Disguise in Twelfth Night Essay

Twelfth Night is one of William Shakespeares so-called transvestite comedies that features a fe phallic disguising herself as a newfangled man. This concept might be difficult to grasp by nows audience but during Shakespeares time it was not singular for female roles to be played by newfangled boys. Every citation in the play is involved in a situation where they mobilize one person is someone else. These situations lead to turmoil and humor in the play. The many instances of mistaken identity and uncertainty of gender in Shakespeares Twelfth Night contribute to the theme of confusion in the play.The send-off character in the play to introduce the theme of confusion is Viola. She is agitated after being separated from her twin brother, Sebastian, in a shipwreck. In hoping that he could still be alive, she is determined to support herself in an unfamiliar with(predicate) land by getting a railway line as a messenger in town. She says to the captain that rescued her, conceal me what I am, and be my aid present me as a male soprano to him (Shakespeare I.ii.49-52). Presenting her as a male soprano explains the high pitch of her voice. She decides to disguise herself as a young man named Cesario so she can work for Orsino, the duke of Illyra. Violas job is to be a messenger and after three days she becomes a favorite of Duke Orsino. He says to Cesario, it shall become thee well to act my woes / She will check it better in thy youth (Shakespeare I.iv.26-27). The duke decides to send Cesario on the most most-valuable errand as messenger of his love letters to Olivia believing she will wear the letters from a youthful boy. This will eventually lead to get at as a love triangle between Olivia, Orsino, and Viola