Question — Essay-type
Discuss ‘Twelfth Night’ as a Shakespearean comedy.
‘Twelfth Night’ is considered to be a romantic comedy. The atmosphere of ‘Twelfth Night’ is romantic. We feel as if we were transported to a world of make-believe and were far away from the accepted standards and conventions of ordinary life.
In the romantic atmosphere of ‘Twelfth Night’ many strange things take place. It is in fact a land of imagination. Its no use questioning all the things that take place here. Viola disguises herself as a man in order to get into the service of the Duke. We should not question whether Viola would betray herself in the disguise. We should also not question whether brother and sister resembled each other so much that they were confused for each for each other even by Olivia and Orsino. We should take for granted such strange things in this romantic atmosphere. In such a strange world it is not unnatural to find a Duke languishing in love for a haughty and indifferent lady.
Shakespeare being a skillful writer makes us suspend our disbelief in such improbable things. With his beautiful poetry he lulls our common sense to sleep. He succeeds in casting a charm over his characters, particularly women characters. He utilizes songs to promote the romantic atmosphere of the play. Feste makes a rich contribution to the attainment of this end. Once we suspend our disbelief regarding the original data, we pursue the incidents stage by stage and find everything logical. Once we accept the possibility of Viola’s manly disguise, Olivia’s falling in love with her at first sight appears quite natural and logical.
In the climate of romance. It is the rule that all the lovers shall love at once and love absolutely. Nothing else in the world is to be permitted. One glance at Olivia, and no work is expected from Orsino for sometime to come. Olivia succumbs in one interview. Viola falls in love with the Duke at first sight. Sebastian falls in love with Olivia at first sight. All these remind us of the line–
“Whoever loved that loved not at first sight?”
The heroines of romantic comedies make the plays very interesting. As has already been noted, love is the foundation of the plot in a Shakespearean comedy. That is why women play a very prominent part here. Probably to Shakespeare, love was a part of a man’s life but the whole of a woman’s being. Viola, the heroine of ‘Twelfth Night’, plays a great part in this respect. She is, at once, tender and sensitive, witty and resourceful, womanly and enterprising. With her manly disguise, she sets afoot a number of complications. She faces the future with confidence. She may be compared to Beatrice or Portia. With her patience and charm, broad-minded and selfless love, she not only attains her objective, but also helps other lovers to meet fulfilment of their passions. Really, women in Shakespearean comedies take the initiative.
Shakespeare includes an element of realism in his romantic comedies in order to give them a semblance of truth. The first two scenes pitch their language high. Viola and the captain walk off. A door seems to open. We step into the buttery. A voice cries– “I am sure care’s an enemy to life.” The air seems to change. It is Illyria no longer. Every member of the audience of every reader knows that he is at home again among friends. It is in his power over these two worlds–Nowhere and England that Shakespeare’s romantic comedies excels all others.
Shakespeare achieves this harmonious blend of romantic and comic atmosphere by means of a unique parallelism. The foolish pursuit of Olivia by Orsino is reflected in an equally foolish pursuit of his mistress by Malvolio and Sir Andrew. The under-plot is a sort of parody of the main-plot, such a balance and symmetry heighten the effect of the play.
The spirit of comedy is beautifully blended with the spirit of romance.
Shakespeare succeeds in developing his romantic comedies because he does not lose his sympathy for even the most ludicrous of his characters. We may laugh as much as we look at Malvolio, but he always seems to maintain his dignity and to command our sympathy. He seems to be more sinned than sinning. This applies to Sir Toby, Maria, Sir Andrew. A genial spirit pervades the whole of ‘Twelfth Night’.
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