William Shakespeare is a great English playwright, a true reformer in areas such as literature and theater. Despite the fact that he and his work are very famous all over the world, we know very little about his personality.
This does not prevent his works from being the most quoted in the world, after the Bible, of course. Shakespeare's quotes have become truly popular, they are used even by those who may not have read the work itself. In the legacy of the playwright more than ten comedy plays. Everyone knows the comedies “A Midsummer Night's Dream”, “The Merchant of Venice”, “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Taming of the Shrew,” and others. Despite the fact that all Shakespearean comedies are not alike, they have something in common. All of them are filled with unbridled fun, which is sometimes intertwined with sadness, and also in them are outstanding, life-loving heroes.
Romantic tale of a wonderful country of love
One of Shakespeare's most fun and cheerful comedies is the twelfth comedy night". The play, which I just want to call a wonderful romantic tale, telling about the extraordinary country of Illyria, a country where fun and love reign. The playwright shows the viewer the country in which the hero is looking for love, and he will certainly find it, although sometimes it is completely not where he was looking for it. This comedy is one of his most fun plays, which is filled with a variety of jokes and optimism. The Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare is a brilliant, refined work, which the author built on precise aphorisms, on the play of not only words, but also a game of the mind. The happiness of the heroes of the Shakespearean play is very close, they do not even expect that it is around the next bend. Relatives, whom they do not even hope to meet, they will also see very soon. And it's all so nice and so unexpected. Here is the main summary. “Twelfth Night” - Shakespeare is here, as always magnificent and unusually witty.
About William Shakespeare's Comedy "Twelfth Night, or Anything"
In the center of Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night, we see love feelings that are shown by the natural beginning with its whimsicality and subjectivity. Shakespeare's quotes perfectly emphasize this attitude towards love. Such feelings are inherent only to free natures, which are the main characters of the work. When this strong feeling of love is confronted with various adverse circumstances, a conflict occurs. But what about comedy without comic effects? They are achieved by the playwright by the way he depicts various obstacles that arise in the way of the main characters in love. After all, these obstacles are actually illusory. The whole action of this fun comedy is accompanied by tremendous tension, which does not leave us until the climax, which turns out to be no less bright. This is clearly visible, even if you read the summary (Twelfth Night, Shakespeare).
Acting characters
All the events of this famous Shakespearean comedy will take place in the fabulous country of Illyria, near the seashore. To understand what is happening, you must first get acquainted with the main characters of the play. Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, the main characters:
- the girl Viola, who pretends to be Caesario's page;
- Duke of Illyria Orsino;
- Young Countess Olivia;
- twin brother of Viola Sebastian;
- friend of Viola and Sebastian, captain of the ship Antonio;
- Olivia's uncle Sir Toby Belch;
- Olivia's admirer and her uncle's companion, Sir Andrew Aiguychik.
Also in the comedy there are such characters as the close associates of the Duke Curio and Valentin, the servants of Olivia Feste and Fabian, the cameraman Maria.
Theme, events, main characters
The main idea of ​​"Twelfth Night" is revealed by a talented playwright through the eternal theme of love and consists in the value of a person, in itself, not taking into account his title, social status or wealth. In the first place is his soul, moral qualities. Let’s take a look at the summary. "Twelfth Night," Shakespeare. Comedy events will develop based on the situation that is shown in the exhibition. The main character named Viola during one of the sea voyages lost her beloved brother, as told by the captain. Another heroine of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is the young Countess Olivia, who is in mourning. She mourns the death of her brother and father, and therefore lives as a recluse. The duke of Orsino, who just wants to be in love, looks after her. A suitable candidate in his environment is the beautiful Olivia. He invented this love for himself, but does nothing to personally express his feelings. He does not seek meetings with the young countess, but sends his courtiers to her.
Plot plot
It is with the plot in the comedy that various misunderstandings will begin, which will often look funny, partly funny. When Viola makes a strange decision - go to the service of the Duke. But to serve Orsino, she does not act as Viola, but as Caesario. From this moment, everything was messed up, everyone has a new object of love. So Viola falls in love with the one she serves. But how to open up to the duke? It's impossible. Viola herself really liked the young Olivia, who begins to feel sincere feelings for Cesario's page.
But Viola in the role of Cesario, of course, cannot answer them. Even as a result of these events, Sir Andrew's jealousy erupts, which challenges young Caesario to a duel. The denouement in the comedy will come only when Caesario's secret is revealed. This will happen with the advent of Sebastian, Viola's twin brother. Only then will the suffering of the disguised girl be over (read the summary, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night).
Characteristics of female images of Shakespeare's comedy "Twelfth Night"
The female images depicted by Shakespeare in Twelfth Night are decisive and active, they are more generous and noble than men.
Despite the fact that Viola’s monologue (Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare) emphasizes: “Oh, how weak women are, alas ...” They have more positive qualities than male characters. The most striking image in this sense is the image of the main character, Viola. He perfectly shows the man of the Renaissance. Viola is a beautiful, educated and well-mannered girl who is also enterprising, active and brave. She can be called the mistress of her life with confidence, she easily disposes people to herself. And being in an unfamiliar environment, quickly mastered, boldly acts and captivates everyone who is close to her.
Countess Olivia is also worthy of praise. She is decisive, and also honest. He lives by the dictates of his heart, therefore he does not doubt for a minute, choosing an unfamiliar young man, to whom he has deep feelings instead of marriage ties by calculation.
Even Maria, the countess’s chamberlain, can fight back and stand up for herself if necessary. She is bold, inventive, very sharp on the tongue.
Men's images. Their features
We continue to consider the work written by William Shakespeare. "Twelfth Night" is a comedy that clearly shows the equivalence of women and men. Each of the male images presented in the play of the playwright embodies one of the features of a female character.
Duke of Orsino with a purely Italian temperament. He is very power-hungry, therefore does not suffer a refusal. Despite these features of behavior, it is very difficult to call him vindictive or selfish. In essence, he is still magnanimous. Having learned about the countess’s sympathy for the page, at first Orsino does not take into account her feelings. He is jealous, takes revenge, but, having received a refusal, immediately retreats.
Sir Toby also has many negative qualities: he is not serious and unreliable, he loves feasts and cannot stand any duties. It is not surprising that at his advanced age he is still a bachelor. But love makes him more attractive.
As for Sebastian, then this is a positive character from all possible sides. He is very handsome, but also honest and courageous. Not surprisingly, it was him who was preferred by Olivia, and not by the power-loving duke. The image of Sebastian is an image of a kind of "handsome prince", the embodiment of knightly honor and valor.
Image of love feelings in the comedy of W. Shakespeare "Twelfth Night, or Anything"
Love in Shakespeare's works, in particular in the comedy Twelfth Night, is one of the main themes through which the author affirms the basic humanist idea. But the love depicted by him is a kind of whimsical feeling in a variety of ways. Most often it occurs unexpectedly, even suddenly. Shakespearean love has many hypostases, depending on the hero in love. After all, they all love not the same way, but in their own way. The playwright shows each person as a personality, individuality, which is characterized by personal experiences that are not like others.
Love relationships on the example of couples in love from the comedy "Twelfth Night"
The Duke of Orsini's love for Olivia was invented. When he recognizes Viola in love with Cesario, he decides to marry her right away. Which, on the one hand, may seem hasty, but, given how well the duke already knew Caesario, his act does not look frivolous.
Suddenly, Olivia's love for a simple page flashed. But she does not care about either the social status of the chosen one or his financial situation. She acts and seeks reciprocity. Sebastiano, who is mistaken for Cesario, considers the Countess's love a gift of fate, immediately reciprocating it.
Another pair of lovers is Sir Toby and Mary. For the nobleman Toby Belch, the fact that Mary is a simple servant does not matter. Social status does not matter for any of the heroes in love.