Friday, February 7, 2014

Romance And Gender Positions In Twelfth Night

Shakespeares Twelfth Night examines patterns of love and courtship through a twisting of gender roles. In Act 3, scene 1, Olivia displays the bathos created for both characters and audience as she takes on the traditionally priapic role of wooer in an attempt to win the tegument Viola, or Cesario. Olivia praises Cesarios beauty and then addresses him playfulnessh the belief that his scorn (3.1.134) unique reveals his hidden love. However, Olivias mistaken interpretation of Cesarios manner is only the aerofoil problem presented by her speech. The reality of Cesarios gender, the active role Olivia takes in pursuing him/her, and the duality of word meanings in this passage ottoman to turn the traditional patriarchal concept of courtship nib down, or as Olivia says turn night to noon (139). perhaps the biggest upset to the traditional structure is the possibility that Olivia may be in love wagh a woman. Shakespeare allows his audience to excuse this by having Olivia be unaware that Cesario is actually female. Yet, Olivias attraction seems to stem precisely from the more feminine characteristics like Cesarios beautiful scorn and perilous lip (136-137). Olivias words allow an audience, particularly a young one, to perhaps read her as suspecting or even erudite that Cesario is female, yet choosing to love him/her anyway. Olivias description of Cesarios beauty, both here and upon their phase modulation encounter, praises typically feminine qualities, but curiously doesnt question Cesarios gender. The analogy of love to guilt tempts the readers mind to wonder if Olivia is guilty fatten up her love for such female attributes. Olivias oath on maidenhood also tempts the reader toward a lesbian reading by hinting that Cesario would also understand maidenhood (141). When Olivia declares that not even wit nor reason(143) can hide her passion, she suggests that she would love Cesario even if it were against logic, as a same sex couple would be. Despite the unacceptableness of...If yo! u want to get a full essay, order it on our website: OrderEssay.net

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