Shakespeare Mistaken Identity

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Mistaken identity as a literary device to create humor

Shakespeare’s use of mistaken identity in his plays creates humor that is popular today. Among the 37 plays he wrote, mistaken identity and disguise are a common theme. Mistaken identity is a plot device that dates back to writers in ancient Greek and Roman times. Shakespeare borrowed the idea to create comedies that are still read and performed over 400 years after they were written. Authors today still follow Shakespeare’s model to create modern day comedies using the literary device of mistaken identity. Furthermore, in everyday life in the modern world there are opportunities for mistaken identity to show through texting and email because they do not require face to face or spoken conversation. …show more content…
In Twelfth Night there’s a twins named Viola which is a girl that was disguise as Cesario which Olivia who fell in love with Sabastian and thought it was Cesario. “Sabastian. [To Olivia] So comes it, lady you have been mistook” (Shakespeare 99). Sabastian is mistaken for Viola (who is known as the boy Cesario ) by Sir Toby and Sir Andrew “Andrew. Now, sir, have I met you again? There’s for you!” (Shakespeare 80), then by Olivia who then marries him thinking he is Cesario. Viola is mistaken for Sabastian by Antonio who is offended when Viola does not know him. Although the characters in the play are confused by the behavior of the twins, the audience is enjoying all the comic

Taming of the Shrew Essay

Shakespeare uses the theme of identity to drive the plot. How successful is this comedic technique? In ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ identity and mistaken identity drives the comedic impact. Many elements are used to create humour within the play, such as social class, gender roles, disguise and personality. As well as providing a light-hearted portrayal of Elizabethan life, the humour also casts a interrogatory gaze on society at the time, particularly the role of women and expectations surrounding…

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twelfth night essay

Charlotte Cresswell "Confusion and deception are key elements of Comedy." How does Shakespeare present these ideas in Twelfth Night? There are many contributary themes that make a Shakesperian play. In Twelfth Night, confusion and deception are the most prominent and fundamental concepts, they intertwine with almost every character and are concepts that are evident in all accounts. According to the Oxford dictionary, confusion is uncertainty about what is happening, intended, or required and that…

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Mistaken Identities In Twelfth Night

Mistaken Identities in the Play, Twelfth Night An identity is a way of labeling one’s existence in the world. You can identify an individual by their name, by distinguishing characteristics and qualities they possess, and as well as their physical appearance. Identities are used in many different scenarios, for instance, if you are crossing the border to visit another country you are asked to show identification. There are some situations when people can be mistaken for someone else because they…

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Commedia Dell Arte

recognition until after Charles II had ascended to the throne of England in 1660. Plot lines for the most part were not overly complicated, centering on the lives of the upper class society, in some cases for a bit of flare there may be a case of mistaken identity thrown in the mix. Something that could closely relate in modern terms is consider the Soap Operas television shows of today and their reoccurring stock storylines, now imagine if these shows were given farcical and satirical elements of humor…

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Identity In Twelfth Night

Throughout the comedic play Twelfth Night by Shakespeare, we see how a case of mistaken identity can change a whole perspective. In this play, the characters are exposed to a plot involving disguises, trickery, and misunderstood love/infatuation. Each character is forced to take on a specific role given by society and are not defined by their true identity nor gender. The characters’ true personalities are determined through their dialogue, relationships, and other characters’ reactions to them.…

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Junaid 19 Nov Essay

harmony. However, in keeping with the comedic structure, the emotional journey of the characters does require some conflict. One way that we can scrutinize the relationship between tumult and harmony is to look at the play’s setting. In Athens, Shakespeare shows it as a civilized civilisation in some ways a harmonic community, comparing this to the parallel worlds of the Athenian woods of chaos created by the faeries as they perform their tricks which creates disparity to the formality of the Athens…

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Mistaken Identity In The Taming Of The Shrew

introduces are the main themes of the play; mistaken identity, disguise, and change of character which is seen all throughout the story. Thus causing much conflict within the characters themselves.…

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Love Potion In A Midsummer Night's Dream

Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the theme of love is constantly changing within every scene. The love potion is a major plot point in Act II, scene II because it introduces the idea of an unbalanced love. In the beginning of the play, Shakespeare created a love triangle which the love potion only enhances throughout the play. As a result, the love equilibrium is disrupted further into chaos. The characters lack the ability to be rational and work though their own problems efficiently. The…

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Comedy of Errors review Essay

Literature 12/8/12 The Comedy of Errors Review Independent Shakespeare Company of The Comedy of Errors captured the audience with its modern take on one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays. The twist in production amazed me and made it possible for everyone to understand the play, even children. Without the modern spin, the play could have ended ordinary and mediocre. While the book may seem confusing because it revolves around mistaken identities, this production told the play with clarity. People could…

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08 Instructor Graded Assignment king lear Essay

E 321 Shakespeare: Selected Plays 08: Instructor-Graded Assignment in King Lear 2: Sight and perception in King Lear. Analyze the characters' failure to recognize one another, both physically and morally. For example, Gloucester and Lear fail to see their children as evil/virtuous; Lear fails to penetrate Kent's disguise; Gloucester does not recognize his son under various disguises. What does all this mean in the play? What does this motif contribute? The failure to recognize one another is a…

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