True Love in Twelfth Night

A detailed Summary of True Love in Twelfth Night

In William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, love and gender is lost in the festival that is Illyria. Throughout the play true love and true gender is questioned. In most cases in Illyria, love and gender are somehow jaded, the truth can not be taken for certain. What is perceived may not be what truly lies behind the mask. In most cases, love is taken to the excess and loses its true meaning. But, in Illyria, there is love that rings true. Among all the chaos and festival true love does survive and it overflows in Viola. Even though she is too a part of the festival in Illyria, her love, is true love. Her love is not false like the love of so many characters in Shakespeare's play. Under her mask of Cesario, her love for Orsino unfolds.

Throughout the play all of the characters in the play take love to the extreme or can not understand the true meaning of love. As the play opens, Orsino is declaring his love for Olivia. In his speech and his actions, as seen in the film, he seems to have his idea of love somewhat misconstrued. "If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, That appetite may sicken and so die" (1. 1. 1-3). Orsino can not truly love anyone or anything if this is wha

In all this madness in Illyria, Viola is the only one that remains true to her love. From the very beginning she has a true love for Orsino. Even though she is masked as a man she still tries to express her love for Orsino in small poetic phrases. She understands that while she is disguised as a man she can not have her love. "She sat like patience on a monument, Smiling at grief. Was this not love indeed?" (2. 5. 126-27). She still truly feels for Orsino and tries to aid him in his pursuit of Olivia. She knows that she is lost in her pursuit of Orsino so she does her best to bring as much joy as possible to Orsino. If she can not have him then he should at least be happy. Viola is not caught up in herself, or wants love taken to the extreme, or lost in self defeat or self pity. She has a true and unselfish love for the man that makes her happy.

t he believes love is. He takes love to the excess, Orsino wants it all. All of the feelings and emotions that go with true love, and he needs it all to the point of gorging himself. Another example would be Sir Toby Belch. Sir Toby is so caught up in his love of drinking that he misses the love that is being expressed to him by Maria. Sir Toby is so lost in his alcoholic haze that he refuses to see the relationship that could have been. His love for the b

Some common words found in the essay are:
Illyria Throughout, Illyria Viola, Toby Belch, Malvolio Malvolio, Olivia Viola, Sir Toby, Maria Olivia, Viola Orsino, true love, Twelfth Night, self pity, sir toby, love orsino, illyria love, self love, love somewhat misconstrued, idea love, love somewhat, love excess, toby belch, recognize false letter, sir toby belch,

Approximate Word count = 893
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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True Love in Twelfth Night

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