Love has always been a persistent theme in Literature and an important part of human nature. It comes in many shapes and forms and is often presented in many different ways – varying from text to text. Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare portrays love as bordering on insanity, a frivolous game of ever changing affections and bizarre behaviour. On the other hand, plays such as The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams and Summer of the Seventeenth Doll by Ray Lawler show love in a completely different light.

"For such as I am, all true lovers are, Unstaid and skittish in all motions else, save in the constant image of the creature that is beloved."

The above quote sums up Twelfth Night’s idea of love and this is reiterated throughout the play. Love is presented as a fleeting and fanciful ideal with many of the characters showing this in their actions and speech.

“Nor wit nor reason can my passion hide.”

This comment by Olivia regarding her love of Cesario clearly highlights this idea of passion and chaos that Shakespeare has pr

Several comparisons and large contrasts can be drawn between Summer of the Seventeenth Doll and Twelfth Night in their portrayal of love. The characteristic of self-love is inherent in both Barney and Malvolio. It is a portrayed in a similar way by both Lawler and Shakespeare – the characters believing they are all important and adored by all. They both begin their respective plays with a large ego full of self love and end with it deflated.

Instead, it becomes apparent that Orsino is in fact in love with love itself. This is particularly evident through his starry eyed expression and airy speech at the mere mention of the word. This idea of loving love seems to be a very Shakespearean idea, however Laura in The Glass Menagerie comes close.

“She wouldn’t believe, even up till the Saturday afternoon, that Nance’d ever go through with it.”

Some topics in this essay:
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