Viola's soliloquy in part 2.2, Lines 17-41 of the play comes shortly after recieving the ring sent by Olivia and serves as a major juncture in the plot's revelation, reveals Viola's character through her reaction to the presented predicament, and is in itself an analysis of gender.
This soliloquy follows Viola's first visit to Olivia's court and summarizes the implications of what occurred there. While it was apparent to the audience through asides that Olivia was attracted to Viola as Cesario this did not allow for a reaction by a character. Viola is the only character who can realize the full implications of the predicament she is in and therefore only a soliloquy authored by her could analyze, summarize, and truly reveal the main problem of the play.
Viola pities Olivia's love for her as she sees that her own deception has suddenly made it seemingly impossible for Viola to be with the Duke and for Olivia to be with Cesario. As starkly different as these relationships are they seem to lock together in a perfect trinity of discord. Each person loves so passionately that they are not willing to remand and thus force each other apart. Viola's neccessary deception, Olivia's spurning of Orsino, and Orsino's need to use Viola as Cesario to proclaim his love to Olivia all perfectly maintain each other. Viola blames her situation on the impressionable nature of women(including herself) when faced with a man they desire. Shakespeare's clever wordplay is clear in this soliloquy in how Viola refers to herself and the twists on gender. She refers to herself as a monster without gender which is truly the best description of the Viola-Cesario beast. A creature with the problems and duties of a man yet the self-admitted frailty of a woman.
This soliloquy follows Viola's first visit to Olivia's court and summarizes the implications of what occurred there. While it was apparent to the audience through asides that Olivia was attracted to Viola as Cesario this did not allow for a reaction by a character. Viola is the only character who can realize the full implications of the predicament she is in and therefore only a soliloquy authored by her could analyze, summarize, and truly reveal the main problem of the play.
Viola pities Olivia's love for her as she sees that her own deception has suddenly made it seemingly impossible for Viola to be with the Duke and for Olivia to be with Cesario. As starkly different as these relationships are they seem to lock together in a perfect trinity of discord. Each person loves so passionately that they are not willing to remand and thus force each other apart. Viola's neccessary deception, Olivia's spurning of Orsino, and Orsino's need to use Viola as Cesario to proclaim his love to Olivia all perfectly maintain each other. Viola blames her situation on the impressionable nature of women(including herself) when faced with a man they desire. Shakespeare's clever wordplay is clear in this soliloquy in how Viola refers to herself and the twists on gender. She refers to herself as a monster without gender which is truly the best description of the Viola-Cesario beast. A creature with the problems and duties of a man yet the self-admitted frailty of a woman.
posted by Nathan at 8:05 PM
1 Comments:
Nathan, I think this is an interesting post and you are thoughtful about the reading as always, but it strikes me that there is not a single quotation in your entire post. Your analysis of the plot is interesting, but you need to support your conclusions with specific evidence from the text.
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