Key Themes (Twelfth Night)

This section explains the key themes in Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Twelfth Night explores several key themes that drive the plot and character interactions. The themes of love, disguise and identity, madness, festivity, and social ambition all play an essential role in the comic and emotional dimensions of the play.

Love

Overview: The theme of love is central to Twelfth Night, and Shakespeare portrays it in various forms: romantic, unrequited, self-love, and friendship. Love in the play is often irrational, creating confusion and misunderstandings, but also moments of beauty and emotional depth.

Key Aspects of Love in the Play:

Romantic Love: Characters such as Orsino, Viola, and Olivia express romantic love. Orsino’s love for Olivia is dramatic and idealised, while Viola’s love for Orsino is sincere and constant. Olivia’s love for Cesario (Viola in disguise) demonstrates the impulsive and unpredictable nature of love.

Unrequited Love: Unreciprocated love is a recurring theme, causing much of the emotional conflict in the play. Orsino’s love for Olivia is not returned, Olivia’s love for Cesario is unrequited, and Malvolio’s fantasies about marrying Olivia are unrealistic. This unbalanced affection creates dramatic tension and comedy.

Self-Love: Malvolio is a key figure representing self-love. His arrogance and ambition, believing that Olivia loves him, make him the target of mockery. Shakespeare uses Malvolio to explore the dangers of excessive pride and vanity.

True Love: Viola’s love for Orsino is portrayed as genuine and constant, in contrast to the fickle nature of other characters’ affections. By the end of the play, Orsino reciprocates Viola’s love, suggesting that true love prevails once identities are revealed.

Disguise and Identity

Overview: The theme of disguise and mistaken identity is central to the plot of Twelfth Night, creating much of the comedy and confusion in the play. Viola’s disguise as Cesario leads to misunderstandings, mixed identities, and highlights the fluidity of gender roles.

Key Aspects of Disguise and Identity:

Viola’s Disguise: Viola’s decision to disguise herself as a man, Cesario, sets the play’s events in motion. Her disguise allows her to move freely in Illyria and work for Orsino, but it also creates complications when Olivia falls in love with Cesario, unaware that "he" is actually a woman.

Mistaken Identity: Mistaken identity is a recurring device in Twelfth Night. The eventual arrival of Sebastian, Viola’s twin brother, causes even more confusion, as he is mistaken for Cesario. This leads to comical misunderstandings and a resolution where mistaken identities are revealed.

Gender Roles: Shakespeare plays with the theme of gender fluidity by having Viola cross-dress as Cesario. This raises questions about how love and attraction transcend traditional gender boundaries. Viola’s disguise blurs the lines between male and female, allowing Shakespeare to explore gender roles and expectations.

True Identity: Throughout the play, characters wrestle with their true identities. Malvolio’s belief that he can rise above his social rank through Olivia's love is an example of self-deception. Ultimately, when true identities are revealed at the end of the play, the characters’ lives are restored to balance.

Madness

Overview: The theme of madness is woven throughout the play, both literally and figuratively. Shakespeare uses madness to explore the effects of love and deception, often blurring the lines between reality and illusion.

Key Aspects of Madness:

Love as Madness: The play frequently portrays love as a form of madness. Characters act irrationally due to love, such as Orsino’s excessive melancholia and Olivia’s sudden infatuation with Cesario. Their extreme behaviours are likened to madness, emphasising the uncontrollable nature of love.

Malvolio’s Madness: A key subplot involves the trick played on Malvolio, where he is led to believe that Olivia loves him. As a result of the prank, Malvolio’s behaviour becomes increasingly bizarre, and he is eventually locked away, with others believing he has gone mad. His treatment raises questions about the cruelty of the prank and the fine line between madness and reason.

Feste’s Role: Feste, the fool, plays with the idea of madness, often pointing out the foolishness of the other characters. As a professional "fool," Feste is allowed to speak truths that others cannot, making him a commentator on the absurdities of love and life.

Festivity and Foolishness

Overview: As Twelfth Night is named after a festival celebrating misrule and revelry, the play contains themes of festivity and foolishness. Characters indulge in pranks, merrymaking, and subversive behaviour, which reflects the festive atmosphere of the Twelfth Night holiday.

Key Aspects of Festivity and Foolishness:

Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew Aguecheek: These two characters represent the play’s spirit of festivity and indulgence. Sir Toby, in particular, loves drinking, feasting, and causing trouble. His antics, along with Sir Andrew’s foolishness, create much of the play’s comedy.

Feste, the Fool: Feste is a licensed fool, whose role is to entertain and speak truths that others might avoid. Through his wit, songs, and playful language, Feste highlights the folly of the other characters, especially their irrational behaviour in love.

The Prank on Malvolio: The subplot involving Malvolio’s humiliation at the hands of Sir Toby, Maria, and others embodies the festive nature of the play. However, this prank also raises questions about cruelty and the limits of festive excess, as Malvolio is left humiliated and vowing revenge by the end.

Social Ambition and Class

Overview: Twelfth Night also explores themes of social ambition and class distinctions. Characters such as Malvolio and Maria seek to rise above their social status, while others, like Sir Toby, scorn such aspirations.

Key Aspects of Social Ambition:

Malvolio’s Ambition: Malvolio, Olivia’s steward, represents the theme of social ambition. He dreams of marrying Olivia and rising above his station, a desire that makes him the subject of ridicule. The forged letter from Olivia fuels his ambition, leading to his downfall and humiliation.

Maria’s Success: In contrast to Malvolio, Maria successfully elevates her social status by marrying Sir Toby. Her cunning and role in the prank on Malvolio help her gain the approval of Sir Toby, allowing her to rise above her lower social standing.

Class Tensions: The play reflects Elizabethan concerns about social mobility and the rigid class system. Malvolio’s downfall serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of aspiring beyond one’s place, while Maria’s rise through marriage suggests that cleverness and wit can lead to social success.

Conclusion

The key themes of Twelfth Night: love, disguise, madness, festivity, and social ambition, interweave to create a complex, entertaining, and thought-provoking play. Shakespeare uses these themes to explore human behaviour, identity, and the often irrational nature of love, while providing moments of comedy and reflection throughout.