“I have unclasped to thee the book even of my secret soul.”
“O, then unfold the passion of my love...”
“... for thy mind is a very opal.”
True, selfless devotion is another ‘side’ to the love triangle in Twelfth Night. Viola expresses pure love and tremendous loyalty to Orsino, sacrificing her own happiness for Orsino’s. Viola conveys her love with intense speaking and use of dramatic irony. Shakespeare allows the audience to witness Viola’s distress so the play becomes more and more intense with the Viola and Orsino scenes. Viola tells Orsino of her love for him in an ambiguous manner, so he never suspects her feelings for him.
“My father had a daughter loved a man, as it might be perhaps, were I woman, I should your lordship.”
“I am all the daughters of my father’s house, and all the brothers too...”
“A little, by your favour... Of your complexion... About your years, my lord.”
Sebastian and Olivia both show impetuous emotions through the play. Olivia immediately falls in love with Viola, who is the identical twin to Sebastian. Once Sebastian enters the play he is mistaken for Viola which further shows evidence that both Sebastian and Olivia have impulsive emotions as Olivia still accepts she loves Sebastian although he is not Viola and Sebastian falls immediately falls in love with Olivia, which may be seen as blind love. Olivia’s impulsive nature is not just expressed with her love for both Viola and Sebastian but also when she announces her seven-year morning for her brother. The audience sympathises with Olivia’s painful rejection by Viola, and her difficulty to tell Viola her true feelings. It is also clear of Olivia’s unfamiliarity with rejection as she desperately tells Viola she may change her feelings for Orsino if Viola returns.
“I love thee so that, maugre all thy pride...”
Love between siblings is also apparent in the play. Once Viola is rescued from drowning she immediately feels she has lost her brother, Sebastian. Her impulsive manner towards the sea captain, shows the strong bond her and her brother have. Shakespeare uses a dreamy, pensive quality when describing Viola’s distress for her loss, and for her new independence and helplessness, which the audience can try and relate to.
“For saying so, there’s gold.”
“And what should I do in Illyria? My brother he is in Elysium.”
Antonio, who rescued Sebastian from drowning, develops a protective love for Sebastian, which could be interpreted as homosexual. Antonio expresses great respect, loyalty and selflessness when trying to help Sebastian. He offers his purse to Sebastian, which also shows great trust and friendship.
“My kind Antonio, I can no other answer make but thanks...”
“Haply your eye shall light upon some toy...”
“With viewing of the town; there shall you have me.”
Another bond through friendships, apart from Feste, Maria, Fabian and Sir Toby who are all work colleagues, is between Viola and Orsino who are also work colleagues, but develop an trusting relationship. Viola is Orsino’s confidant and this reveals his personality to her, only further enhancing her love for him.
Sir Toby and Maria show flirtatious behaviour throughout the play, as well as playful behaviour at Malvolio and Sir Andrew’s expense. It is clear they both enjoy each other’s company and share the same sense of humour and feelings towards other characters. The love between these two characters maybe described as practical love for a mutual benefit. If Sir Toby were to marry Maria he would have a companion who looks after him and Maria would have a higher status, marrying a knight. The audience understands the relationship between these characters and accepts them as a couple.
“MARIA: My name is Mary, sir.
“SIR ANDREW: Good mistress Mary Accost-
“SIR TOBY: You mistake, Knight: ‘accost’ is front her, board her, woo her, assail her.”
Malvolio, Olivia’s servant, believes it is entirely possible for a countess to love a steward, so doesn’t doubt the phoney letter conveniently placed in front of him by his vengeful work colleagues, who believe he has abused his power over them. In fact, the major reason Malvolio can so easily believe Olivia would and could love him is due to his obsession for power and to exercise that power over the other characters such as Sir Toby. He is described as having self-love by Olivia, which again allows him to so easily believe the letter is genuinely from Olivia although it instructs him to wear “yellow stockings” and “cross-gartered.” The letter refers to four letters “M, O, A, I” which Malvolio instinctively believes are reference to his name.
“... in yellow stockings, and cross-gartered...”
“O, you are sick of self-love, Malvolio...”
“... and perchance wind up my watch, or play with my – some rich jewel. Toby approaches; courtesies there to me-”
Sir Andrew has the audience’s pity and sympathy throughout the play due to his naive and innocent nature. Sir Andrew is encouraged by Sir Toby to be optimistic about Olivia’s feelings towards him. Sir Andrew’s hopeless love for Olivia is futile and at the end of the play he is still alone, which Shakespeare has used to further enhance the sympathetic attitude of the audience.
“I was adored once too.”
Shakespeare interconnects all the minor and major characters through misleading identities and a variety of love themes, which I have tried to outline. The major characters speak in rhyming couplets whereas the minor characters speak in pros, making a clear distinction between the two types of characters as well as the different range of love themes expressed by the different characters.
“I music be the food of love, play on...”
“Come, sir, you peevishly threw it to her...”
Nicholas Remington
