The novel Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare proves multiple

The novel, Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare proves multiple points about love. Starting off with a terrible shipwreck sweeping a young woman by the name of Viola onto the strange kingdom of Illyria, after assuming her brother, Sebastian had passed in the Shipwreck. Viola soon becomes entangled into a confusing disguise as a man named Cesario as well as a messy formalities of a love affair between the man she is working for, duke Orsino, and the woman he loves, Olivia.

She soon learns about the conventions of love, class differences, and gender roles in the old day society. Throughout the novel there are many conflicts, confusions and uncertainties which lead to hidden references to social norms in love. Consisting of, love at first sight's blindness, the roles of class differences, and the materialistic aspects of love. Therefore, Shakespeare reflects upon his own beliefs to prove that even an aspect as pure as love, has been corrupted by human nature.

Upon further analysis, we discover one of the first points Shakespeare has referenced to, that both love and love at first sight are blind.

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Throughout the novel Twelfth Night, concepts surrounding love are frequently incorporated, using either characters or quotes, Shakespeare manages to draw the focus towards his concepts. Initially, duke Orsino proclaims his love for Olivia, having never even suitably acquainted. "O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first, methought she purged the air of pestilence!" (l,i,3-4) He maintains a constant infatuation towards her throughout the novel and persists his suitors to pursue Olivia for her love.

However, Olivia questions his love for her as they are mere acquaintances, having never even spoken directly to each other, which proves the analogy of Orsino's blind love for her which he claims as true love. Nonetheless, in reality, Orsino was merely in love with the concept of both Olivia and being in love with her rather than truly Olivia. Furthermore, another situational example is Orsino's blind love for Cesario. Following Cesario's revelation to be Viola in disguise, Orsino quickly shifts his infatuation to Viola after continuous rejection by Olivia. However, his love for Viola is really a disguise for his love for Cesario. "Cesario, come, for so you shall be, while you are a man, but when in other habits you are seen, Orsino's mistress, and his fancy's queen."(v,i,24-27) This precaution was a necessity due to homosexuality being widely frowned upon in the Elizabethan Era and was considered a sin so grave, it was punishable by death, revealed Graduateway. Being the duke of Illyria, Orsino had unconventional standards as well as pressure to which he had to live up to, or otherwise would not be accepted by the habitants of Illyria.