. You can guess what might happen there. The potential to confuse between these two people is massive, as they look so similar. This is a big visual aid as we wait for their paths to cross. Shakespeare's whole point in the play is to provide visual or verbal jokes whether they are slapstick comedy for less intellectual or complicated situations that look like trouble. The whole Shakespeare motive is not funny, comical nor fun. It is drama and sadness. Shakespeare is setting a drama through comedy the play is set around trust, who can you trust. No one in the play every person has there own little secret. Disguise is treacherous as viola points out, 'Disguise through art a wickedness wherein the pregnant enemy does much.' Therefore comedy is not what it seems it itself is a disguise for a much darker side to life a much bleaker and unimaginable side nothing we could have thought of.