Dramatic Irony In Twelfth Night

This sample paper on Dramatic Irony In Twelfth Night offers a framework of relevant facts based on the recent research in the field. Read the introductory part, body and conclusion of the paper below.

The beginning of this scene is set with Orsino in his house, looking very grand yet depressed, with his servants Curio and Cesario. Orsino asks his servant Curio to bring Feste, Olivia’s clown to him. Curio exits. Orsino carries on with his general chatter about Olivia to Cesario.

He goes on to ask if Cesario is in love. Cesario replies by describing Orsino but in a lady’s form. Curio and Feste enter. Orsino orders Feste to sing the song he had sung the night before because it had made him happy.

Feste then sings the song, which was about love. As soon as Feste has finished, Orsino decides that he has had enough of him and tries to get rid of him by paying him.

After a short conversation, Feste takes the money and exits. Cesario tries to find out if Orsino could ever love anyone else apart from Olivia. Orsino replies by saying that no one could have such a great love for anyone as he has for Olivia. Cesario tells Orsino about his “sister” who died of not telling the man she loved what she felt for him. On this note, Orsino tells Cesario to go to Olivia and give her a jewel as a token of his great love for her.

Undertone Examples In Literature

Cesario exits.

Twelfth Night is funny to a contemporary audience because they can see that Cesario is really a woman (Viola) and that there is a love triangle between Viola-Orsino-Olivia-Cesario (Viola). This is Dramatic irony because the audience can see the love triangle. They can also observe that Orsino is besotted with Olivia and that he over expresses his love for her. Orsino also acts very effeminately by looking in mirror every 5minutes (he is also extremely vain) and by having very feminine colours all over his house. They can follow Feste ‘s jokes well and find them funny.

It is also sad to a contemporary audience because they can see Viola’s heart breaking over the loss of her brother and her

unrequited love for Orsino. Over the loss of her brother because he had never been parted from him like that before. In loving Orsino,

because she thinks that he could never love anyone apart from Olivia. In addition, she cannot reveal her identity to Orsino.

Twelfth Night is funny to a pre 21st century audience because they can see the love triangle between Viola-Orsino-Olivia-Cesario (Viola) and because they know, that Cesario is a woman but played by a man. They follow Feste ‘s jokes well and find them funny. Orsino will seem less funny to a 21st century audience because it is more common for men to act very effeminate in the 21st century.

It is sad to a pre 21st century audience because they can see the heartbreak of Viola in her feelings towards Orsino and how she cannot reveal her true identity.

If I were to present the play, it would be set in modern times because you can show the different costumes and be theatrical with them because people in this era do what they want with their clothes. You can express your emotions through this.

The scene would be set with Orsino sitting on an aristocratic red and gold throne.

I would try to make the set look like an old and classy house, with pictures and sumptuous drapes all over the set. I have chosen this because it shows how overdramatic Orsino can be.

There would be red and gold all over the set because these colours are often associated with love and Valentines Day. Little details of props like a mirror and pictures of Orsino are important because they show that Orsino is vain and that he loves himself.

There should be at least one servant on the stage all the time. This is to show that Orsino is very high up on the social ladder.

All of these would show Orsino ‘s character fully because of his feelings towards love.

During the lines “About your years my lord” ~ Cesario

” Too old by heaven. Let the woman still take an elder than herself.” ~ Orsino

Shakespeare wanted this moment in the play to be intense for Cesario because of whom he’s describing (Orsino). I would show this through his movements on stage. Cesario needs to be walking around thinking what to say but still needs to be quite close to Orsino.

Orsino needs to be sitting very majestically on his seat until he says the line “Too old by heaven.” He should stand up and walk around a bit, holding himself tall. This expresses his opinion on the matter. Shakespeare puts in the line “Too old by heaven” to show that Orsino has his say in everything and that his opinion should count on every matter.

The spotlight should be on both Cesario and Orsino at all times, the same spotlight. As they move further apart the spotlight should separate and they should have a spotlight each. This should happen because they are having a conversation. It would be different if one of the characters were giving a speech.

When Cesario says “About your years my lord” he should say it as if he was thinking what to say, this should remind the audience that Cesario is hiding his real identity from Orsino.

When Orsino says “Too old by heaven,” his voice should go high and shrill. Then when he carries on saying, “Let still the woman take an elder than herself” his voice should back to normal and talk as if he is giving Cesario some advice.

During this line “Truly, Sir, and pleasure will be paid for one time or another.” ~ Feste

Feste needs to be stood up and ready to take a bow. And after the quote he should walk backwards still in a bow.

The spotlight should be on Orsino and Feste during this quote because Feste is speaking but Orsino is listening. This shows who the quote is aimed at and that there’s a conversation going on between the two characters.

Shakespeare wanted this moment to be quite cheeky and a male joke I would show this by the character’s tone of voice. When Feste says “Truly, Sir,” he should say it in a very cheeky voice. But when he carries on saying “and pleasure will be paid for one way or another.” He should say this as though he is very masculine. And still in a very cheeky voice.

During this line “Thy mind is very opal.” ~ Feste.

Feste needs to be heading for the door before he says this line. Then when he gets to the door he needs to call out his line out.

The spotlight needs to be on Feste all the time while saying this line and while he exits.

Shakespeare wanted the mood at this moment to be comical yet serious and I would make this happen by the tone of Feste ‘s voice. When Feste says, “Thy mind is a very opal” he needs to say it in a very low and disapproving voice to show that he thinks that Orsino changes his mind too often. His voice should also sound annoyed yet clever to show he is fast because the audience need to remember that Feste can be serious and clever even though he’s the fool.

During this line, “She never told her love.

But let concealment, like a worm in th’ bud,

Feed on her damask cheek. She pin’d in thought.” ~ Cesario.

Cesario needs to have a sad expression on his face and look concerned about this little story. He needs to be stood up and staring into the sky and then come back down to earth when he has finished his lines.

Shakespeare intended this moment to be like story time I would enhance this through the lighting. The spotlight needs to be on both Orsino and Cesario because Cesario is the storyteller and Orsino is the listener. It shows the connection between the two characters. Although there should be a brighter spotlight on Cesario. To show who is talking.

Cesario needs to sound like he is quite upset about the whole story and to be quite interested about what Orsino ‘s reply will be.

During this line, “I am all the daughters of my father’s house,

And all the brothers too -” ~ Cesario

Cesario needs to be looking quite suspicious because although he’s not making much sense he only just adds “And all the brothers too -” at the end of the quote. Cesario needs to have his back to Orsino when he says, “I am all the daughters of my father’s house,” And then swing round to face Orsino when he says “And all the brothers too -” to face his mistake.

The spotlight still needs to be on both Orsino and Cesario. However, the spotlights need to be dull to show the mood of the moment is sad. This is what Shakespeare intended.

Cesario needs to be speaking his line “I am all the daughters of my father’s house,” with sadness in his voice and a dull expression on his face. When he says his line “And all the brothers too -” he needs to say it like it is obvious to him.

During this line, “Give her this jewel: say

My love can give no place, bide no delay.” ~ Orsino

Shakespeare intended this moment to be the definite end of the scene I would enhance this by the characters actions during this moment. Orsino needs to be pulling a ring off his finger to give to Cesario. Cesario needs to respond by putting his hand out to take the ring to Olivia. Orsino needs to be rushing to do this act and to get Cesario out of the door to see Olivia. After this line, Orsino should stand up from his seat, and then go to the door with Cesario and see that he leaves the grounds towards Olivia’s house.

The spotlight needs to be on both Orsino and Cesario as they move throughout this quote. Then as Cesario leaves the spotlight should break. There should not be a spotlight on Cesario at this point. Only one on Orsino.

Orsino ‘s voice should sound as though this errand was very urgent and that it should be done right away. This is because after hearing the story he thinks that he might come to an end like Cesario’s “sister.”

Dramatic Irony is used in this play because this is what makes it entertaining. You know things that the characters do not. It makes you feel that you are keeping the secret from the characters, so you want people to know but you cannot tell them.

Shakespeare uses dramatic irony, many metaphors and similes to make Twelfth Night a comedy which people from all era’s of time will enjoy.