Twelfth Night or What You Will

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Twelfth Night or What You Will

With close reference to the text, explain and discuss the tripartite relationship between Orsino, Olivia and Viola

The main theme in "Twelfth Night" is love, the most apparent and complex form of love is between Orsino, Olivia and Viola. Orsino is in love with Olivia, "O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first, methought she purged the air of pestilence" Viola falls in love with Orsino, Viola says in a soliloquy "Yet, a barful strife! Whoe've I woo, myself would be his wife". Olivia falls in love with Viola disguised as Cesario, "Even so quickly may one catch the plague? Methinks I feel this youth's perfections. Thus, creating the love triangle between Orsino, Olivia and Viola.

There are many different forms of love in "Twelfth Night": Perceived love, real love, self love, friendship and family love. This love triangle is the most complicated love in Twelfth Night, Viola says in act 2, scene 2 "O time, thou must untangle this, not I; it is too hard a knot for me to untie" The most obvious character to evoke perceived love is Orsino, he is in love with love, not a