Historical Context (Twelfth Night)

This section explains the historical context Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. The historical context of Twelfth Night; from its reflection of Elizabethan social norms, the festive disorder of Twelfth Night celebrations, and the complex treatment of gender, love, and identity—enriches our understanding of the play. It is a product of its time, drawing on Renaissance ideals, Elizabethan society, and popular comedic traditions, while also subtly questioning and satirising these elements.

Elizabethan Era and Social Hierarchy

Twelfth Night was written in 1601 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a period known as the Elizabethan Era (1558–1603). This was a time of relative peace, prosperity, and artistic flourishing in England, particularly in the world of theatre, with Shakespeare being a central figure.

The social hierarchy of Elizabethan England was strictly structured, with clear divisions between the nobility, gentry, middle classes, and lower classes. Social mobility was limited, and this hierarchy is reflected in the play. Characters like Malvolio, who dreams of marrying Olivia and rising in status, are ridiculed for attempting to break the rigid class boundaries. The play highlights the tensions between social aspiration and the fixed societal roles of the time.

Twelfth Night and the Holiday Celebrations

The play’s title refers to the Twelfth Night, a festival marking the end of the Christmas season (on the 5th or 6th of January). In Elizabethan England, Twelfth Night celebrations were known for their revelry, disorder, and inversion of social norms. During this holiday, traditional hierarchies were often temporarily overturned, and there were elements of mischief, disguise, and role reversals.

This context is crucial in understanding the spirit of the play. The themes of disguise, gender confusion, and mistaken identity are in line with the topsy-turvy atmosphere of Twelfth Night celebrations, where rules were bent, and people stepped out of their usual roles. For example, Viola’s disguise as a man (Cesario) and the comedic chaos that ensues would have resonated with audiences familiar with such temporary role reversals.

Gender Roles and Cross-Dressing

In the Elizabethan theatre, all female roles were played by male actors, as women were not permitted to perform on stage. This adds an additional layer of complexity to the gender dynamics in Twelfth Night. Viola, a female character, disguises herself as Cesario, a male, creating a play within a play, where a boy actor would be pretending to be a girl pretending to be a boy. This blurring of gender roles explores ideas about identity, gender fluidity, and societal expectations.

Shakespeare’s exploration of gender roles in Twelfth Night reflects the changing attitudes of the period. While women in Elizabethan society had few rights and were expected to be submissive, Shakespeare’s portrayal of strong and resourceful female characters like Viola subtly challenges these norms. Viola’s intelligence and agency contrast with the more conventional attitudes towards women at the time.

The Renaissance Influence

Shakespeare’s works were deeply influenced by the Renaissance, a cultural movement that began in Italy in the 14th century and spread across Europe, promoting new ideas in science, art, and literature. The Renaissance emphasised human potential and individualism, which is reflected in Shakespeare’s characterisation and exploration of human emotions.

In Twelfth Night, the characters’ pursuit of love, identity, and happiness reflect these Renaissance ideals. Characters like Viola and Duke Orsino are driven by their emotional desires, while themes of deception, love, and self-discovery explore the complexities of human nature, a key focus of Renaissance literature.

Attitudes Towards Love and Marriage

The play’s treatment of love and marriage also reflects Elizabethan societal attitudes. Marriages in this period were often arranged for social and financial reasons rather than for love, particularly among the upper classes. However, romantic love had become a popular theme in literature, influenced by courtly love traditions from earlier centuries.

Twelfth Night presents different types of love, from romantic love (Viola and Orsino) to foolish infatuation (Olivia’s attraction to Cesario). The play suggests that love can be irrational, foolish, and chaotic, yet it is also transformative and fulfilling. Shakespeare blends both comic and serious elements to depict love as a force that crosses boundaries of class, gender, and status, aligning with more progressive Renaissance views on love.

Influence of Italian and Classical Literature

Like many of Shakespeare’s plays, Twelfth Night is influenced by Italian comedy and classical Roman comedies, which featured mistaken identities, humorous plots, and complex character relationships. The setting of Twelfth Night in Illyria (an ancient region on the Adriatic coast) mirrors the exotic, faraway settings typical of Italian romances, which were popular in Shakespeare’s time.

Shakespeare drew on earlier plays and stories for inspiration, particularly the themes of mistaken identity and twins, which were common in Roman comedy. The plot of Twelfth Night bears similarities to the storylines found in Italian plays like Gl’Ingannati (The Deceived), where twins are separated, and mistaken identity creates comic confusion.

Puritanism and Malvolio

The character of Malvolio, a strict and self-righteous steward, has been interpreted as a satire of the Puritans, a religious group that sought to reform the Church of England and eliminate any remnants of Catholic practices. Puritans were also highly critical of theatre, seeing it as immoral.

Malvolio’s desire to suppress merriment and his stern disapproval of the other characters’ festive behaviour may reflect the tension between the Puritan movement and the more carefree, indulgent lifestyle of the Elizabethan court. His eventual humiliation in the play suggests Shakespeare’s audience would have found his puritanical tendencies to be worthy of ridicule.