Shakespeare | Twelfth Night | A Review, Dive into Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, a delightful comedy of love, disguise, and mistaken identity. Read a simple review with summary, themes, characters, and FAQs.
Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’-A Review
Twelfth Night is a comedic play written by William Shakespeare that was first performed in 1602. The play is set in the fictional land of Illyria, and it centers around the love triangle between Countess Olivia, Duke Orsino, and a shipwrecked woman named Viola, who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Twelfth Night is often considered one of Shakespeare’s finest comedies, and it has been adapted numerous times in various forms of media over the years.
The play begins with a shipwreck off the coast of Illyria, in which Viola is separated from her twin brother, Sebastian. Believing her brother to be dead, Viola disguises herself as a man and takes on the name Cesario. She becomes the servant of Duke Orsino, who is in love with Countess Olivia. Orsino sends Cesario to woo Olivia on his behalf, but Olivia becomes enamored with Cesario instead. Meanwhile, Viola/Cesario falls in love with Orsino, creating a complicated love triangle.
The play also features a subplot involving Olivia’s uncle, Sir Toby Belch, and his friends, Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Maria, Olivia’s lady-in-waiting. They conspire to trick Olivia’s pompous steward, Malvolio, into thinking that Olivia is in love with him, leading to a series of comedic misunderstandings.
One of the strengths of Twelfth Night is its ability to blend humor and pathos. The play is filled with comedic moments, such as the antics of Sir Toby and his companions, as well as the foolishness of Malvolio. However, it also has moments of sadness and longing, particularly in the unrequited love of Orsino and the longing of Viola to be with her brother again.
Another strength of the play is its memorable characters. Each character is well-drawn and distinct, from the melancholic Orsino to the mischievous Sir Toby to the self-important Malvolio. The character of Viola/Cesario is particularly noteworthy, as she must navigate the complexities of her disguised identity while also dealing with her own feelings of love and loss.
The play’s themes of love, desire, and identity are still relevant today, and Twelfth Night continues to be a popular play for adaptations and productions. It has been adapted into numerous films, including the 1996 film starring Helena Bonham Carter and the 2018 film directed by Claire McCarthy. It has also been adapted into musicals, operas, and even a video game.
Overall, Twelfth Night is a witty, engaging play that showcases Shakespeare’s talents as both a comedic and dramatic writer. Its memorable characters, humorous plot, and themes of love and identity make it a timeless work of literature. 0 0 0.
Frequently Asked Questions on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
Q1. What is Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night about?
Ans: It is a comedy about twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated by a shipwreck. Viola disguises herself as a man, leading to love triangles, mistaken identities, and joyful reunions.
Q2. When was Twelfth Night written?
Ans: Shakespeare wrote Twelfth Night around 1601–1602, and it was performed to celebrate the Christmas season.
Q3. What are the main themes in Twelfth Night?
Ans: The play explores love, identity, disguise, gender roles, ambition, and the joy and folly of human behavior.
Q4. Why is Twelfth Night considered an important play?
Ans: It is one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies, known for its lively characters, witty dialogue, and exploration of love in many forms—romantic, self-love, and friendship.
Q5. Who are the main characters in Twelfth Night?
Ans: The key characters include Viola, Sebastian, Duke Orsino, Lady Olivia, Malvolio, Sir Toby Belch, and Feste the clown.
Q6. What is the tone of Twelfth Night?
Ans: The play is joyful and humorous, with festive energy, but it also contains elements of melancholy and reflection, especially in the character of Malvolio.
Q7. How does Twelfth Night end?
Ans: The play ends with multiple unions—Viola reveals her identity and is united with Orsino, Sebastian marries Olivia, and order is restored, though Malvolio exits angrily vowing revenge.
N. B. This article ‘Shakespeare | Twelfth Night | A Review’ originally belongs to the book ‘Reviews on William Shakespeare’s Works‘ by Menonim Menonimus.
Books of Literary Criticism by M. Menonimus:
- World Short Story Criticism
- World Poetry Criticism
- World Drama Criticism
- World Novel Criticism
- World Essay Criticism
- Indian English Poetry Criticism
- Indian English Poets and Poetry Chief Features
- Emily Dickinson’s Poetry-A Thematic Study
- Walt Whitman’s Poetry-A Thematic Study
- Critical Essays on English Poetry
- Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel: Return of the Spirit-An Analytical Study
- Tawfiq al-Hakim’s Novel: ‘Yawmiyyat Naib Fil Arayaf’-An Analytical Study
- Analytical Studies of Some Arabic Short Stories
- A Brief History of Arabic Literature: Pre-Islamic Period (500 AD-622 AD)
- A Brief History of Arabic Literature: Early Islamic Period (622 AD-661 AD)
- Reviews on William Shakespeare’s Works …
Additional Searches:
- Reviews of Shakesperare’s Best Plays
- Shakespeare’s Works
- Introduction to Shakespearean Tragedy
- Shakespeare’s Sonnets
- Shakespearean Comedy ….
