A Comparative Analysis of Two Sequences of Twelfth Night and Othello
While all of Shakespeare's works are unique and distinctive, key similarities can be established between specific sequences from Twelfth Night and Othello. This essay compares two sequences taken from these two plays, both written by William Shakespeare. For reference throughout this essay, the sequence from Twelfth Night, as assigned in this task, will be referred to as the assigned sequence, whereas the sequence from Othello will be referred to as the chosen sequence. The assigned sequence from Othello encompasses Act 2, Scene 3, and continues until Act 3, Scene 1, while the chosen sequence from Twelfth Night begins in Act 3, Scene 1, and continues until Act 4, Scene 3.
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Both sequences display significant similarities in comparison to each other, despite being from two very distinct plays. For example, both sequences lead us to lovely, picturesque destinations, such as Illyria in Twelfth Night, while Venice and Cyprus are used in Othello. Both sequences also present contemporary issues of solid and intense human feelings and emotions through the characters of both plays, particularly Othello in Othello and Orsino in Twelfth Night. The marked difference between these two plays is that one is a tragedy and the other a comedy. However, both sequences demonstrate the use of tricks, appearance, and reality. For example, Iago may seem like an "honest" man, but we, as the audience, can see that Iago is anything but honest but rather cunning, which portrays the theme of appearance and reality.
Similarly, in Twelfth Night, Viola appears to be a male (Cesario) to gain entry into the court; however, the reality is that she is still a female. They both also display misinterpretation of discourse, confusion, and comic relief in the form of a clown. Across both sequences, there are also similar themes across both sequences, such as identity, jealousy, the struggle for love, and hypocrisy. Additionally, both sequences are primarily written in poetry; the only distinct difference is the style of poetry utilized in each play. The chosen sequence has the blank verse, while poetry in the assigned sequence is not in the blank verse. Therefore, though from very different plays, both sequences demonstrate significant similarities.
Likewise, both sequences explore a common theme surrounding love, marriage, and affection, as Shakespeare's plays often revolve around the themes of love, marriage, and affection. On one occasion, Iago remarks when Othello greets Desdemona, "O, you are well tuned now/But I'll set down the pegs that make this music." (2.1.200). A similar passion of love can be observed in Twelfth Night when Olivia expresses her love for Cesario, "I love thee so, that, mauve all thy pride/Nor wit nor reason can my passion hide/Love sought is
good, but given unsought is better." (3.1.160). This love and affection are both sensual, as well as platonic. However, in their representation of love, both works demonstrate the tragedy and heartbreak love can cause, revealing that love is a form of tragedy. Twelfth Night contains an array of love stories across different characters. For example, it includes a loveless marriage between Sebastian and Olivia, unmarried love between Sebastian and Antonio, and then the unrequited love of Malvolio.
In the chosen sequence, love is used first as a source of strength, then as a stumbling block, and finally as a reason for ruin. Love is also a source of obsessive attachment. Through tragedy, Shakespeare wants to show that love is not necessarily pure in both plays. In both sequences, he shows marriage as a trap, with jealousy as a source of conflict and problems. The chosen sequence includes a series of fruitful pairs such as Olivia and Malvolio, Oliva and Sebastian (or viola as Cesario), Viola and Duke Orsino, and Anthony and Sebastian. Whether through the comedy of Twelfth Night or the tragedy of Othello, both works present contemporary questions about identity, attribution, and coping with our emotions.
Furthermore, in the chosen sequence, love is used as a power source but also as a barrier. It is easy to become fixated on the person one is with when in love. Love is not pure, marriage is a trap, and jealousy is at the heart of the conflict in both sequences. On the surface, Twelfth Night has a lot of potential romantic connections, but many of them never materialize. Among the possibilities: Malvolio, Olivia, Sebastian, and Duke Orsino (or, again, Viola as Cesario), only Olivia and Sebastian remain together at the end of the play. When Sebastian and Olivia were wed, they were not in love and were pushed into it for several other reasons. Similarly, in Othello, it is evident that Iago does not love Emilia; however, she loves Iago and would do anything he says without hesitation. This is clear when Iago asks Emilia to steal
Desdemona's handkerchief, and she does it without question, not realizing the evil reasoning behind it.
Secondly, both sequences examine the common theme of reality, appearances, and the inner heart. By looking at both Viola's and Olivia's circumstances, both characters have no regard for wealth or power but are primarily concerned about the inner nature of their suitors. The main difference is that Olivia is portrayed as living in her house and enjoying her wealth and status under her own identity, while Viola impersonates a boy. Similar to this, Desdemona from Othello also has no regard for wealth or power but is mainly concerned about being with the love of her life Othello, even though Othello at the time was not seen as the ideal man for such a woman, as Desdemona had a higher status than him in society and also because of his color he was automatically seen as an outsider. Furthermore, while the nature of each play is significantly different, both sequences still display the use of manipulation through tricks and deception. In Othello, deception occurs through the character of Iago, who consistently manipulates others to meet his goal of revenge on Othello. In order to achieve this goal, he makes every effort to manipulate Cassio and even attempts to convince others that an illicit romance is taking place between Cassio and Desdemona. On another occasion, he remarks to Cassio, "I'll send her to you presently/ And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor Out of the way, that your converse and business May be more free." (3.1.35-37). In the chosen sequence, we see that Iago has no regard for the feelings of others. Throughout the sequence, Iago uses falsehoods to ruin Cassio, Othello, and Desdemona's lives. He shatters the trust of his family and friends by making false charges of adultery. Reflecting on his malevolent character, he makes judgments in Othello that eventually backfire. Using his manipulating mind, Iago concocted an elaborate plan to accuse Cassio and Desdemona of having an illegal connection, which was a moment of choice for him.
Throughout the play, Othello regards Iago as a trusted ally and friend, an excellent example of fate's dramatic irony and irony. While the cause of deception in the assigned sequence differs, the scenes are still rife with lies and manipulation, making it an ideal vehicle for studying the concept of dishonesty. The play's central theme is deception and the eventual consequences of it and how it affects those involved. All three members of the Malvolio-Maria-Viola trio represent different aspects of trickery and the dangers it can pose. For example, Malvolio shows the dangers of trickery leading to madness; Maria demonstrates the art of lying and deception, and Viola illustrates the gullibility of those who use trickery to their advantage. Another commonality between the sequences is the display of confusion, misunderstanding, and misinterpretation on the part of the characters. According to Elizabethan spectators, it is bad enough that Olivia, a powerful lady, is smitten with Cesario, a brash young page. That Viola disguised herself as a man adds to her pleasure and astonishment of Cesario. Most of Twelfth Night's characters are romantically tied in a clear perspective. This would heighten the sense of wonder and astonishment present throughout the narrative. Malvolio's obsession with Olivia, who is in love with Cesario, and his description of her as a "sweet lady" are both comical to an Elizabethan audience. During Shakespeare's day, the audience saw Malvolio's connection with Olivia as ridiculous, unorthodox, and consequently hilarious. High- and low-profile persons' wits may also be linked to this.
The same is the case with Othello, where the confusion begins in the chosen sequence where Desdemona's handkerchief is dropped accidentally. Emilia has the valuable "trifle" pattern that Desdemona dropped as a nice gesture to "please" her husband. When Cassio' discovers' an abandoned napkin, he asks that Bianca make him a copy of it later in the episode. For Othello's mother, the handkerchief is an inheritance handed down from mother to son, and the theme of faithful replication may be traced back to this legacy. By offering
Desdemona this incentive, Othello hopes to connect with her like his mother and father were connected. Their views on the handkerchief are vastly different. He addresses the challenge by radically redefining the definition of "napkin." There is a significant overlap in the use of standard literary devices across both sequences, the flamboyant irony. The most evident use of dramatic irony is the phrase, "Iago is most honest." This very statement is a vivid example of dramatic irony. Desdemona's naivety and irritating tone regarding Cassio's condition further exacerbate her husband's fury. His actions and words are sometimes ironic, like when he begs Iago to help him when he knows he is attempting to get him in trouble. Though he knows the dangers, Roderigo is the fourth fool to succumb to Iago's ploys. On top of that, he offers Othello his blessings while warning him to be wary of Desdemona's possible betrayal since she has already lied to her father. In a scene between Viola and Olivia, dramatic irony is shown in dialogue. By saying, "I am not what I am." Viola illustrates the dramatic irony. Olivia has a different perspective on Viola than the rest of us.
In addition to dramatic irony, both sequences demonstrate other literary devices, such as similes, metaphors, personification, and satire. For example, Desdemona is delighted by Iago's continuing sarcasm and satire toward women, encouraging him to keep up his pranks. For instance, Iago says: "If she is fair and wise, fairness and wit, / The one's for use, the other useth it."
(2.1.128-9). Desdemona replies to this by saying: "Well praised! How if she be black and witty?" (2.1.130). According to Iago's use of 'fair and wise' as an anaphora, a woman must have 'fairness and wit .' She uses these traits to get what she wants. The same satirical tone is found in the sequence from Twelfth Night, where Viola welcomes Olivia with the remark, "Most excellent sweet lady, the heavens rain odors on you!" (3.1.86-87). Besides, Montano in Othello uses personification on one occasion by remarking, "Methinks the wind hath spoke aloud at land." (2.1) In the sequence from Twelfth Night, several examples of simile, metaphor, and several other devices are found as Feste remarks, "A sentence is but a
chervil glove to a good wit." (3.1). On another occasion, Festestates in such a way, "But indeed, words are very rascals since bonds disgraced them." (3.1.21). Both of the statements are illustrations of metaphor. A simile is found in the given line by Feste, "Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun, it shines everywhere." (3.1)
Additionally, among the standard features in both sequences, the Clown is the most significant one. In the chosen sequence, Clown is Othello's servant. Though only two brief appearances are made in this sequence, his appearances reflect and distort the main plot arcs in diverse ways. During Act 3, the Clown is presented to the audience, mocking the musicians and jokingly referring to "instruments." Unlike Iago and Cassio, these characters' conversations have a distinct style. The Clown enters the scene as soon as the audience has reached a high in their emotions, allowing them to better concentrate on the following series of events. The Clown's significance may be overlooked because he appears just a few times in the novel compared to the other significant characters.
On the other hand, the Clown has a specific purpose: to entertain, hint at future narratives, and expand upon Iago's plan. No mention is made of Shakespeare's legendary Clown in the play, but it is clear that he keeps Othello's life moving smoothly in the first place. The same is found in the assigned sequence, where a clown, Feste, appears in the selected sequence. Cesario bumps into Feste, the street clown, in front of Olivia's apartment. Feste delights in pulling pranks on him and making playful jabs at him. In Act 3, Scene 1, Cesario gives Feste a few pennies as a token of his appreciation for his wit. Feste enters the home and tells Olivia that Cesario has arrived. It does not matter whether the other characters are better than Feste; he can mock them. Remember, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night's established social order was utterly upended. Only Olivia's jester, a wealthy Illyrian, was employed to amuse her visitors at her court. He is responsible for making her laugh, and he does it admirably via performances of songs and dances. He moonlights as a performer for
wealthy clients in the evenings. Feste is a crucial character in the story. Despite the play's primary emphasis on the tangled web of romantic connections, Feste plays an essential role in the story of Olivia's house.
Concerning the differences between the sequences in the strict sense, the most vivid is their mood and how both the sequences are written. Othello is primarily a tragedy, so its recurring theme is tragedy and seriousness, which dominates almost all the play's acts except the Clown's appearance. On the other hand, Twelfth Night is a light comedy, so wit, puns, irony, and comic mood prevail throughout the story. As Twelfth Night has several love triangles, the people engaged cannot see how irrational their feelings and thoughts are, so the comic turns are recurring throughout the play, including the discussed sequence. They are fooling themselves, whether they are doing it independently or with others. At several parts of the play, the two characters involved feel extraordinarily close to one another. Orsino's or the Duke of Illyria's love interest is Olivia. However, Olivia committed to herself following her brother's death: she would not date a man for seven years. This does not dissuade Orsino in the slightest. Because Twelfth Night is a lighter comedy by Shakespeare than Othello, the theme of love is highly humorous.
Moreover, the sequence in Twelfth Night contains the aspect of a love triangle that is not so intense in a hostile or revengeful manner; instead, it is presented in a comic, witty, and light-hearted manner compared to the intense and possessive kind of love in Othello. Caserio once remarks to Viola, "I love thee so, that, maugre all thy pride, nor wit nor reason can my passion hide." The seeming agony Olivia is going through serves as a counterpoint to the sarcastic high comedy. Finally, Orsino marries Viola, and the world is back to normal. In his plays, Shakespeare presents love in a variety of ways. Othello and Twelfth Night have tragic love stories, but only one has a happy conclusion. An exact depiction cannot be found. Shakespeare depicts love so that the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
In the same manner, the realization of gender and sexual identity is one of the marked differences in both selected sequences. Sequences in Twelfth Night contain this very aspect, while no character is found searching for gender and sexual identity in the chosen sequence. Twelfth Night raises essential questions about gender and sexuality through deception, performance art, and disguise. Viola amusingly posed as a man to trick Olivia into falling in love with her. In contrast, Cesario and Olivia's unimaginable love for one another suggest that the divides between male/female and heterosexual/homosexual may not be as tight as expected. Multiple characters refer to Cesario as an effeminate person, emphasizing gender ambiguity. Even more radical is the notion that gender can be influenced by how one conducts one's life rather than something one is born with. Additionally, a gender flip in Twelfth Night shows how sexual identities may be fragile. Because "he" looks so much like a lady, Orsino is just as smitten with Cesario as with Viola.
As in Twelfth Night, Shakespeare uses Othello's Cyprus as a haven from the pressures of everyday life and, more importantly, social status in the context of the play. As a result of the removal of the contemporary world from the island of Cyprus, Othello, and Desdemona decided to concentrate on the emotional aspects of their relationship, as there were no more mitigating circumstances. Othello cannot rely on his former successes as a military commander and a husband outside his sphere of influence. The fact that Desdemona admires him for his bravery in adversity makes this information critical. While Venice represents society and logic, the lack of social authority in this work shows that there is no reason, and the characters are in an isolated setting where their actions are driven only by their feelings and impulses. Othello's Hamartia is the outcome of his bitterness. They may be able to keep their love alive in the desert, but Sebastian and Antonio will suffer when they are cut off from civilization. When it comes to relationships, it is an absolute no-no.
In essence, both sequences hold several similarities, despite being such different and unique plays. Familiar turns and twists, along with several literary devices, are incredibly evident in both sequences, heightening the dramatic effect of both plays. The given sequence in Othello and the rest of the play is written in blank verse, Twelfth Night is forty percent in verse, and more than half the play is in prose. In Twelfth Night, rhyming couplets are used most often after scenes by the characters who want to communicate their feelings of love for one another. Othello employs a dignified and controlled blank verse style in the selected sequence. He has plenty of duties as a character. Writing in blank verse adds to the sensation of heroism he had achieved. Both the sequences share many similarities in literary devices and ideas reflecting the aspects of tricks, maneuvering, and misinterpretation of discourse, confusion, identity, jealousy, struggle for love, appearance, and reality, and hypocrisy on the part of several characters for others. Even though this essay merely briefly reviews the numerous connections between the given sequences, there is much to gain from this comparative analysis.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. Othello. Ed. E. A. J. Honigmann. Third. London: The Arden
Shakespeare, 2001. pp. 196-212
Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night.Ed. Keir Elam.Third. London: The Arden Shakespeare, 2008. pp. 92-157