Love is a Many Splendored Thing

John Kern
English 10 pre-IB

Love has many ways of coming about; it is sometimes caused by a strong emotional connection between two people, other times by flattery and looks. In Shakespeares play Twelfth Night, Viola and Olivia show how love can be very deeply emotional, or shallow and simple. Shakespeare uses these characters to contrast the differences in reason behind peoples love. Viola is in love with Duke Orsino for his personality, and their developing deep seated friendship. Olivia on the other hand, loves Cesario (Viola) for his youthful features and romantic speeches. These two examples show how love can be either very personal or very shallow. Viola remains in love with Duke Orsino throughout the entire play, being the only character to remain with one person for the plays duration. Shakespeare uses her to show that a person can love someone for their personality. She shows this by treating him very well and trying to spend a lot of time with him. They become good friends and get along very well. Early in the play Valentine explains to Viola how fast Orsino has befriended her. He hath known you but three days, and already you are no stranger. - Valentine Act.1 Sc.4. The couples strong connection is demonstrated in Viola becoming his top messenger and good friend in a very short period. All the while Duke Orsino is showing feelings for her, though he is not yet aware that she is a woman. She does not tell him because she fears it will jeopardise what relationship they have. My state is desperate for my masters love. As I am woman, now, alas the day -Viola, Act.2 Sc.2. Viola actually is in love with Duke Orsino for who he is. She shows that people can love someone for who they are, and stay by them.

In some cases, love can be influenced by good looks and charm above all else. Countess Olivia is a perfect example; she is madly in love with Cesario based purely on outward appearances. She loves him not for who he is, but for what he looks like and how he speaks. She even states that she is falling for his looks just after meeting him. Mine eye too great a flatterer for my mind - Olivia, Act.1 Sc.5. Cesario constantly pushes Olivia away and tells her that he cannot love her. She ignores his word and persists, enchanted by his outward appearance. She acts very unpredictably around him, asking him to marry her shortly after they meet. Unlike Viola, Olivia shows that sometimes people do not love someone for their personality, but for how they present themselves. Love can have very different causes. Viola and Olivia are both in love in the play, but for very different reasons. Viola (as Cesario), is close friends with Duke Orsino, and secretly admires him. It is him who she loves and no one else. Olivia, on the other hand, is in love with Cesarios good looks and smooth talking. In both cases the person they love does not at first return the same feelings. Viola and Duke Orsino have built a close connection while Cesario pushes Olivia away as depicted in her words I have one heart, one bosom, and one truth, And that no woman has, nor never none... - Viola, Act.3 Sc.1. The biggest difference though, is how Olivia is quick to accept Sebastian as a replacement for Cesario while Viola holds on to Orsino. We see how love manifests itself in many ways, for many reasons. Love has many different causes. It can be formed by the experiences shared as close friends, or just pure physical attraction. Shakespeare demonstrates this through the characters Viola and Olivia, two young women who are both madly in love, but for different reasons. Viola loves Duke Orsino because they share a good relationship as friends. On the other hand, Olivia is in love with Cesario for his good looks and presentation. They both have very different

reasons for loving those people and show how there can be many different reasons to love someone. Love occurs in many forms!