The Themes of Deception and Self-Deceit in William...

The Themes of Deception and Self-Deceit in William Shakespeares Twelfth Night Works Cited Missing The comical play, Twelfth night, which was written by Shakespeare, is a classic example of seventeenth century humour, wit, deception and self-deceit. In the play we see how twin Viola and Sebastian are separated, and they both think that one another is dead; My brother, he is in Elysium (Act I i line 1) but are reunited in disguise, in a land of madness and delirium, called Illyria. This essay will be covering the themes of deception and self-deceit. Self-deceit means when a character is lying to his†¦show more content†¦The audience know this is so she can get close to him. In act two we meet Violas identical twin brother, Sebastian, who thinks Viola is dead, and Malvolio persuses Cesario with Olivias ring. This is when Viola realises that Olivia likes Cesario. The three conspirators play a trick on Malvolio, to make him think that Olivia likes him, which affects his behaviour towards her. All these acts of deception are all deceiving someone or another. First Cesario deceives Malvolio and Olivia in making him think that he is Cesario, and second is when Malvolio is deceived by the three conspirators (Maria, Fabian and Sir Toby). The effect of these deeds are that people think that Viola is a man and, soon Malvolio will approach Olivia dressed differently and Olivia will think that Malvolio is mad. The audience see this as a point that all the main plots start to take form. The audience also think that the deceiving characters are creul and manipulative to toy with other characters emotions and get away with it. I know this letter will make a contemplative idiot of him (Act II v 16-17) Maria says this, and this shows the audience that the characters dont think highly of Malvolio. In act three, the audience see Sebastian and Antonio going to Illyria, and Antonio is giving Sebastian all of his money. LaterShow MoreRelated Comparing the Love of Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night and the Bible4838 Words   |  20 Pagesenemies. (Matt 5:44) Shakespeares Biblical knowledge is well known and he was certainly familiar with these concepts as he wrote his plays on the subject of love. By looking closely at his works, we can analyze the nature of true love. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare gives an example of true love overcome by tragic fate. His star-crossed lovers are so madly in love with each other that they cannot live without being together. (RJ Prologue, 6) By contrast, in Twelfth Night the characters are soRead More Misperception and Deception in William Shakespeares Twelfth Night2160 Words   |  9 PagesMisperception and Deception in Twelfth Night  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Twelfth Night is likely one of Shakespeare’s most entertaining and complete comedy. This romance explores a generous wealth of themes and issues. The most recurrent theme is the relationship between misperception and deception. As a result of their environment and immediate circumstances, men are forced into misperceptions. Paradoxically, they are completely trapped by these illusions. Between the bad fortune they encounter andRead MoreHow Shakespeare Explores the Theme of Deception and Self-Deception in Twelfth Night2536 Words   |  11 PagesHow Shakespeare Explores the Theme of Deception and Self-Deception in Twelfth Night Deception is the use of deceit that deceives everyone around you including yourself. It is the fact or state of being deceived. It can be a ruse or a trick in disguise, which deludes, giving a sense of indirection. It’s a misleading falsehood. One can deceive by running away from even their true self either physically or mentally. Self-deception on the other hand is the act of deluding oneselfRead MoreTwelfth Night- Literature Cape Unit !7125 Words   |  29 PagesTwelfth Night Criticism William Shakespeare and The Twelfth Night Known for his tragedies, comedies, sonnets and love stories, William Shakespeare is argued to be one of the best writers of his time. Throughout his plays, including The Twelfth Night, he uses disguise and deceit to fool the other characters to benefit another. Shakespeare was born in April of 1564 in the town Stratford-upon-Avon. Although the exact date of his birth is not known, historians traditionally celebrate it on the 23rd