How does Shakespeare manipulate and vary the mood throughout Act 2 Scene 3 of Twelfth Night?
by
amyvanschalkwyk (student)
Amy Van Schalkwyk English: Essay
How does Shakespeare manipulate and vary the mood throughout Act 2 Scene 3?
In the opening to this scene Shakespeare creates a comic atmosphere by the use of jovial characters; Sir Toby and Sir Andrew. They are carousing in a drunken, noisy celebration and are shortly joined by Feste. However the merry atmosphere is cut short by the introduction of Feste’s song. The song, despite the fact that it is a love song seems to allude to death with the reference to the lover’s journeys end. This could be Shakespeare’s way of reminding the audience that love will not last for ever, creating a rather dismal mood. However shortly after, Feste delights in another song which provides the audience with subtle hints of what is to come further in the play. The audience later learn that the song is what sparks Maria, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew’s trick on Malvolio, as it urges that they must live in the present as ‘in delay there lies no plenty’ suggesting that other characters in the play will too realize that time is short and the speed of the plot will start to increase when characters decide to confess their love creating a sense of excitement. ‘Youth’s a stuff will not endure.’ Suggests to the audience that Olivia’s beauty is fast fading and if she wishes to find love she must come out of her mourning state. It also alludes to Viola as her beauty will too start to fade and she will no longer appeal to the Duke but he will never know that she is a woman unless she removes her disguise.
