How far can the ending of Twelfth Night be said to mark a re-imposition of orthodoxy?

How far can the ending of Twelfth Night be said to mark a re-imposition of orthodoxy? Critics when referring to the play Twelfth Night have taken to classify it within the boundaries of one of Shakespeare's transvestite comedies. In so categorizing the play, they are acknowledging the fact that this play clearly shows rebelliousness towards societal norms, which are within any given society. The fact that this play does express these extension of societal boundaries was seen at its time of first production to cause problems and so by creating an ending whereby there is a re-imposition of orthodoxy Shakespeare was able to express his views and thoughts of identity in a manner which was acceptable by society. However, while the end of the play can be shown to be re-imposing the orthodox approaches society requires it can also be seen as not fully obliging all of its characters with these rules. The main characters within this play script can be categorized into two different units, those who can be shown to be returning to what is considered normal in the main, such as Olivia and Viola, and those who fail to fully achieve this, such as Orisino and Malvolio. Twelfth Night is primarily a play which gives a very critical view on societies impressions of gender and how they can be altered to suit a purpose with dramatic effects. The character of Viola can be seen both as a main

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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twelfth night analysus

Twelfth Night (1601) exposes Shakespeare's satirical attitude toward the societal norms of the Elizabethan era. The Carnivalesque title brings about notions of both the inversion of stereotypical roles as well as the excess of the Christmas period. Feste upholds the carnival spirit while Malvolio is diametrically opposed, historically at this point there was a shift from the feudal household which is more like Olivia's with the likes of Sir Andrew and Sir Toby to the commercialised private world, much more like count Orsino's. "Throughout the play a contrast is maintained between the taut, restless, elegant court where people speak a nervous verse and the free-wheeling household of Olivia, where accept for the intense moments in Olivia's amorous interviews with Cesario, people live in easy going prose" [1] However the festive spirit is destructed by the excess of Malvolio's punishment giving an anti-carnivalesque ending, re-establishing the importance of the social hierarchy. Appearance and reality proves problematic for an ontological reading, a natural perspective that is and is not "nothing that is is so" [2] Feste questions the notion of reality and appearance as he is the only character to see through the others masks, while Viola is the only character true to herself, and aware of her own disguise even telling Olivia that her appearance is not reality "I am not that I

  • Word count: 1878
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Linguistics, Classics and related subjects
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