The play Twelfth Night portrays a very good example of loyalty and sacrifice.

Authors Avatar by dunias (student)

A common theme in many of Shakespeare's plays is the idea of loyalty. Good or evil, right or wrong, the central character in the play always has at least one person whom no matter what the circumstances never leaves their side or never denies the person what they want even if it is different than what they want or believe. The play Twelfth Night portrays a very good example of loyalty and sacrifice. Viola, or Cesario as she is known through most of the play, has found herself in an interesting predicament. A rather interesting 'love triangle' is created in the play and she finds herself in the middle of it as both a man and a woman. The interesting part is that she puts her own feelings aside in order to fulfill the wishes of her Lord and her love. For anyone who has been in love they can understand how difficult it must have been to pursue another woman for the man that you love. Viola is quoted as saying "I'll do my best to woo your lady: [aside] yet a barful strife! Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife" (Twelfth Night I.iv.40), she is admitting that she loves him. This is not going to stop her from pursuing Olivia on Orsino's behalf. In creating her character Shakespeare has in effect created someone who will put her own interests aside in order to be loyal to the Duke. This is the ultimate sacrifice. Loyalty in this case is something that is stopping the character from finding her own happiness. She never considers not carrying out her duties to further her gain. Her loyalty lies in two different aspects, to her Lord and to her Love. Viola's character is so unique because through her disguise she becomes the love interest of the very woman that she is pursing for the Duke. Obviously her interests would lie far from getting involved with Olivia but we can still observe her persistency in her loyalty to the Duke. It is at the times when Olivia is persistent in her love for Cesario that I think Viola's loyalty shines through the most. Going against her own feelings she always has the Duke's interests at heart. Viola, in my opinion, truly represents loyalty

Join now!

Her intelligence and wit are also shown when she has an exchange with Feste, the fool, and shows that she is capable of word-play on as high a level as he is.

Feste: "..words are grown so false, I am loathe to prove reason with them."
Viola: "Art thou not the Lady Olivia's fool?
Feste: "No, indeed, sir, the Lady Olivia has no folly, she will keep no fool, sir, till she be married; I am indeed not her fool, but her corrupter of words."
Viola: "I saw thee late at Count Orseno's."
Feste: "Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun, it shines everywhere. I ...

This is a preview of the whole essay