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Twelfth Night is a play about desire’s power to override conventions of class, religion, and even gender. Several characters begin the play believing they want one thing, only to have love teach them they actually want something else. Orsino thinks he wants Olivia, until he falls in love with Viola (dressed as Cesario.)
In the kingdom of Illyria, the Duke Orsino laments over his unrequited love for the Lady Olivia, who is in mourning for her brother and has refused to see anyone for seven years. Meanwhile, a ship has been wrecked by a storm off the coast, casting the young noblewoman Viola onto shore. Finding herself alone with the Captain, Viola assumes that ...
Later we will see Orsino easily transfer his love for Olivia to Viola. The scene foreshadows the two kinds of desire present in Twelfth Night: a constant, “patient” love (much like Viola’s) and a fickle one that darts about from place to place, like Orsino’s. Orsino’s conflicting observations about desire across genders foregrounds ...
That defense thou hast, betake thee to ’t. Of what nature the wrongs are thou hast done him, I know not, but thy intercepter, full of despite, bloody as the hunter, attends thee at the orchard end. Dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skillful and deadly. You mistake, sir.
SIR ANDREW. Never in your life, I think, unless you see canary put me down. Methinks sometimes I have no more wit than a Christian or an ordinary man has. But I am a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm to my wit. SIR ANDREW. Never in your life, I think, unless you see canary put me down.
25 Into the chantry by. There, before him. And underneath that consecrated roof, Plight me the full assurance of your faith, That my most jealous and too doubtful soul. May live at peace. He shall conceal it. 30 Whiles you are willing it shall come to note, What time we will our celebration keep.
Read an in-depth analysis of Antonio. A list of all the characters in Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night characters include: Viola, Orsino and Olivia, Malvolio, Sir Toby, Maria, Sebastian, Antonio.
