Twelfth Night
Mistaken identity is a major theme in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Mistaken identity has been used to create the plot of the story as well as create humour, complication, and mystery in the play. Disguise brings about mistaken identity in the play and turns the events of the entire play to an expected twist. For instance, Viola chooses to disguise herself as a man, Cesario, Orsino’s new pageboy. As the two interact, Orsino becomes fond of Cesario (Viola). Viola’s is mistaken for Cesario and in the end; this affects the lives of Orsino, lady Olivia and her twin brother Sebastian. The duke’s love life is completely changed when he interacts with Cesario, who is Viola in disguise. Cesario helps the duke to woe Lady Olivia the love of his life when she refuses to be seen by any male visitors under the pretence of mourning a dead brother but ironically agrees to see Cesario. The interaction between Cesario and lady Olivia allows Olivia to fall in love with Cesario distracting her from the duke. When the duke discovers that Viola is Cesario, he decides to marry her as he had become very fond of her when she was her pageboy, Cesario. Even after finding out Viola’s true identity, Orsino still refers to her as Cesario, and Viola tells him that in his eyes she will be Cesario but the eyes of others she will be his queen and mistress.
“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)
Lady Olivia and Sebastian’s lives were also affected due to mistaken identity. When Lady Olivia met Sebastian, she mistook him for Cesario who she had fallen in love with. Sebastian is asked to marry Olivia and agrees to it. Sebastian’s mistaken identity allows Viola to reveal her true identity and marry the duke whom she had fallen in love with. This cures the duke’s depression, and Viola gets to marry the duke without conflict as Olivia was already married to Sebastian. When the play’s characters met Sebastian, they all mistook him for Cesario. Antonio, who is Sebastian’s friend, feels betrayed by Cesario (Viola) whom he perceives to be Sebastian; when Cesario claims not to know him. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew also mistake Sebastian to be the same as the Cesario they had met on the night of the duel.
Mistaken identity is also represented in other forms in Twelfth Night through letters and voices. For instance, Maria writes letters to Malvolio pretending to be Lady Olivia as a way of punishing him for pretending to be a nobleman. Maria was playing with Malvolio’s feelings, as she knew that lady Olivia would never fall in love with Malvolio, her employee. Malvolio did not doubt the letters, although deep down knew that Olivia would never pay attention to him, as he was her steward. This mistaken identity pushed Malvolio into being considered a madman by others and himself.
“Sir Topas, never was a man thus wronged. Good Sir
Topas, do not think I am mad. They have laid me here in hideous darkness. “ (IV.ii.)
Malvolio later manages to come out of his madman stupor when Feste pitied him and told him the truth. Sir Feste disguises himself as Sir Topas, the priest to fool Malvolio when they visit him in prison. In the end, Feste feels pity for Malvolio and tells him the truth, therefore, ending the joke.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William, and Gretchen E. Minton. Twelfth Night. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, Plc, 2020.