Jon Wood – English GCSE Coursework – Mr. Moore
Do the Three Characters trapped in the ‘Love Triangle’ all get what they deserve?
Twelfth Night is an interesting blend of the sadness of separation between brother and sister, romance as each of them falls in love, farcical comedy filled with mostly gentle sarcasm and irony, and a "bang-up happy ending" for the brother and sister, re-united and also now loved by the one each loves. In between there is the intriguing complexity of mistaken identities, plots to fool foolish characters, and a couple of pompous characters who get what they deserve.
The play's main characters all have very different personalities. Viola, or “Cesario”, is a character for whom the reader immediately feels sorry for. With her parents dead she is stranded on an unknown land with her only love in the world, her brother Sebastian, lost somewhere perhaps even dead. Viola has to disguise herself as a man to survive and this brings great rewards to her in the end. Even though she is being someone else throughout her time in Ilyria. Viola is often dishonest during the play, throughout her time disguised as Cesario she has to tell a string of lies but this is so she can survive. There are other lies that she tells throughout the play, which could give the reader an impression that she is a liar. Viola falls into a trap immediately when she starts to feel attracted towards the Duke Orsino, she is at this time disguised as Cesario and the duke is wondering why he is having feelings for this other man. Viola thinks she won’t be able to get the Duke Orsino, this could be for a number of reasons but two of these are because of background. Viola, being an orphan, has had few chances to interact with members of the opposite sex and feels that the Duke is way out of her league and also because she is disguised as a man. If Viola was to have any chance of getting with the Duke Orsino she would have to reveal her true identity. You can understand what a hard and difficult time this must have been for Viola and that deceit was the only option for her. The Catch 22 situation which Viola is makes things awkward between her and the Duke and it then that the Duke Orsino’s arrogant side starts to be unveiled. In the first chapter it is obvious that the Duke is spoilt and pompous, e is upset and feeling sorry for himself because he cannot get the woman of his dreams, Olivia. He takes his emotions out on members of his court and others around him. When asked b a servant in he would like to go hunting, Duke Orsino replies “Why so I do, the noblest that I have. O when mine eyes did see Olivia first, Methougt she purged the air of pestilence. That instant was I turned into a hart, and my desires, like fell and cruel hounds, E’er since pursue me.” ( Act 1, Scene 1). In this scene the Duke is outwardly showing his emotions, he is feeling heart-broken and is in need of someone merry around him. Not the boring members of his court that he has to usually put up with. When Viola disguises herself as Cesario and begins working in the Duke’s court she provides a cheerful and colourful atmosphere. This is the start of a complex love triangle.
