Try to show clearly the steps whereby Olivia; a veiled lady in mourning falls in love so quickly.
At the start of Act 1; scene 5 we already know a little about each character and their role in the play. We have learnt that Countess Olivia has sworn to shut herself away from the world since her brother died. She has decided to veil her face in front of others, to stay inside her house and to deny any form of pleasure for seven years. We also know that Count Orsino has fallen in love with Olivia and is attempting to woo her. He has sent Cesario/Viola, his most trustworthy eunuch to her and he has been instructed to wait by Olivia's gate until he is permitted to speak with her. However the eunuch is not all he appears to be. He is in fact a she, who is herself in love with Orsino.
Maria is the first to inform Olivia of Viola's presence. She depicts her as a well-spoken gentleman and as the initial complementary description of Viola, it fares an important step on the way to make Olivia fall in love. However Olivia sends her most arrogant courtier, Malvolio to dismiss the gentleman if he be yet another tedious page from Orsino. She is determined to grieve and has made it clear that under no circumstances does she want to speak to a suitor from Orsino. "If it be from the Count, I am sick, or not at home - what you will to dismiss it." The next part of the scene is unimportant, although even drunken Sir Toby describes Viola as a gentleman, a term not often used when talking about a page.
At the start of Act 1; scene 5 we already know a little about each character and their role in the play. We have learnt that Countess Olivia has sworn to shut herself away from the world since her brother died. She has decided to veil her face in front of others, to stay inside her house and to deny any form of pleasure for seven years. We also know that Count Orsino has fallen in love with Olivia and is attempting to woo her. He has sent Cesario/Viola, his most trustworthy eunuch to her and he has been instructed to wait by Olivia's gate until he is permitted to speak with her. However the eunuch is not all he appears to be. He is in fact a she, who is herself in love with Orsino.
Maria is the first to inform Olivia of Viola's presence. She depicts her as a well-spoken gentleman and as the initial complementary description of Viola, it fares an important step on the way to make Olivia fall in love. However Olivia sends her most arrogant courtier, Malvolio to dismiss the gentleman if he be yet another tedious page from Orsino. She is determined to grieve and has made it clear that under no circumstances does she want to speak to a suitor from Orsino. "If it be from the Count, I am sick, or not at home - what you will to dismiss it." The next part of the scene is unimportant, although even drunken Sir Toby describes Viola as a gentleman, a term not often used when talking about a page.
