Although I really enjoyed reading the Twelfth Night, I had a hard time suspending my disbelief and just "getting over" the many incongruities. The entire plot is founded on various characters falling and being in "love" with each other, but Shakespeare's version of love is far different than my own. The whirlwind, borderline-obsessive romances between the characters seemed farcical and ridiculous. Not once did I feel that Orsino’s “love” for Olivia was legitimate, or that Olivia’s feelings for Ceasario justified her embarrassing behavior. Instead, it seemed like Shakespeare used such “love” as a device to move the plot forward and justify the most absurd events in the story. If found myself forced to set aside my own notions on love and accept Shakespeare’s definition in order to get through and enjoy the play.
Shakespeare’s love is immediate – Viola falls for Orsino, Olivia for Ceasario, and Sebastian for Olivia within days and even hours of meeting one another. This differs greatly from modern society’s (and my own) view of love as a slow and gentle process based on getting to know a person’s true character and loving them for that character, flaws and all. Shakespeare’s characters do not even see their love interests’ flaws – Olivia is so blinded by her love for Caesario she misses the fact that he is a woman. Shakespeare’s version of love is also far more unrelenting than my own views – what he calls persistent courtship, I would deem stalking. Orsino’s incessant pestering of Olivia is enough to earn him a restraining order today but is accepted as par for the course by the other characters. I found Orsino’s endless harassing of Olivia one of the most absurd aspects – how can he possibly be so in love with her, he doesn’t even know her! This has to do with the third main difference between Shakespeare’s love and my own views – his love seems completely unfounded. I couldn’t see why Viola would ever fall for Orsino while he’s fawning over Olivia like a puppy. There is no reason for anyone to like who they like – even Maria and Toby’s little romance is completely unfounded. I disagreed with Shakespeare’s definition of love but found I did agree with his greater message about love.
Above all the debauchery and confusion and absurdity of Twelfth Night, the them of the play is “love conquers all.” The honesty and devotion of the love characters have for one another triumphs the disguises and idiocy, giving everyone (accept maybe Andrew and Malvolio) a happy ending. This is an idea that carries as much relevance and popularity today as it did in Shakespeare’s time. It’s an idea that, despite my cynical moments when I view love as a myth, believe as well. Everyone just wants somebody to love, and I think Shakespeare does an excellent job of portraying the feverish desire for a “someone.” Despite their flaws, I was legitimately pleased that Sebastian and Olivia and Orsino and Viola wound up together and hoped they would continue to be happy and in love. Like Shakespeare, I view love as the single defining aspect of our lives – something to be searched for, dreamed of, longed for, and cherished, in spite of the sometimes-absurd obstacles along the way. (543)
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