Role of Viola in Twelfth Night

Marriage in Shakespeare, Nevill Coghill said in Shakespeare: A Survey, (1955) ‘is an

image of happiness that ends his comedies almost as invariably as death ends a
tragedy.’ Coghill again said in his essay, The Basis of Shakespeare’s Comedy,
published in Essays and Studies (1950) that Shakespeare’s comic vision is ‘the firm
assertion of harmony’. The happy end of Twelfth Night is achieved not without
reference to character, and the character which creates it, in the right opinion of
Stopford A. Brooke, is Viola’s:

The atmosphere of love is round all that Viola is; and it creates love in whatsoever it
touches. It infects Olivia. It has already infected the Duke. He loves Cesario; he needs
only one touch to love Viola. – Ten More Tragedies of Shakespeare (1913)

Although the love theme of the main plot begins with Orsino’s love for Olivia who
repulses him under a mask of self-deception, as soon as Viola appears on the scene, she
occupies the centre-stage. It would not be unfair to suggest that Olivia’ vow of
mourning for a fixed (!) period of seven years is a pretension to mask her unwillingness
to accept the Duke as her suitor, because, no sooner does she meet Cesario, she falls in
love with him and woos him aggressively even forcing him to a clandestine marriage,
not caring for his status as a page of the Duke.

The play opens with Orsino pining on account of unfulfilled love. He claims that ever
since his eyes ‘did see Olivia first’ his desires like fell and cruel hands’ have been
pursuing him. The valentine reports that Olivia would cloister herself ‘till seven years’
heat’ to ‘season a brother’s dead love’. The report intensifies the Duke’s fondness for
Olivia for he assumes that the lady who can love her brother so deeply, would surely
make a perfectly sweet wife. True indeed are Orsino’s words that ‘ so full of shapes is
fancy, that it alone is fantastical.’(I.i.14-5) In the Scene 2, Viola enters Illyria, the land of
Orsino. We are told that Viola has been saved perchance from a ship-wreck, and the
captain tells her ‘assures’ her that her brother , ‘most provident in peril’ had bound
himself to a strong mast and fought against the waves. This hopeful report sets the
atmosphere of gloom apart, not allowing it to depress Viola’s mind for soon she would
have to take the leading role in the messy plot. The captain, on being asked by Viola,
reports that Orsino, ‘a noble duke in nature as in name’ governs the land. Viola at once
remembers that she had heard of from her father and ‘he was a bachelor then.’ Viola
also comes to know from the captain that the Duke (who governs the land) is still a
bachelor, though he seeks the love of fair Olivia, a ‘virtuous maid and the daughter of a
count.’ When she comes to know that Olivia would not engage her as a maid, she
wishes to ‘unsex’ herself and serve the duke. In the 4 th scene, Viola cleverly learns from
the valentine, just three days after her engagement in the Duke’s service, that the Duke
is not ‘inconstant in his love.’ This assures Viola as, in case her fancy proves fruitful, she
would not be duped. While sending Viola-turned-Cesario on an errand to persuade
Olivia, the Duke expresses his appreciation of Viola’s feminine beauty that breaks
through the guise of a boy. As the duke says, Diana’s lip is not more smooth and
rubious, Viola’s ‘small pipe is as the maiden’s organ, shrill and sound, and all is
semblative a woman’s part.’ The duke confesses that he would prefer her lone company
to that of four or five men who wait upon him. Viola’s mind is set:

I’ll do my best
To woo your lady. [Aside] Yet a barful strife !
Who’ere I woo, myself would be his wife.

Meanwhile, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Sir Toby Belch’s companion is a suitor of Olivia.
He is not so serious a lover and would, in anticipation of no hope, would go back home.
Sir Toby, however, encourages him to stay back, because in his opinion Olivia, his niece,
was unlikely to accept the Duke as he has heard her swear that ‘she’ll not match above
her degree, neither in estate, nor in wit’. At the insistence of Sir Toby, Sir Andrew
decides to stay a month longer.

The second Act opens with Sebastian, now out of danger. But he is given to believe by
Antonio, the captain of the wrecked ship, that Viola, Sebastian’s has in all probability
been drowned. Sebastian decides to ‘bound for Orsino’s court’. This scene prepares us
for the theme of mistaken identity to take over in the next few scenes. Sebastian lets us
knows that he and his sister, both victims of a shipwreck, were twins. Now that both
the persons are in male attire, confusion, like what happens in The Comedy of Errors, is
sure to emerge. In the scene 2, Malvolio gives Viola a ring sent by Olivia for handing it
over to Orsino. Viola is wonderstruck as neither she had left a ring with Olivia nor had
her master, Orsino, had sent her one. She describes the tangle that has been created:

My master loves her dearly,

And I (poor monster) fond as much on him
As she (mistaken) seems to dote on me.
What will become of this?

However, she leaves the entire issue to be solved my time.

 O time, thou must untangle this, nit I;
It is too hard a knot for me t’untie. (II.ii.15-37)

In the 4th scene, the Duke tells Viola that her eye seems to have ‘stayed upon some
favour that it loves’, and Viola, retorts that it is ‘a little, by your favour’. This cryptic
answer indicates that it is Orsino who has caught her fancy, yet she calls it ‘a little’ as
she is yet to test his love for her. And most suggestively she tells the Duke that the
object of her heart is of the duke’s complexion and age. She also tells Orsino, when he
says that no woman can bear him the love that he owes to Olivia, that her father had a
daughter who loved a woman with as much depth as he did love Olivia with. She is
again sent on the love mission to Olivia with a jewel to be presented to her. This
epigram highlights the witticism and intelligence of Viola.

In the first scene of Act 3, in which Viola meets Olivia, Olivia tells her that the duke had
better not think about her, as she ‘thinks(s) not on him.’ Olivia, instead, reveals that in
her first meeting with Cesario she was enchanted and that is why she had sent a ring in
chase of her. The scene through a delightful exchange of witty words exposes that both
the women are in deception- Viola outwardly ( I am not what I am : 126) and Olivia
inwardly ( Viola: That you do think you are not you are: 124) Olivia in the aside
discloses her heart, now over head and ears in love for Cesario.
130-40
This too is a case of love at first sight, but Viola gives the subtle hint that Olivia’s love
for her cannot be successful: ‘never none (no woman) shall be mistress of’ her heart.’
Olivia who has taken a vow of cloistration breaks it, and asks Viola in male guise to
come again. The icy heart that repulsed Orsino’s love has now begun to melt. In the 4 th
scene, Olivia while offering a jewel to Viola firmly expresses her love for Cesario. While
Viola, being true to her mission, pleads with Olivia to love her master, Olivia declares:

How with mine honour may I give him that

Which I have given to you? (180-81)

Olivia again bids Viola to ‘come again tomorrow’, for ‘a friend like her (thee) might bear
her soul to hell.” (185-86) In the fourth scene which goes to present a fight between
Viola and Sir Andrew the situation is further complicated. As they draw their swords,
Antonio enters the scene who is at once recognized by the Duke’s officers and arrested.
Antonio who too mistakes Viola for Sebastian is amazed to see that Viola is ungrateful
in giving him charity for the services done to Sebastian by him. Viola retorts that she
hates ingratitude more in a man that lying , vainness, babbling drunkenness, or any
taint of vice whose strong corruption inhabits our frail blood.’(305-8) Antonio’s
mention of the name of Sebastian sets Viola’s fancy aflame for she now begins to that
Sebastian, whose ‘fashion, colour, ornament’ she has imitated is still alive.

In Act IV, Scene I, Feste mistakes Sebastian who now appears in the court for the first
time, for Cesario while Sebastian tells him : “Thou know’st not me.” The situation is too
complicated now. Sir Andrew strikes Sebastian, mistaking him Cesario, but is bean by
the latter. Just as Sir Toby and Sebastian are going to be engaged in a fight, Olivia enters
the scene. She castigates Sir Toby for his barbarous manners and exhorts Sebastian,
mistaking him for Cesario, to go with her to her private chamber. Sebastian is stunned
to see the state of affairs.

What relish is in this ? How runs the stream ?

Or I am mad, or else this is a dream.
Let fancy still my sense in Lethe sleep;
If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep! 55-59

Olivia is very glad to see that Sebastian wills to be ruled by her.

In the third scene Sebastian expresses his surprise at the turn of events leading to his
rise in fortune. He too is now relishing love and enjoys the air, the glorious sun and the
pearl that Olivia has given him. Still he believes that something is wrong somewhere
(There’s something in’t / That is deceivable), but decides to search Antonio out. But
before he can do so, Olivia enters with a priest, planning a clandestine marriage with
Sebastian whom she takes for Cesario. She, however, would keep the celebration
postponed till he desires.

In the first scene of the Fifth Act, Orsino learns straight from Olivia that she is a
‘marble-hearted tyrant’ and would take revenge upon Cesario, the boy she loves and
whom he tenders dearly too. As Orsino orders Viola to follow him to be sacrificed as a
lamb, Viola cunningly says that she would follow him ‘most jocund, apt, and willingly,
to do him rest.” The word rest is very potent for its subtle irony.

Viola reveals her feelings of love craftily: … ‘Him I love / More than I love these eyes,
more than my life, / More, by all mores, than e’er I shall love wife.’ Olivia feels she is
beguiled. She mistakes Viola for Sebastian, her husband, while Viola declines it.
The theme of mistaken identity is at its height now. The priest at the instance of Olivia
reveals that just two hours ago, Olivia and Cesario tied the knot. Sir Andrew’s
appearance with a bleeding head caused by Sebastian’s sword complicates the situation
even further. While Viola strongly protests that she has not hurt him, everyone takes
Viola for Sebastian and Olivia just advises Sir Andrew to be taken to bed. As Feste,
Fabian, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew leave stage, enters Sebastian who begs to be excused
by Olivia of the offence he has made by hurting her kinsman, Sir Andrew. Orsino who
is still present on the stage, along with Viola, untangles the whole complication when
he says: One face, one voice, one habit and two persons – / A natural perspective that is
and is not.!” Even Antonio fails to identify who Sebastian is.

How have you made division of yourself ?

An apple cleft in two is not more twin
Than these two creatures. Which is Sebastian?

Olivia too claims that this ‘most wonderful.’ Sebastian declares that he had never a
brother, but had sister whom the blind waves and surges have devoured’. 213.Viola
now discloses her real identity. (216- 218). Viola disclosing her real identity, now is the
time of recognition and reunion. The fatherhood and age of both are confirmed, and
Viola declares that hers is but a ‘masculine usurped attire.’ Sebastian now advises
Olivia that she is betrothed both to a maid and man. 247. Sebastian discloses that Olivia
has been betrothed to him, not Cesario. Orsino now acknowledges the mystery that
shrouded Viola’s words when she said a thousand times that she would not love a
woman as she would love him. Orsino asks for her hand and wishes to see her in
lady’s weeds. He now wants Viola to be her master’s mistress. While the whirligig of
time has Malvolio distracted, Orsino wants him to be treated kindly so that he may find
peace. They have now to find out the captain that saved Viola. Till then the solemn
combination would not be held and Viola would remain Cesario although she is
already ‘Orsino’s mistress and his fancy’s queen.’ And he calls Olivia ‘sweet sister.’

Thus it is seen that Viola, by Fate, is placed in a peculiarly difficult position. Rosalind
has her difficulties and so has Portia. But while Rosalind has no knot to untangle as
Orlando, she knows in or out of the Forest of Arden, is already her slave, Portia has a
tender heart that waits for Bassanio to touch and fill. The crisis that develops around
Antonio in The Merchant of Venice is not related to the love-affair direct, though it
works to bring out the intelligence of a Shakespeare’s comic heroine who can play as
skillfully in a courtroom as her another counterpart does in the Forest of Arden.. Viola
has to crack a hard shell. Putting on male attire, she works as a page with a Duke who
likes her but cannot seek her hand as he is not aware of her real sex. This could easily
have happened because although Duke’s love for Olivia is not insincere, he is ready to
accept reality. The moment he learns that Olivia has been betrothed to Sebastian in
preference to him, and Viola is not Cesario but Viola, he readily calls Olivia ‘sweet
sister’ and dedicates himself to Viola, whom he calls ‘her master’s mistress and his
fancy’s queen’.. But Shakespeare or Fate would not leave the thing so easy. Viola is in
love with the Duke but has to plead with Olivia that she love the Duke. Though it stings
her heart, she has to do it because she is honest, but the situation becomes complex as
Olivia takes her for a charming young man and ‘conceives strong passion for him.’ It is
a bafflingly complicated situation, and Viola’s commonsense and self-control are
demonstrated when she leaves the riddle to be solved by time. She is perplexed but is
not unnerved; she is sad owing to her belief that her brother has been dead, but she
does not put on a veil of sadness like Olivia as she knows that life is not unaffected by
Time’s scythe, that what cannot be cured must be endured. So she keeps on carrying on
her work-a-day life with due zest. She puts on a male attire only to protect herself in a
strange land. She has a rich sense of duty and honour. In the company of the Duke, she
demonstrates strongest self-restraint and intelligence, never allowing herself to take
advantage of the situation and advance her cause. In a way, while acting as the go-
between between Orsino and Olivia, she tests both the minds and learns that while the
Duke is sincere and constant in his love for Olivia, Olivia reserves no nook in her heart
for Orsino. So the chance comes her way; she does not become the Duke’s wife by
outdoing her rival, for Olivia is not her rival at all.

An entirely different aspect of Viola’s character is revealed in her handling Sir Andrew
Aguecheek. She has the intellectual ability and insight to overpower anyone who comes
in touch with her, but when it comes to sword-fighting, she quails ( blenches ) because
if she takes part in it with avid zeal, that would be against her basic womanliness which
preserves room for aversion against violence. Shakespeare, indeed, would not allow her
brilliant heroine to turn into a farcical character. But the timidity and nervousness that
she displays when asked to take part in a combat do not weaken her imagination and
intellect. As soon as Antonio comes to the scene of the fray and talks to her taking her
for Sebastian, her vibrant imagination suggests that her brother is still alive.

The play is a comedy of wishes not fulfilled though finally the characters are happy.
The Duke accepts Viola, whom he welcomes as ‘Orsino’s mistress, and his fancy’s
queen’, as he does not get the hand Olivia, though without least dismay; Viola gets the
husband she wanted, but that is by default on the part of Olivia. Olivia is happily
married, but not exactly to the man she fell in love with. Amidst all this, Viola stands as
the presiding character of the play, whom time favours by disentangling the knot. So,
westward ho!
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Ode to Viola

Viola is a heroine, cool and poised,

Judgment she has fine, and self-restraint;
Sorrow she can bear with fortitude
Love on her character leaves little taint.

Time, she knows, is the best healer

To protect herself she wears a male attire;
Malice she bears towards none,
Even to her rival courtesy doesn’t shun.
Rubious lips make her fairly sweet
But sweeter is her inner spirit;
God stands by her in her sorrow
For all at last she brings good morrow.

Viola! Three cheers for you

You are violin – now adieu !
Sibaprasad Dutta

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