Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night is a William Shakespeare’s comedy that is believed to have been written 1600-02 as an entertainment for the twelfth night for the Christmas season’s closure. The play is centred on the twins Sebastian and Viola, who part ways in a shipwreck incident. Viola (who is disguised as a boy in the play) is interested with and falls in love with Duke Orsino, but Duke is in love with Countless Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia mistakes her for a man and in turn falls in love with her. The play expanded on the riotous disorder and musical interludes expected of the occasion, with elements of the plot being obtained from the “Apollonius and Silla” short story by Barnabe Rich, which was initially based on Matteo bandle lo's story. The first performance was recorded on 2nd February 1602, at Christmas tide's formal end in the year’s calendar. The play was not published earlier than its inclusion in the 1623 first folio.

The synopsis of the twelfth night

Viola is shipwrecked on the llyria coast, but a captain helps her reach ashore. From this incident, she loses contact with Sebastian her twin brother, who she perceives as dead. She portrays herself as a man by the name Cesario to join the service of Duke Orsino through the interventions of the sea captain who aids her. Duke Orsino later convinces himself that he is deeply in love with Olivia, whose brother and father have recently died, and who refuses to acknowledge charming things, be in man’s company and entertain marriage or love proposals from any person until the end of seven years without the exception of Duke. Cesario is used as an intermediary by Duke Orsino to express his passionate love before Olivia. Olivia, however, bridges the seven years principle by falling in love with Cesario, who does not realise that he is Viola in disguise. Similarly, Viola falls in love with Duke Orsino thus creating a love triangle between Olivia, Viola and Duke Orsino.

The sources of twelfth night

The play is extensively drawn on “The deceived ones” Italian production, which was collectively written in 1531 by the academic Degli Intronati. The actual twelfth night festival of Elizabethan encompassed the Lord of Misrule’s antics, who would call for songs, entertainment and mummery before leaving the position of authority. The play is regarded as preserving this traditional and festive licensed disorder’s atmosphere.