Describe the Different Forms of Disguise and Deception That Feature in “Twelfth Night” free essay sample

Deception and disguise are two key themes in Shakespeares Twelfth Night. As in most comedies, Twelfth Night celebrates different forms of disguise and deception in order to make the play more entertaining. It also develops a strong connection between the main plot (with Viola, Orsino, Olivia, and the others) and the sub-plot (involving Sir Andrew, Sir Toby, Malvolio, and Maria). Disguise and deception appear in many different ways throughout the story. One of the most overt examples of disguise is through the character of Viola. This is the origin of much of the deception in the play. Stranded in Illyria after a shipwreck, she dresses as a male in order to work as a Eunuch for the Duke Orsino. Thou shall present me as an eunuch to him (Line 58, Act one, scene two). This is the first accidental deception and is where the disguise forms the plot. Viola does not intend to deceive people, as her original intentions were to get a job with Orsino, however the disguise constructs the plot and the romantic deceptions with Olivia, Orsino and Cesario. The relationship between Olivia and Cesario is based around disguise and deception. For example, Olivia is deceiving herself by thinking she can mourn for her brother and abjure the company of men. This deception is gone when she shows interest in the young man at her gates in I. 5. But a new type of deception is formed by Viola’s disguise. Viola is deceiving Olivia by disguising as a man, making Olivia fall in love with a man, who is in fact a woman. By doing this, Shakespeare is creating multiple confusion, because in Elizabethan theatre, a man would play the role of a woman and the woman (Viola) disguised herself as a man. The play begins with a striking example of self-deception, initially amusing for the audience, in Orsinos declaration that he loves Olivia. Orsinos sense of superiority (my love, more noble than the world II. 4. 80) leads him to the assumption that he has a ‘true place’ in Olivias favour (V. 1. 121) and that he will rule her as her ‘king’ (I. 1. 40). His understanding of women is obviously false: ‘There is no womans sides? Can bide the beating of so strong a passion ? As love doth give my heart? ’(II. 4. 92-94) Viola argues that womens love is as deep and true as mens. The Dukes genuine concern for Cesarios sister suggests that behind all the false pretentiousness there is a real person struggling to get out. His self- deception remains until very near the end of the play, in the final scene when he at last sees Olivia face to face and confronts her: ‘You uncivil lady, ? To whose ingrate and unauspicious altars ? My soul the faithfullst offerings have breathed out ? That eer devotion tendered!? ’(V. 1. 110-113) In his self deception, Orsino has remained a completely fixed and unchanged character, but there has been a development of real emotion building on Cesario, so that when he discovers that Cesario is actually a woman he can allow the reality to sweep aside the self deception and admit the fakeness of his love for Olivia. It is this that makes believable the sudden switch from Olivia to Viola. When Viola changes from Cesario to Viola, he can still love her, as he fell in love with Viola(when she was cesario) because of her personality instead of appearance (as he does with Olivia) making his love for her less fake and makes him a better person. For both Orsino and Olivia self-deception serves as an avoidance of the real world and of real emotions. As soon as they acknowledge reality, they cease to delude themselves. Some other characters, however, never do emerge from their self-deception. In the sub-plot, the biggest example of a self-deceiver is of course Malvolio. His sense of superiority is even greater than Orsinos. He sees himself as surrounded by idle, shallow things, not of his element (III. 4. 122-123) and this encourages his ambition to become exaggerated to the point where he considers a marriage to Olivia is entirely appropriate. He can even believe that Olivia loves him Maria once told me she (Olivia) did affect me (II. 5. 23-24) He is not in love with Olivia for herself, but he fancies the status, the power and the grand lifestyle that this marriage could create (also being able to charge around Sir Toby). Malvolio’s lack of self-criticism or self-awareness makes him vulnerable to Marias plan to ridicule him. The most obvious, almost worst deception in â€Å"Twelfth Night† is Sir Toby having a false friendship with Sir Andrew. Sir Toby is disguising himself as a jolly, lively man to be friends with, when behind Sir Andrews back, he is nasty (sniggering with Fabian), ruthless (not caring about Sir Andrews life when it comes to the duel between Cesario) and selfish (only being with Sir Andrew for his money and wanting his niece Olivia to marry him). When Shakespeare put him in the play, he intended Sir Toby to be the funny, but also arrogant and nasty character who helps devise the plan. The most interesting character of â€Å"Twelfth Night† is Feste. He has such a double character that shows at different times of the play. His first ‘character’ or ‘personality’ is his wise and humorous one: ‘I am not tall enough to become the function well, nor learn enough to be thought a good student. ’ Although he is meant to be the fool of the play, he is actually the wisest of them all. However his other personality, which is kept deep down until near the end of the play, is feisty and dark which is confirmed when he says, ‘Then you are man indeed, if you be no better in your wits than a fool. ’ (IV. 1) ‘Nothing that is so, is so. ’ (IV. 1) Which suggests he is referring to himself. It shows he has a dark monotone to his personality. This means that Feste is deceiving the other characters by disguising himself as a fool, and hiding the other part of his personality from them. This is the only obvious deceive and Deception that Feste carries out through the play. The other deception is to Malvolio, when he physically disguises himself as Sir Topaz: ‘Sir Topaz the curate comes to visit Malvolio the lunatic. ’ (IV. 2) He deceives Malvolio by treating him as if he is mad, which could cause Malvolio to think he is actually mad. The deception produced by Violas disguise is further cleverly complicated by the device, a favourite of Shakespeares, of having identical twins, which is further complicated by having them dressed the same. Sebastian and Olivia both deceive themselves when they get married. Sebastian can’t truly love Olivia because he has only just met her. He thinks she’s beautiful and perhaps he is in a dream when his says, ‘What relish is in this? How runs the stream? ?Or I am mad, or else this is a dream: ? Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep; ? If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep! ’(IV. 1) However, this is his judgment of her by her appearance, and if you love someone only for their appearance, it is not true love. Also, He would be too confused to love her, as it is not normal that a stranger cam up to him, acting as if she knew him, and asking him to marry her! Olivia: ‘Nay, come, I prithee; would thouldst be ruled by me! Sebastian: ‘Madam, I will. ’ (IV. 1) This shows the marriage happened all too sudden, when Sebastian didn’t even know who she was. However, Olivia does not know at this point that he is Sebastian. When she does find out, She assumes he is the same as Viola just because they are twins, who is in fact the person she originally fell in love with. It shows tha t she is quite shallow, for marrying Sebastian for his looks, when she is just assuming he has the same personality as Viola, just because they are twins. This suggests she gets married with Sebastian for the sake of marriage. In doing this, she is not only deceiving herself, but also deceiving Sebastian for making him believe she truly loves him. In â€Å"Twelfth Night† it is very clear that most of the disguises are deceptive and some deceptions are disguised. Also, in this play there are more than just one type of deception and disguise. There are two main types of deception: deliberate and accidental. There are also two main types of disguise: physical and emotional. Different characters use different forms of disguise and deception. For example, Viola uses a physical and emotional disguise, and her deception is accidental.