Part of The Student Room Group

  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

Shakespeare uses language as a tool for disguise in Twelfth Night and King Lear. Discuss

Extracts from this document...

Introduction

Shakespeare uses language as a tool for disguise in Twelfth Night. In Act 1 Scene 5, when Viola attempts to woo Olivia for Orsino she calls her ?most radiant, exquisite and unmatchable beauty?. This is the type of language Orsino would use to compliment her beauty. She uses courtly love language which would have been mocked in the Renaissance era as Shakespeare did in Sonnet 130 and Much Ado About Nothing. Although these works were intended to attract both the educated and ordinary folk, this particular aspect related to the more educated of the audience. In this same scene, Viola says ?No, good swabber?, exaggerating her masculinity by speaking as she thinks a man would speak. ...read more.

Middle

She uses mostly monosyllabic words and simple language, but then turns it into a riddle. If I was directing this, I would have her say the first part, pause and add on the second half, almost as an afterthought. Due to the way theatres were set up in the Renaissance era, much of the audience couldn?t see the stage, only hear the actors. Consequently, the use of language was important to convey Viola?s disguise. Similarly, Shakespeare uses language as a tool for disguise in King Lear also. In Act 4 Scene 6, Gloucester says ?Thou speak?st in better phrase and matter than thou did?st?. This quote shows how Edgar is slipping from his disguise as he carries on spending time with his father. ...read more.

Conclusion

In Act 5 Scene 3 Edgar accuses Edmund of being a traitor and says ?Conspirant against this high-illustrious prince?. Here he is using polysyllabic, complex language, which is a stark contrast to how he spoke as Poor Tom. This informs the audience, especially those with restricted view, that Edgar is now in an upper-class disguise. However, this is more likely to be noticed by the more educated, so to make it clear for the rest, Edmund says ?thy tongue some say of breeding breaths? to affirm Edgar now has an upper class way of speaking. The quote ?Conspirant against this high-illustrious prince? is from a long monologue, and Edgar uses similar complex language through it so this could show how we he has settled into this role, or possibly that he is slipping back into old habits because he used to speak the same way. ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Twelfth Night section.

Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

or


Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related GCSE Twelfth Night essays

  1. Discuss the use of disguise and deception in Twelfth Night and its contribution to ...

    'We will draw the curtain and show you the picture' (Act one, scene five). The lifting of the veil represents Olivia lifting her guard against love to Cesario. Following on the theme of people not being who they appear to be, Feste is a surprise for the audience.

  2. How does Shakespeare create and use comedy in the play Twelfth Night?

    One example of this is in Act 2: Scene 5 lines 170-171 when both Toby and Andrew are praising Maria's letter, 'Sir Toby I could marry this wench for this device. Sir Andrew So could I too.' Shakespeare uses Sir Andrew as the idiot knowing that everyone loves to laugh at an idiot.

  1. What is the function of disguise in Twelfth Night ?

    This would have cause great hilarity among the audience. I believe that Shakespeare was aware of the comic effect this would cause and used it to its full advantage. If you were to see a production of Twelfth Night at a theatre, you will see that they have retained this

  2. Examine the ways in which Shakespeare creates comedy for the audience in Act 3 ...

    low rank, and also because the bawdy play on words creates comedy on a basic level. It is obvious to the audience that Olivia does not intend her words to be read in this way, as being a beautiful young lady she would never consider him, and, furthermore, she is in the process of pursuing Cesario's love.

  1. Twelfth Night Act1 Scene 1 analysis

    In the last scene of the play Orsino and Viola do end up together with Viola as his wife. The final lines in the scene are significant: "I'll do my best To woo your lady. Yet, a barful strife! Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife."

  2. An exploration of the contribution of disguise and deceit to the humour of 'Twelfth ...

    The language they use while hiding from Malvolio Anna Carlisle contributes to the audience's amusement. For example, Maria says 'Lie thou there, for here comes the trout that must be caught with a tickling.' Comparing the letter to a trout about to be caught makes Malvolio seem even more foolish

  1. how Shakespeare uses disguise to suit his comic purpose

    was expensive, and they didn't believe in spending a lot of money. They believed in a plain way of preaching to God, so they didn't believe in stained glass windows in churches. They were radicals and religious fanatics that a lot of people didn't like because they didn't believe in people having fun.

  2. Choose 2 scenes in Twelfth Night and state how you would direct them

    There should also be an old piano and a brighter lighting to the room. This is so as later on, Sir Toby and friends start singing carelessly. Also, it is late in the night, and hence, a brighter lighting would be suitable to bring out their joy and laughter.

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work