The Theme Of Individualism In The Twelfth Nightand The Pardoners Ta
The theme of individualism in “The Twelfth Night” and “The Pardoner’s Tale”
The Twelfth Night presents one of the most vivid forms of gender role playing in Shakespearean plays. In retrospect, the plight of the core hero in the play establishes a savage gender debate that ultimately leads to a happy ending. The plot of The Twelfth Night also highlights many aspects of Elizabethan culture as well as vivid contradictions. On the other hand, The Pardoner’s Tale is infused with subtle themes of greed and individualism, which are also evident throughout the story of The Twelfth Night. This paper aims to explore the similarities and differences in the theme of individualism in these two works.
In The Twelfth Night, individualism is primarily centered on love and romance, whereas in The Pardoner’s Tale, the focus is on morality, societal values, and wealth. The narrative begins with Viola, a noble lady shipwrecked in a foreign land. Her situation is desperate; she has lost her father within the past year and believes she has also lost her brother, rendering her life seemingly unbearable. Viola seeks assistance from the captain, who dresses her as a pageboy named Cesario to secure employment at the duke’s court. Viola’s female identity remains hidden, although her feelings for the duke develop quickly, driven by his single-minded pursuit of Olivia. Meanwhile, Olivia falls in love with Viola, believing her to be a boy, creating a complex love triangle. Viola’s role as intermediary between the duke and Olivia further complicates matters, culminating in her true identity being revealed only when her brother enters the scene alive and well. This revelation produces a mixture of joy, relief, and regret for Viola. She is happy her brother is alive but distressed over her deception. Ultimately, Viola and the duke marry, marking a happily resolved culmination of individual pursuits and misunderstandings.
Conversely, The Pardoner’s Tale begins as a comic relief, juxtaposed with darker, moral stories. It narrates the story of three selfish friends who, drunk and brawling, are driven by grief over a mutual friend's death to seek revenge on Death itself. Their search leads them to a treasure, which disorients them, igniting greed and treachery. Each friend schemes to eliminate the others to acquire the wealth; one plans to poison the others, while the others plot to kill him first. This culminates in a tragic ending where all three die due to their greed and selfishness, illustrating the destructive nature of individualistic pursuits when driven by greed.
The theme of individualism in The Pardoner’s Tale is rooted in greed and egoism. The narrator openly admits that his preaching is motivated by greed rather than moral considerations, exemplified in his own
confession of exploiting religious sentiments for financial gain. The characters’ obsession with wealth demonstrates an ego-centric worldview, where personal gain is pursued at the expense of others’ well-being. This selfishness is exemplified by their willingness to betray, poison, and kill their friends to secure the treasure, a stark reflection of individualistic greed incompatible with social cohesion.
Similarly, in The Twelfth Night, individualism manifests in characters’ pursuit of personal desires, often disregarding societal norms or the feelings of others. Viola’s obsession with her love for the duke leads her to self-sacrifice, but also to deception and role-playing, blurring her identity. Her willingness to adopt a male disguise underscores her desire to achieve her personal goal of union with the duke, illustrating a form of individual agency within a constrained social order.
In addition, characters like Malvolio embody individual ambition through their desire for social mobility. Malvolio’s aspirations to marry Olivia reflect his personal longing for social elevation, though his self-delusion results in ridicule and downfall. His pursuit of status, driven by personal ambition rather than communal or moral considerations, further exemplifies the theme of individualism in the play.
Olivia’s refusal to marry the duke in favor of her own romantic choice demonstrates an act of individual agency defying social expectations. Her decision reflects personal authenticity over social conformity, emphasizing the importance of genuine emotion over societal status. Viola’s declaration of love, “Whoe’er I woo, myself would be his wife,” underscores her personal longing and willingness to pursue her happiness regardless of societal constraints, highlighting individual desire as a central theme.
Furthermore, the plays’ resolutions sometimes serve to critique excessive individualism. While Viola’s love ultimately leads to her union with the duke, the disruptive ambitions of Malvolio and the treacherous greed of the Friar in The Pardoner’s Tale serve as cautionary elements about the perils of selfish pursuits. The plays suggest that unchecked individualism, especially when motivated by greed or vanity, can lead to chaos and tragedy; however, compassion, sincerity, and moral integrity can counteract these destructive tendencies.
In conclusion, while The Twelfth Night celebrates individual love and personal identity, it also presents a nuanced view of individualism, acknowledging its potential for both goodness and folly. The Pardoner’s Tale, in contrast, explicitly exposes the destructive nature of greed-driven egoism. Both works reveal that individualism, when rooted in selfishness and greed, leads to chaos and tragedy, but when guided by sincerity and moral integrity, it can result in genuine happiness and societal harmony. These themes
remain relevant today, reminding audiences of the importance of balancing personal desires with moral responsibility.
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