Irony In Twelfth Night

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In William Shakespeare's comedy, “Twelfth Night”, humor and irony are used throughout the play to convey the three major themes. The three major themes exhibited are gender is fluid, subversion of the natural order, and love causes pain and/ or suffering. Throughout the play, the theme of gender fluidity is portrayed as In act one scene four. At Orsino’s court, Orsino has just told Viola, disguised as Cesario, what to deliver to Lady Olivia to woo her. He compliments Cesario’s femininity and he thinks it will help win Oliva over. Gender fluidity is portrayed in the quote in a manner that exhibits dramatic irony. “Diana’s lip is not more smooth and rubious; thy small pipe Is as the maiden’s organ, shrill and sound; And all is semblative a woman’s part…”. Viola’s disguise was, at first, used as an innocent way to …show more content…
Because during the setting of the play, men were superior to women, so by Viola having everyone fooled she is a boy, depicts just how manipulative a women can get, and how easy anyone is to be manipulated. In act two scene four, Viola (as Cesario) encourages the Duke to keep trying to get at Olivia. “ too well what love women to men may owe. In faith, they are as true as we. My father had a daughter loved a man, as it might be, perhaps, we I a women. I should your lordship.” Dramatic and situational irony are conveyed in this quote to exhibit the theme of Gender fluidity. The situational irony is Cesario does not know that Cesario has no sister, and the dramatic irony is that Cesario is, in fact, a girl. The quote exhibits Viola’s attraction to Orsino (the Duke) because her ‘sister’ never told her love, as the same way Viola did not tell Orsino. In act act four scene one, Sir Andrew mistakes Sebastian for Cesario and attacks him.

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