Language (Twelfth Night)

This section explores the use of language in the play Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s use of language in Twelfth Night is varied and rich, reflecting the play’s complex themes of love, disguise, gender, and identity. Through his use of verse and prose, imagery, wordplay, and dramatic irony, Shakespeare creates a world where characters navigate both the joys and confusions of love and identity, often through the manipulation and misinterpretation of language itself.

Verse and Prose

In Twelfth Night, Shakespeare uses a mix of verse and prose, a common feature in his plays. The choice between these two forms often reflects the social status of characters and the tone of the scene.

Verse: Higher-status characters, like Duke Orsino and Olivia, often speak in iambic pentameter (unrhymed lines of ten syllables with alternating stresses). This elevated form of speech suggests sophistication and formality. For example, Orsino’s famous opening speech, “If music be the food of love, play on” (Act 1, Scene 1), is written in verse, underscoring his lofty, poetic view of love.

Prose: Lower-status characters, such as Sir Toby Belch and Feste, typically speak in prose, which is more conversational and down-to-earth. Prose is also used in scenes involving comedy, casual conversation, or when characters are being deceptive, such as when Viola (as Cesario) speaks informally with others while maintaining her disguise.

Shakespeare’s use of verse and prose helps to distinguish the social hierarchy and emotional states of the characters. When characters switch between the two, it often reflects a change in tone, emotion, or the situation they are in.

Imagery and Symbolism

Shakespeare employs vivid imagery and symbolic language throughout Twelfth Night to explore the themes of love, disguise, and identity.

Love as Sickness: Love is frequently compared to a form of illness, particularly by Orsino, who is consumed by unrequited love. He refers to love as “a great plague” (Act 1, Scene 1) and describes himself as being "sick of love". This imagery conveys love as an overwhelming, irrational force that has a powerful, sometimes negative, effect on individuals.

Hunting and Nature Imagery: Orsino also uses hunting and natural imagery when discussing love. He compares Olivia to a deer being hunted: "O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first / Methought she purged the air of pestilence!" (Act 1, Scene 1). This language objectifies Olivia and presents love as a pursuit or a chase, reflecting the traditional gender roles of the time.

Disguise and Deception: The theme of disguise is central to Twelfth Night. Viola’s disguise as Cesario leads to a series of misunderstandings, and Shakespeare uses language related to deception and appearance versus reality to explore this theme. Viola herself reflects on the confusion caused by her disguise in a soliloquy: “Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness” (Act 2, Scene 2). This line hints at the moral ambiguity and consequences of deception.

Wordplay and Pun

Shakespeare’s plays often feature wordplay, including puns, which are particularly prevalent in Twelfth Night, adding to the play’s comedic tone. This playful use of language highlights the characters’ wit and intelligence, while also contributing to the theme of confusion and misunderstanding.

Feste, the fool, is particularly skilled at using puns and wordplay to challenge other characters’ perceptions. In Act 1, Scene 5, when Olivia calls him a "fool," Feste responds with a clever retort: “Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.” Feste’s wordplay forces the audience to consider the fine line between wisdom and foolishness.

Malvolio is also the target of puns and wordplay, particularly during the prank played on him. Sir Toby and Maria exploit Malvolio’s inflated sense of self, tricking him into believing that Olivia is in love with him. The letter that Malvolio reads contains ambiguous language, full of double meanings that lead to his eventual humiliation.

Shakespeare’s use of wordplay in Twelfth Night often underscores the theme of misunderstanding and the play’s exploration of language as a tool of both deception and revelation.

Dramatic Irony

Dramatic irony is a key feature in Twelfth Night, where the audience knows more than the characters, heightening both the comedy and the tension.

Viola’s Disguise: The most prominent example of dramatic irony in the play is Viola’s disguise as Cesario. The audience is aware of her true identity, but the other characters are not. This leads to comical misunderstandings, particularly in Olivia’s infatuation with Cesario, and creates tension as the audience anticipates how the truth will eventually be revealed.

Malvolio’s Letter: Another example of dramatic irony occurs in the subplot involving Malvolio. The audience knows that the letter he reads is part of a prank, but Malvolio takes its contents seriously, leading to his absurd behaviour in front of Olivia. This creates humour as the audience watches Malvolio become increasingly deluded.

Dramatic irony in Twelfth Night plays with the audience’s understanding of truth and falsehood, adding complexity to the themes of disguise and identity.

Themes of Gender and Identity in Language

Language in Twelfth Night is deeply intertwined with the play’s exploration of gender roles and identity. Viola’s cross-dressing and disguise as Cesario create a space for Shakespeare to challenge and play with conventional ideas about gender and attraction.

Gender Confusion: Throughout the play, characters are attracted to one another based on mistaken identities. Olivia falls in love with Cesario, unaware that "he" is actually Viola in disguise, while Viola, in her role as Cesario, develops feelings for Orsino. The language used in these interactions is deliberately ambiguous, blurring the lines between male and female, and exploring themes of gender fluidity.

Double Meanings: Shakespeare often employs double meanings in the characters’ dialogues, allowing them to express multiple layers of identity. For example, when Viola (as Cesario) speaks to Orsino about love, her words carry dual meanings. When she says, “My father had a daughter loved a man” (Act 2, Scene 4), she is speaking about herself, but Orsino interprets it as a hypothetical example, unaware of the truth. This use of language adds complexity to the theme of identity and deception.

Language of Love

Shakespeare uses a range of language styles to depict different forms of love in Twelfth Night. From romantic and poetic expressions to comic and foolish declarations, the play presents love in its many guises.

Orsino’s Melancholic Love: Orsino’s language is highly romanticised and melodramatic. He uses elaborate metaphors and exaggerated expressions of his unrequited love for Olivia. His language reflects a self-indulgent and idealised view of love, particularly in his speeches about music and its connection to love: "If music be the food of love, play on" (Act 1, Scene 1).

Olivia’s Instant Love: Olivia’s sudden infatuation with Cesario is expressed in a more direct and impulsive manner. Her language, though still poetic, reflects the immediacy and intensity of her feelings. She declares, “Even so quickly may one catch the plague?” (Act 1, Scene 5), comparing love to a contagious disease, again showing love as an overpowering force.

Comic Love: The subplot involving Sir Toby Belch and Maria, as well as Malvolio’s absurd ambitions towards Olivia, presents love in a more comic light. The exaggerated language of Malvolio, particularly when he believes Olivia loves him, is both ridiculous and pompous, as seen in his reading of the letter: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them” (Act 2, Scene 5).