William Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ wr...

William Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' wr...

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William Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' written between 1601 to 1602, explores the major themes of love, identity, and desire within the social expectations of the Elizabethan era. David Schalkwyk's (2010) perspective of love in Twelfth Night as “not an internal condition but a form of action and behaviour”, is only somewhat supported and shown throughout the play. Schalkwyk's view on love is justified through some characters including Malvolio, who sees love as a transactional and behavioural role. Comparatively, characters such as Viola and Antonio, show love not just through forms of actions, behaviours, and roles but also are driven through internal conditions or bonds. Thus, proving that Schalkwyk's stance on love in Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' is only partially true.

Shakespeare creates the character Malvolio to critique transactional and behavioral nature of love. During the Elizabethan era, social hierarchy was very rigid, and the only way to position yourself higher was to marry a person of higher and wealthier class. Malvolio who is presented as a steward, perfectly demonstrates this. Malvolio's love is never conceptualized as an internal condition or bond but a plan to move upwards in the strict Elizabethan hierarchy. This behavioral perspective of love is exemplified when he follows the forged letter, and wears controversial clothing, including yellow stockings and cross-gartered garments, to display his feelings and devotion to Olivia. Through the use of these peculiar "fashion" choices, Shakespeare demonstrates how love can be reduced to a performative action for wealth and power.

This manipulation relies on dramatic irony; while Malvolio believes that his behavior and the role he is playing will win Olivia's love, the audience is aware that these actions disgust her as she hates the very choices which were written in the forged letter. Malvolio's romantic pursuit of Olivia positions the audience to see the selfish and ugly side of traditional love, driven by a desire to gain wealth, status and authority. By seeking the hand of Olivia, a lady of higher class, Malvolio reveals that his so-called love, is a calculated plan to climb the rigid social hierarchy. Shakespeare's use of Malvolio's character highlights the transactional and behavioral nature of love, ultimately justifying Schalkwyk's perspective, of love being a form of action or behavior, not an internal condition.

Shakespeare's portrayal of Viola as Cesario highlights the performative nature of love, and the roles people play but also the internal condition that drives it. During the Elizabethan era, women had no agency, thus compelling Viola to disguise herself as Cesario to maintain her independence and protect herself in a foreign land. Due to her disguise, when she falls helplessly in love with the duke she is forced to contain her feelings. Her constant help and service to him even when she is being hurt by the reasons behind the tasks, shows that actions, behaviours and internal condition are all presentations of love. Shakespeare utilises dramatic irony to position the audience, who know that Cesario is a girl, to see the internal struggles that Viola faces during her time serving the Duke and disguised as Cesario. This is evident when she says, "To woo your lady…whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife". This portrays the internal battle that she faces between serving the duke and maintaining the heartbreak, or the unforeseeable event of which she tells him who she truly is. She decides to let him continue breaking her heart and continue serving him to make him happy showing how love as an internal bond can influence the behaviours and actions of someone in love. Viola's actions and behaviours are shaped not only by her role as Cesario, but also by a deep internal bond that she feels towards the duke, proving that she sits on the border of the prompt, showing love both internally and as a role, behaviour and action.

Shakespeare creates the character Antonio to challenge Schalkwyk's point, showing that love is an authentic internal condition, that drive selfless actions. [add Cultural assumptions of the time] After rescuing Sebastian from the shipwreck, Antonio risks his life to follow Sebastian into the dangerous streets of Ilyria, driven by the force of love. Antonio's relationship with Sebastion begins as a deep internal bond rather than a practiced, theatrical act. This drive is exemplified when Antonio says “My desire, more sharp than filed steel, did spur me forth.” Through the use of this metaphor, that compares his love to filed steel, Shakespeare conveys the intensity of Antonio's feelings, suggesting his love for Sebastian is so strong that it hurts. Shakespeare also uses personification in the quote, showing that his desire is physically pushing him towards Sebastian. Shakespeare highlights that Antonio's love towards Sebastion is not passive nor a social plan, but an internal bond between a saviour and a survivor. This internal bond directly affects his actions, as he willingly enters enemy territory to ensure Sebastion's safety, prioritizing his friend's life over his own. Rather than exploiting Sebastion for his wealth and power, Antonio's willingness to sacrifice his own life proves that his external actions are driven by a deep internal bond. By showing a character whose external actions are fuelled by internal bond, Shakespeare reveals that love is not just a behavioural performance, but a powerful internal condition, that demands extreme physical action.

Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is performed in a light and comedic way, however, explores the major theme of love in various layers and depths and reveals the complexities within the social expectations during the Elizabethan era. Although Malvolio's character displays love in a transactional and behavioral way, Viola and Antonio both show that there is more to love than just behaviors which are fueled by an aspect of internal bond or condition. Shakespeare's use of these characters only partially justifies Schalkwyk's assertion that love in the play is “not an internal condition but a form of action and behavior”.

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