Although it falls under the classification of a romantic comedy, little humor is present when the plot begins to unfold. The reader first comes upon the character of Duke Orsino, who is pining for the love of a woman named Olivia. Orsino’s courtly love is typical of the Renaissance, as the object of his affections does not return his love. (Shakespeare’s Characters, 470) As Shakes

Just as Shakespeare’s works demonstrate, Twelfth Night uses Iambic Pentameter and metaphors to make characters and situations more appealing. Shakespeare’s use of Iambic Pentameter helps the reader to understand better which syllables to stress. When Shakespeare’s work is undergoing the transformation from text to performance, it is best to know which syllables to put stress on. Iambic Pentameter consists of five groups of two syllable words, often with accents over certain vowels. These represent the same syllables used in speech. Shakespeare uses a metric style of writing to show emotion among many other vocal inflictions. Not only does Shakespeare use Iambic Pentameter, but he also uses metaphors to show direct comparisons of two things. Metaphors are generally defined as a direct comparison of two things without using like or as. In this case, metaphors are often used to compare two topsy-turvy characters that counteract one another, such as Malvolio and Feste.

Although he was not alive at the same time as Shakespeare, Harold Bloom argues, “Like all the other strongest plays by Shakespeare, Twelfth Night is of no genre.”(Bloom, 227) According to Bloom, Twelfth Night was not written to fit a certain genre; therefore it should not be classified in one certain genre. According to Bloom, Shakespeare’s character Malvolio is a supreme use of everything literary. “His dream of socio-erotic greatness—‘To be Count Malvolio!’—is one of Shakespeare’s supreme inventions, permanently disturbing as a study in self-deception.” (Bloom, 238) Malvolio as a character seems worthy of high praise in all aspects, especially as he is a perfect example of a character’s role in the Twelfth Night theme. His topsy-turvy characteristics make him the most inventive of Shakespeare’s characters, and according to Readings on the Comedies, “In contrast to Feste, who appears in the action at times as an abstracted spirit of revelry, Malvolio is a model of the sinner.” (Readings, 151) Malvolio has all the characteristics of the perfect antagonist in the story; “He is the force that can ruin the celebration of all that is good and refined and joyful in Elizabethan society.” (Masterplots, 6757) Quite the opposite of the model sinner, Feste exhibits the standard festive traits of Twelfth Night activities. “Feste observes the time-honored, Twelfth Night practice of role reversal when he disguises himself as the wise priest Sir Topas and treats the steward Malvolio like a madman or fool.” (Shakespeare’s Characters, 466)

peare introduces other characters the reader finds that Olivia

Some topics in this essay:
Twelfth Night, Iambic Pentameter, Toby Maria, Readings Comedies, Shakespeare’s Characters, Duke Orsino, Malvolio Feste, Malvolio Olivia’s, William Shakespeare, Viola Sebastian, twelfth night, night theme, twelfth night theme, duke orsino, shakespeare’s characters, iambic pentameter, sir toby, sir toby maria, toby maria, night theme topsy-turvy, love cesario, noble blood, falls love, love duke orsino, twelfth night festivities,