This builds tension between the two characters and we are often exposed to an alternate side of the character that we would not normally get the chance see. Unrequited love is an important aspect of the play because the relationship between the characters adds to the comical effect as one of them is madly in love with another, but their feelings are not reciprocated. Shakespeare depicts unrequited love through the relationships of Orsino and Olivia, Olivia and Cesario, and Sir Andrew and Olivia. Shakespeare uses characters to explore many different types of love throughout the play, such as unrequited and platonic love however, essentially he uses them to say the same thing: that love is not fickle, but is about the personality and disposition of someone rather than their physical attributes. This implies that we can think what we want of Illyria as it is simply a fantasy land, and the play is frankly a ridiculous notion of happiness. I think that Shakespeare is trying to tell us to treat love like everything else in ‘Twelfth Night’ and not to take it so seriously even the subtitle of the play suggests so: ‘What You Will’. She fell in love with Viola’s personality, but settles for Sebastian because of their similar appearance. Olivia is more than happy to exchange her ‘love’ for a fake man, Viola, for that of a real one in Sebastian, whom she has known for mere minutes. They seem to be more obsessed with the thought of love than with love itself. The characters of Orsino and Olivia are overdramatic and very self absorbed. However, I think that at the same time Shakespeare is trying to tell us that love is not always as serious as that. For example, Sir Andrew challenges Viola to fight to the death for Olivia’s hand, and Orsino threatens to kill Viola, the subject of Olivia’s affections, in order to keep her for himself, ‘But this your minion, whom I know you love, And whom, by heaven I swear, I tender dearly, Him will I tear out of that cruel eye, Where he sits crowned in his master’s spite.Īlthough the play is a comedy, it can also be the beginning of a tragedy, as at this point in the play, Viola’s love for Orsino almost costs her her life. Because those who suffer from it are consumed by it and become desperate, they resort to violence to secure the love of another. Orsino describes love dolefully as an ‘appetite’ that he needs to satisfy, but is unable to and Olivia more bluntly describes it as a ‘plague’.Įven Viola who is less melodramatic sighs that ‘My state is desperate for my master’s love’. Shakespeare compares it to disease and suffering, and shows that it can cause pain. It is portrayed as being dangerous and something that can destroy a person, and is very difficult to get rid of. Love is generally represented as something that is irresistible, spontaneous and overpowering. Despite the genre of the play, and the supposedly happy ending, Shakespeare is quite ambiguous with his thoughts on the subjects of love and infatuation.
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