Twelfth Night Essay: Olivias Denial -- Twelfth Night essays

After first reading Twelfth Night I was puzzled at Olivias denial of Orsinos hand in marriage and her accompanying desire for Cesario. After considerable thought and research, I intend to propose and support the argument that Olivia is non being simply coy towards Orsino, nor does she desire Cesario because he/she is attracted to him/her. She denies Orsino because of her refusal to marry a man of higher rank and desires to marry Cesario because he is a man of lower rank. Olivia wants to give the impression that her mourning of her brothers death doesnt bequeath for the admittance of suitors. In the opening scene, Valentine says that Olivia shall not behold her face at ample view (1.1.27) because she desires to season a brothers dead love (1.1.31). Feste dwells that mourning is the not real reason for her refusal to marry Orsino. Clown Good madonna, why mournst thou? Olivia Good fool, for my brothers death. Clown I think his soul is in hell, madonna. Olivia I know his soul is i n heaven, fool. Clown The more fool, madonna, to mourn for your brothers soul, being in heaven. Take away the fool, gentlemen. (1.1.64-70) Feste shows Olivia the foolish nature of mourning over her brothers death since he is in hea... ...t that Olivia may have a lesbian tendeny because she is attracted to Cesario (who is really a woman) is rendered less plausible. Works Cited David, R. W., ed. The Arden Shakespeare Loves Labours Lost. London Methuen, 1951. Erasmus, Desiderius. In Praise of Folly. Trans. Hoyt Hopewell Hudson, Princeton, New Jersey Princeton University Press, 1970. McDonald, Russ. The Bedford participator to Shakespeare An Introduction with Documents. New York Bedford Books of St. Martins Press, 1996. Shakespeare, William. The Norton Shakespeare. Edited Stephen Greenblatt et al. New York W. W. Norton & Company, 1997.