Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night’s central theme is love, including romantic, platonic, and familial love. Many of the characters in the play express their love for others, from Viola and Sebastian’s love as siblings to the romantic love triangle between Cesario, Orsino, and Olivia, to Antonio’s love for Sebastian. By the end of the play, many of the central characters are happily in love. Despite this, for much of the play, love is viewed as a cause of suffering, as characters are distraught and wracked with emotion over their unrequited loves. Orsino, for instance, describes his desires for Olivia as “fell and cruel hounds” (I.1.23), and later describes Olivia as “sovereign cruelty” (II.4.89). Viola describes her unrequited love for Orsino as distinctly melancholy, saying that she “pined in thought, / And with a green and yellow melancholy/ […] sat like Patience on a monument, / Smiling at grief” (II.5.124-127).

Antonio’s love for Sebastian also brings him suffering, as it inspires his decision to accompany Sebastian in Illyria despite his trouble with Count Orsino. “For [Sebastian’s] sake/ Did I expose myself, pure for his love, / Into the danger of this adverse town,”

Unlock all 45 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App

+ Printable PDF

+ Literary AI Tools

Unlock Full Library