Various Types Of Love In Twelfth Night

Every individual has his own way of doing things, and this particular attitude is the only thing which, if portrayed, looks like real. Shakespeare being a fine artist has shown the different types of lovers in their different colours in his play “Twelfth Night”. This play sings the sweetest songs of the lovers. The play is the sweetest and the most delightful comedy, is estimated as a study of love. In fact there is hardly any kind of love which Shakespeare has not dealt with in his play “Twelfth Night”. The play abounds in various types of love which have been finely portrayed by the playwright. Here in the play, apart from others, we find three main characters who are deeply and passionately in love. The most interesting aspect of the treatment of love in this play is that each person presents a different kind of love. The single complex emotion of love takes different shapes due to the difference in the characters.

Now let us discuss Shakespeare’s treatment of various types of love in his “Twelfth Night”—

The Sentimental Love Of Orsino 

The Aggressive Love Of Olivia 

The Conceited Love Of Malvolio 

The Stupid Love Of Aguecheek 

Aguecheek also provides a good quantity of humour. He thinks that the love-goal can be reached by spending money. Though he does not get even a single chance of talking with his beloved, yet he thinks that he is nearing his destination.

Sir Toby’s tastes do not have any affinity with the tastes of others. He loves wandering, eating, drinking, amusing and befooling. He discerns that Maria is the queen of mischief mongers. He falls in love with her. Therefore, his love is rightly named as folly-fallen love.

His love has been named as a practical love, but it should have been named as opportunistic love. As soon as he finds Olivia at his feet, he picks her up. He talks little and asks little to satisfy his anxieties. He never tries to know the facts, because he is afraid that he should lose a fine wife.

Her love is the kind of love which Shakespeare always advocates. Since she is the heroine of the play, this type of love was expected from her only. Her love is silent and idolatry. It is based upon devotion and sacrifice. This ideal type of love always has an unshakable confidence in its success and believes in concealment rather than revelation-

“She never told her love, but let concealment, like a worm ‘i th’ bud, feed on her damask cheek.” 

And moreover such love finds satisfaction while it sits :

Conclusion 

Though there are various types of love in the play, these different types of love have a common quality. All lovers love at first sight. In the climate of romance, it is the rule that all the lovers shall love at once and love absolutely. Nothing else in this world is to be permitted. One glance at Olivia and no work is expected from Orsino for sometime to come. Olivia succubus 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–

Similar Questions

1️⃣ Shakespeare presents love in rich variety. By close reference to the play, show the different kinds of love presented in “Twelfth Night”.

2️⃣ Consider “Twelfth Night” as a striking dissertation on the subject of love, representing the main element of love and many distinct types of lovers.

3️⃣ In “Twelfth Night” there are as many variations on the theme of love as there are characters.