Why is Viola Disguising herself?
In William Shakespeare’s iconic play, Twelfth Night, Viola arrives in Illyria following the death of her mother and brother in a naval battle. Seeking to understand the whereabouts of her stranded brother, Sebastian, who was believed to have succumbed to the disaster, Viola decides to disguise herself as a man named Cesario (a boyhood friend turned pageant) to attain the service of the court of Duke Orsino. Why is she doing this?
Viola’s primary objective of disguising herself is twofold: to search for her brother and get close to Orsino, the Duke of Illyria, to communicate with him about her mother’s demise and the tragedy that has befallen her family. By feigning to be male, she can infiltrate the male-dominated society and learn more about the situation facing her brother.
Orsino’s Love Letter
When Viola comes to Orsino, she becomes his valet and confidant, Cesario. The Duke mistakenly believes that Cesario – Viola in disguise as a man – is of the opposite sex, and a love letter he writes has been penned to the ill-fated Cesario mistakenly, rather than his ill-fated love, Laura. This confusion will subsequently lead to a series of confusions, misadventures, and romantic mismatches that unfold throughout the play.
Why else is Viola Disguising herself?
At the beginning of the third act, Viola’s identity as Cesario is not revealed, highlighting the tension and drama her disguise has created. Unbeknownst to everybody, Viola has mastered the role of a dashing young man, able to hold conversations, dress, and behave as both a boy and a ‘man’ without raising alarm. The complexity of emotions and thoughts that arise can be observed through the analysis of Viola’s interior monologue:
"…So I would be / At one of these three pastimes; the othermost / A servile use of love, or by the state / A master of mine, of my own dear heart – / Which, a trifling man, as I perceive most are / Of thee, Cesario, ’tis tho’ thy wit, Thy wit’s as subtle as thy heart was -**"
With this statement, we see Voila is struggling to confess her feelings for Orsino. Her thoughts evoke a deeper level of attachment, love, and emotion, a bond even stronger than the love affair between Orsino’s love interest, Olivia!
Viola’s Self-Discovery, Love, and Self-Control
The act of ‘disguise’ (or rather, the manipulation of Viola’s new identity as Cesario to achieve her goals) showcases the strength and vulnerability of the tragic heroine, a dichotomy of human attributes. In the **same breath, we can learn about Viola’s identity, as well as unravel the secrets and the ‘whispers’ hidden amid the fabric of her internal monologue. The themes of self-discovery play a vital role in understanding
Consequences of Impersonation
Viola’s deception creates an astonishing array of situations. Among these is the mistaken appearance of Sebastian, Viola’s real brother, that leads to confusion among most characters in the play about the relationships between Viola, Sebastian, and ultimately, the tangled complexities of Orsino- Olivia-Laura relationships**. This play-with-the-words creates an artistic masterpiece. The dramatic chaos that follows stems from Viola’s determination to achieve love and family connection while coping with her mixed role.
Verdict: Viola
Viola’s sacrifices and ultimate self-revelation speak volumes about the universal human experiences. She wears the disguise of a courtier and becomes bound to Orsino’, which serves as metaphor for her love connection and her search
References
- Aristotle, Poetics. Translated by Gerald Pound.
- Shakespeare Twelfth Night, Twelfth Night Act 5, Scene 1)