What kind of character is Viola in Twelfth Night?
Viola (Cesario) Character Analysis. The protagonist of Twelfth Night. An aristocratic woman, she is tossed up on the coast of Illyria by a shipwreck at the beginning of the play and disguises herself as the pageboy, Cesario, to make her way. Throughout the play, Viola exhibits strength of character, quick wit, and resourcefulness.
How does viola feel pain in Twelfth Night?
While those two characters seem almost to be play-acting, Viola truly feels pain when she believes that her brother Sebastian died in the shipwreck and when her love for Orsino seems impossible. The Twelfth Night quotes below are all either spoken by Viola (Cesario) or refer to Viola (Cesario).
What do you need to know about Twelfth Night?
Understand every line of Twelfth Night . Read our modern English translation . The protagonist of Twelfth Night. An aristocratic woman, she is tossed up on the coast of Illyria by a shipwreck at the beginning of the play and disguises herself as the pageboy, Cesario, to make her way.
Does viola fall in love with Orsino while in disguise?
While in disguise, she has been charged with wooing Olivia on behalf of Orsino, but by now Viola is in love with Orsino herself. The line is the first time Viola speaks about her attraction to Orsino, and it reveals to the audience that, by disguising herself, she has put herself in a challenging and precarious situation.
How many lines does Viola have in 12th night?
121Total: 121.
How many lines does Olivia have in Twelfth Night?
118Speeches (Lines) for Olivia. in "Twelfth Night" Total: 118.
How many lines does Antonio have in Twelfth Night?
26Total: 26.
What is the most famous line in Twelfth Night?
“Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.”
How old is Viola in Twelfth Night?
Viola's exact age is never mentioned in the Shakespeare play Twelfth Night; however, she is most often played by a young woman and is portrayed to be...
How is Viola presented in Twelfth Night?
Viola Character Sketch All through the play Viola shows strength of character, a quick wit and enormous resourcefulness. Being disguised as a boy leads to an impossible position but in spite of that she maintains self-control and a dignity that contrasts with the excessive emotions of the other main characters.
How many lines is Malvolio in Twelfth Night?
87Total: 87.
Are Sebastian and Viola twins?
Sebastian is the twin brother of Viola. After the beginning of the play, Viola mentions that her brother Sebastian is drowned in the sea.
Is Antonio in love with Bassanio?
Antonio's feelings for Bassanio, is not the ordinary conventional love. His agape runs deep for his friend. He esteems his friend's needs above his own to the extent that he puts his life on the line for Bassanio.
What is the last line of Twelfth Night?
If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it, that surfeiting, The appetite may sicken and so die.
Why does Viola disguise herself as a man?
In Twelfth Night, Viola dresses as the male Cesario in order to gain entry into Orsino's court. In Elizabethan England, women were not allowed to act professionally, and female parts were all performed by men, so Viola would have actually been played by a male actor, dressing as a woman dressing as a man.
What is the first line of Twelfth Night?
The opening lines of Twelfth Night, in which a moping Orsino, attended by his servants and musicians, says, “If music be the food of love, play on,” establish how love has conquered Orsino (I.i. 1 ).
What does Olivia say in Twelfth Night?
I have said too much unto a heart of stone / And laid mine honor too unchary on't (3.4.)
How is Olivia described in Twelfth Night?
Olivia. A wealthy, beautiful, and noble Illyrian lady, Olivia is courted by Orsino and Sir Andrew Aguecheek, but to each of them she insists that she is in mourning for her brother, who has recently died, and will not marry for seven years.
Who does Olivia fall in love with?
Olivia quickly falls in love with the witty Cesario (Viola's name when she is in disguise) because Cesario is unafraid of saying what he/she is thinking, even though Cesario never says anything nice to Olivia (except, of course, when speaking Orsino's messages).
How does Olivia change in Twelfth Night?
Olivia obsesses over her love for Cesario until she learns Cesario is really a woman and then she falls in love with a man named Sebastian, who is Viola's (Cesario's) twin brother. Once Olivia gets over her grief and stops being obsessive about her emotions, she is able to fall in love.
What is Viola's problem in the play?
Viola’s chief problem throughout the play is one of identity. Because of her disguise, she must be both herself and Cesario. This mounting identity crisis culminates in the final scene, when Viola finds herself surrounded by people who each have a different idea of who she is and are unaware of who she actually is. Were Twelfth Night not a comedy, this pressure might cause Viola to break down. Sebastian’s appearance at this point, however, effectively saves Viola by allowing her to be herself again. Sebastian, who independent of his sister is not much of a character, takes over the aspects of Viola’s disguise that she no longer wishes to maintain. Thus liberated by her brother, Viola is free to shed the roles that she has accumulated throughout the play, and she can return to being Viola, the woman who has loved and won Orsino.
How does Sebastian save Viola?
Sebastian’s appearance at this point, however, effectively saves Viola by allowing her to be herself again. Sebastian, who independent of his sister is not much of a character, takes over the aspects of Viola’s disguise that she no longer wishes to maintain.
Is Viola likable in Twelfth Night?
Twelfth Night. Like most of Shakespeare’s heroines, Viola is a tremendously likable figure. She has no serious faults, and we can easily discount the peculiarity of her decision to dress as a man, since it sets the entire plot in motion. She is the character whose love seems the purest. The other characters’ passions are fickle: Orsino jumps ...
What does Orsino think of Viola?
Viola hints to Orsino about her true feelings for him. Orsino does not pick up on the clues because he believes Viola is a man, and that the two of them are speaking man to man. Orsino assumes Viola is talking about a sister but the audience knows Viola is really speaking about herself.
Why does Viola lament the difficult situation she finds herself in?
Viola laments the difficult situation she finds herself in. Because she does not want to reveal her true identity and history, there is little she can do to fix all the confusion, or correct the situation. She simply has to sit back and wait, and hope that things work themselves out. The line foreshadows the way that fate and coincidence will end up resolving the conflict of the play without much direct intervention from the characters.
Why is Olivia so alarmed by Viola?
Viola is alarmed that Olivia, thinking Viola is Cesario, has fallen in love with her. Although Viola initially thought being disguised as a man would make her life easier and help keep her safe, she realizes that the disguise also creates problems for her. In Shakespeare’s original context, the quote would likely have comic implications for the audience, since Viola would have been portrayed by a young man dressed as a woman.
Why does Viola rebuke Olivia?
Viola rebukes Olivia for rejecting Orsino, and for insisting on remaining single. Viola says that since Olivia is so beautiful, it would be a shame for her to remain single (and thus, presumably childless). If Olivia never has children, her beauty will die with her, which Viola thinks would be a shame. The quote is important because Viola is actually speaking to Olivia as another woman, and thus her advice about getting married and having children takes on a different tone.
What would happen if Olivia never had children?
If Olivia never has children, her beauty will die with her, which Viola thinks would be a shame. The quote is important because Viola is actually speaking to Olivia as another woman, and thus her advice about getting married and having children takes on a different tone. Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness (2.2.)
Where is Viola in Twelfth Night?
Viola is the central character in Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night. She is washed up on a beach in Illyria after losing her twin brother in a shipwreck. She disguises herself as a boy, gives herself the name Cesario and finds employment with Duke Orsino, the wealthy young ruler of Illyria.
Who does Orsino love in Twelfth Night?
In Twelfth Night, the Duke Orsino sends Viola, whom he thinks is the young man, Cesario, to woo Olivia on his behalf. In the process he falls in love with Cesario, and some of the best lines in the play are an expression of that. When she is revealed as a woman in the last scene it makes no difference to him whether she is a man or a woman. That is not an issue and it is an excellent illustration of the Elizabethan gender attitude, where, like in contemporary society, falling in love was not necessarily gender-based.
What is Twelfth Night About?
Twelfth Night is a mature work, written around 1602, about the same time as Hamlet. It is a fast-paced romantic comedy with several interwoven plots of romance, mistaken identities and practical jokes.
What is the role of Viola in Illyria?
Viola is a dream role for an actor . Of all Shakespeare’s female roles it is Viola that provides the most scope and potential for an actor.
What does Viola show in the play?
All through the play Viola shows strength of character, a quick wit and enormous resourcefulness. Being disguised as a boy leads to an impossible position but in spite of that she maintains self-control and a dignity that contrasts with the excessive emotions of the other main characters.
Who is Olivia's emissary?
All these qualities, plus the loyalty she shows Orsino, crowned by her skill in music and conversation, win the complete trust of Orsino, enough to use her as his emissary to Olivia to woo her on his behalf.