Orsino is a romantic person. He does some romantic thing such as sending Olivia a poetic letter to declare his feeling about her. 'The element itself, till seven years' heat, shall not behold her fact at ample view.' Although Olivia has already told Orsino that she will not love for seven years but he refuses to take no for an answer and keeps trying and trying to win her love.
Orsino is a fool. He uses poetic and lyrical language like the two fools in the play - Sir Toby and Sir Andrew. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew speak with a flow, a poetic twist. For example, in Act 1 scene 3 Sir Andrew says ' I would I had bestowed that time in the tongues, that I have in fencing, dancing and bear-baiting'. Orsino uses the same type of language; in Act 1 scene 1 he says ' If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it.' Compare the language that Orsino and Sir Andrew uses, when can see that Orsino has some qualities of been a fool in the play.
As same as lots romantic fools, Orsino is a very shy, insecure person. He wouldn't directly show his feelings to Olivia. He is scarred of being rejected so he keeps sending Viola to ask her is she would court him. On the other hand, he may not be secure about himself and he has no enough confidence to woo Olivia himself, so he calls upon Viola to court Olivia on his behalf.
Orsino is a fickle person. He is desperately in love with Olivia even though he has only properly seen her once ' O spirit of love how fresh and quick art thou,'(Act 1 scene 4). Throughout the play Orsino sends Viola to woo Olivia on his behalf. He refuses to take no for answer and won't give up on Olivia. 'Good youth address thy gait unto her, be not denied access,'(Act 1 scene 5). But at the end of the play, when he realises that in fact Viola is a woman, he forgets about Olivia and asks Viola to marry him. 'Give me thy hand; let me see thee in thy woman's weeds. (Act 5 scene 1). He is desperately in love with Olivia throughout the play. But when he knows that Viola is a woman, he falls in love with Viola as soon as he immediately falls out of love with Olivia.
Orsino is very persistent person. He can't understand Olivia's feeling back. He keeps sending Viola to tell Olivia how much he loves her and doesn't leave it for a while.
Although lots people think a romantic fool would be foolish, arrogant and vain, there always are some people love romantic fools. In this play, Viola is a very intelligent and resourceful character. She dresses up like a man and call herself Casario to get the job to servant Orsino and gain Orsino's trust in a short time. 'He hath known you but three days and already you are no stranger.' (Act 1 scene 4). Viola falls in love with Orsino; 'My father had a daughter who loved a man.' (Act 2 scene 4). It is hard to believe that an intelligent, resourceful and practical character such as Viola would fall in love with Orsino - a romantic fool. Maybe because the romantic things that Orsino does make Viola feels romantic and then she falls in love with him.
All the evidence shows that Orsino is romantic fool. He is romantic, fickle, persistent and insecure. He falls in love with Olivia with an idea of being in love. He wouldn't go himself to Olivia to show his love for her. He doesn't leave any space for Olivia and doesn't understand Olivia's feeling. He forgets about Olivia when he knows that Viola is actually a woman. I don't feel that romantic fools are foolish. Instead of it, I think it is a pity to be a romantic fool. They may never know what true love is while they always have an idea of being in love. I am glad to see that Orsino marries an intelligent, resourceful woman. I think he will do everything romantic for Viola just likes what he did for Olivia. Sum up, I feel that Orsino is nothing more than a romantic fool and Shakespeare gave a very happy ending to Orsino - a truly romantic fool.