Ella Heusner

Mekayla Vergo
Kristen Gercia
St. Catherine Academy
March 9th, 2023
ЗА

Could you ever imagine living as the opposite gender under unexpected and unfamiliar
conditions? In the enthralling romantic comedy Twelfth Night, written by William
Shakespeare, deception is very prevalent. In the play a character by the name of Viola is
introduced as a risk taking woman with a twin brother who she believes is drowned at
sea.Viola has the goal of disguising herself as a eunuch, and making a name for herself in the
Dukes court. Shakespeare incorporates deception into her character, by using dramatic
devices such as plot twists
and dramatic irony.

Viola, under the deceiving disguise of Cesario the eunuch, carries out her secret role bravely
and wisely. She is determined to serve the Duke in his court. She keeps her true identity
concealed by playing the character of “Cesario the eunuch”, furthermore transforming both
her physical appearance and personality, slightly. As a quickly favoured servant of the duke,
Cesario was tasked with convincing the grieving lady Olivia to fall in love with him. Viola,
being loyal, did as she was told. Unexpectedly, lady Olivia began to be enamoured with
Viola's disguise, and Viola found herself in the midst of a love triangle. She also began to
develop feelings towards the duke. All in all, Viola's disguise led to many
miscommunications.
Shakespeare successfully tells Viola's disguise through the
use of dramatic devices such as plot twists and dramatic irony. Shakespeare uses dramatic
irony to create tension and humour throughout the play. An example of this is Cesarios true
identity being revealed to the reader, while the characters in the play are oblivious to what is
truly happening. The use of plot twists is then seen towards the end of the play, as Viola's
true identity is revealed to the rest of the cast through the reappearance of her twin brother
Sebastian. These dramatic devices also heavily added to the suspense and humor of the play.
Overall, Shakespeare's use of dramatic techniques in Twelfth Night, such as dramatic irony
and plot twists, added to the play, and its characters.

In conclusion, the use of dramatic techniques such as plot twists and dramatic irony to depict
Viola's character allowed Shakespeare to effectively incorporate deception into Twelfth
Night. Viola's disguise as Cesario the eunuch allowed her to work in the Duke's court, and
also led to unexpected romantic entanglements and miscommunications. The use of dramatic
irony created tension and humour, and the plot twist at the end of the play when Viola's true
identity is revealed added to the themes. Overall, Twelfth Night is an enthralling romantic
comedy that still captivates audiences today, showcasing Shakespeare's skillful use of devices
to bring his characters and their relationships to life.