Class System In Twelfth Night
The rigid class system in Middle Age Europe was a primary factor that determined the course of events. In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, there are underlying issues throughout the plot involving classes of the characters, and their roles within their class. While for the time period, it was common for those in lower classes to be looked down upon, Shakespeare uses many mediums to slyly challenge this idea. Throughout the play, Shakespeare makes the class differences obvious, yet creates certain character dynamics which challenge preconceptions. Twelfth Night is centered around a distinct and rigid class system, yet Shakespeare comments on its negative impacts, and yearns for a more fluid system, in order to create a more just and fair world. Shakespeare includes Malvolio's misfortunes in order to hold up the accepted social structure for the time period. Toby and Maria perceive Malvolio as a man who thinks too highly of himself, and they believe …show more content…
Throughout the play, Feste the Fool is looked at as a character who receives very little respect, yet is rather smart and witty. On the other hand, Toby is respected for being a noble even though he is much less competent than Feste, and is essentially a drunk. Through this relationship, Shakespeare is relaying the idea that not all people are determined by their class, and rather a person's character is what earns them respect. When referencing Toby, Olivia acknowledges that, “he’s in the third degree of drink: he’s drowned,” (1.5.133). While Toby is clearly just a drunken idiot, he is looked upon highly by his peers for his social status, and must be respected by those beneath him, such as Malvolio. This aspect of the social class system primarily represents the class system, yet subliminally declares the system to be backwards and rather
Salty Water In William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
966 Words | 4 PagesTwelfth Night is a story of loss, tragedy, and love that is masquerading as a romantic comedy of sorts a perfect example of Shakespeare’s true talents of expressing deep metaphor in very interesting ways. This is a play about the ocean deep, salty, unpredictable, rough and difficult to navigate but after enough time and understanding, you can see the beauty in the deep blue water. The salty water seems very basic and easy to understand but upon closer inspection, you can see the true depth and complexity of the briny water. The play has a similar effect when first starting it one could come to the conclusion that things are simple and exactly what they seem but within a few lines things get progressively more and more complicated just as the water does. The shape of twelfth night is that of the ocean blue vast, unpredictable and extremely deep but with the right understanding and experience you can navigate it rough waters to reach your destination safe and sound.
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Juxtaposition In Hamlet
1010 Words | 5 PagesIn Shakespeare’s Hamlet, while guarding the castle, waiting in anticipation of the ghost’s appearance, Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus hear trumpets flourish from within, proclaiming the King’s late night partying (1.4). Horatio asks about the nature of the commotion, however, Hamlet remains nonplussed, crestfallen by the evening’s affairs. In his lengthy, 26-line response to Horatio’s simple question, “Is it a custom,” Hamlet experiences an internal struggle between fated traditions and logic, elaborates upon the country’s damaged reputation, the immediate yield of the King’s drinking, and argues that even the most picayune evils can eradicate a man’s fame (14). Hamlet, despite his devotion to kin and country, through sardonic diction, repetition,
Taming Of The Shrew Gender Roles
789 Words | 4 PagesShakespeare is known for introducing new concepts and opinions, especially about social classes, into his plays and for that he was considered ahead of his time. In The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare disputes roles in the social classes during the Renaissance Era. His portrayal of characters throughout the play revealed the stereotypes that were created by society. Shakespeare voiced his opinions about these social classes in the Renaissance Era because he didn’t agree with the power and gender roles.
Homosexuality In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
1112 Words | 5 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s works, written primarily from the late eighteen hundreds to the very early sixteen hundreds, have long been the subject of academic debates and analysis. Potent with double entendres, metaphors, and social commentary, it is easy to apply queer theory to Shakespeare’s plays, notably Twelfth Night, written in 1601. Though Twelfth Night’s ending pushes its characters into traditional heterosexual romances and binary gender roles to satisfy the genre and placate conservative Elizabethan audiences, the characters in the comedy defy tradition by exploring homosexual love and expression of gender. The most apparent homosexual themes are present in the relationship between Antonio and Sebastian.
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Men And Women In A Midsummer Night's Dream
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