FREE ESSAY ON TWELFTH NIGHT

TWELFTH NIGHT

Comedic Conflict and Love in Trevor Nunn's "Twelfth Night"
Trevor Nunn's direction of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night takes away some of the confusion
present in the reading of the text, which begins with the complicated love interests of
the main characters. Having been the artistic director for the world famous Royal
Shakespeare Company for eighteen years, Nunn is vastly familiar with adaptations of
Shakespeare's plays. Part of the comedy of this film develops from the first three acts
of the play, which allow for a complex circle of interaction to develop within the film.
Nunn's use of the prologue at the beginning of the film presents crucial information in
an easy to understand, witty way. The film's prologue makes clear much of the play's
primary confusion, and establishes the foundation on which the rest of the film may
balance upon. 
Nunn's adaptation of Twelfth Night begins with the founding relationship in the play, the
designs that Orsino expresses for Olivia. It is clear that this first interaction is the
basis for others that occur, and it is also clear that both Shakespeare and Nunn utilize
this interaction to create the comedic effects that happen because of the subsequent love
interests. Orsino is not just an average courtly love, he is the Duke, and has
considerable stature and respectability in his community. It is expected that his love
for the Countess Olivia will be reciprocated, even in the midst of her grieving the loss
of her brother. However, Duke Orsino's attempts at contact are met with disdain, but
Olivia's lack of interest does not dissuade Orsino from continuing his pursuit.
Duke Orsino is not a skilled romantic. His belief that he can compel Olivia into marriage
through the expression of his feelings in messages demonstrates his lack of real passion
in the situation and shows that he is of great stature, perhaps to belittle himself with
courting. He is not Romeo hiding in the bushes for his Juliet, and this is one of the
elements of separation that cause the comedic conflict to occur. If Orsino had taken it
upon himself to persuade Olivia personally, instead of sending messengers, the outcome of
the film would have been significantly altered. 
Both Shakespeare and Nunn support the importance of Malvolio's role through the love that
he has for himself, as well as his love for Olivia. While Malvolio's love for Olivia
creates a sub plot, including the actions manipulated by Maria's deception, this only
builds on the comedic effect that is created by the other loves that develop. The comedic
conflict is further developed in Malvolio's "Puritanesque" wardrobe of his suit and
shoes. This comedy seen in Malvolio's wardrobe is extended to the end of the film when
Malvolio appears wearing bright yellow tights and cross belts.
Malvolio's character is significant because he at first attempts to bring an air of
respectability and chastity to the whole film, though his essential flaws and his
inability to recognize the reality of people's feelings, including Olivia's, removes him
from the position of moral overseer to a simple player in the game of love. Malvolio's
error is related to his self-perceptions and his consideration of his own
self-importance, rather than his caring and compassion for his mistress Olivia.
The other character of significance is Viola, and she is important in the development of
the comedic conflict that occurs. She is a noblewoman who disguises herself as a boy, and
becomes a servant of Orsino. Orsino uses Viola as a messenger to persuade the steadfast
Olivia to hear his pleas of love. The problem with this scenario is that in the process
of winning a position with Orsino, Viola falls in love with him, thus her voice as a
messenger for Orsino is complicated by her own feelings. The comedic conflict of love
occurs primarily within this love triangle of Olivia, Orsino and Viola. Olivia falls in
love with a girl pretending to be a boy, as Orsino subsequently falls for a "boy", who,
fortunately for him, is in actuality a girl. 
Instead of persuading Olivia on Orsino's behalf, Viola, who is called Cesario as a boy,
attacks the love of Olivia, complicating the film. Viola does not immediately recognize
the affections of Olivia, but when she does she realizes that Olivia loves someone who
does not exist. Cesario is a vision, an artificial character, and Olivia attaches her
very determined sights on Cesario. This issue of "disguise" is vital to the comedy that
occurs since it is the principle in which the comedy stems from.
At the same time, Olivia uses Malvolio as a messenger to Viola (Cesario) and this adds to
the complexity of these relationships, particularly that of Malvolio and Olivia. It
appears that Maria's trickery is directly related to the feelings that Malvolio expresses
for Olivia, because it is implied that Maria once had these same feelings for Malvolio,
suggesting that her deception is an act of jealousy.
Nunn's adaptation of Viola's character is compelling because it demonstrates that she can
feel love on countless levels. Viola is intelligent, resourceful, witty, and charming.
These are the qualities that help her to acquire the love of the Duke as well as the
immediate love of Olivia. Viola demonstrates courtly love and romantic love for the Duke
Orsino, and this fosters the complications that continue to mount. At the same time,
Viola is also capable of feeling compassionate, brotherly love for Olivia, even after
recognizing that Olivia loves her as Cesario. Viola deserves to be content with love
since she is the only one who really knows what love is. She is the only one who
experiences and suffers the true pain of unrequited love, rather than the distorted
apparitions of those who are more fascinated with the torment of love, instead of love in
it's true fashion.
Olivia's love for Viola (Cesario) is derived from her need to make an excuse to ward off
Orsino, though Viola's characterization of a boy is both compelling and attractive.
Olivia is less capable of understanding the compassion of brotherly love and more
compelled to express romance as a means of escape. Olivia is in love with love, and uses
Viola as a means of expressing this love, without accepting the attentions of Orsino. 
Although these love interests as well as the complicated web of relationships, represent
romantic love, Nunn attempts to provide for another type of love within the story. Viola
and her brother Sebastian share a familial love that is very powerful. Both Viola and
Sebastian are distraught by the thought of the loss of the other, and it is only through
their realization that the other might still be living that these two siblings are able
to go one with their actions. 
Furthermore, Viola is capable of expressing brotherly love for Olivia, though Viola
recognizes that this type of love is not what Olivia feels for her. Olivia's love for her
brother and father are expressed through her continued mourning, as Viola's love for
Sebastian is expressed by her long-standing concern for his welfare. Their abilities to
share in familial love are elements that these two women share, even in the midst of the
comedic conflict.
This illustration of brotherly love is also substantial in the relationship between
Sebastian and Antonio. Antonio, the man who saved Sebastian, recognizes their commonality
and shares in a love of brotherhood that is demonstrated by their concern for each other
as well as Antonio's decision to return with Sebastian to Illyria, regardless of the
dangerous it poses for himself. Their acts of protection and their concern for one
another's welfare represents the magnitude of their brotherly love, correspondingly to
the love that Viola expresses for her brother. 
Nunn's adaptation of Feste's is persuasive because the fool presents wise insights into
the actions that occur and the complicated web of love that all of characters become
entwined with. His ability to suggest that love is a game, that lovers often love to
love, and that love can be almost blind, are important themes to the attraction and
comedy of this performance. It is Feste's recognition of the humor in the conflict that
makes the comedy stand out. In other words, Feste's songs are used to enhance the comedic
impacts of these ironic situations, allowing the audience to perceive the effects of the
conflict, rather than considering the conflict itself. 
Malvolio is the underlying driving force of the love relationships, and is considerably
responsible for the outcome of these affairs. Malvolio has a hidden hope through some
mystical action, that Olivia will establish her love for him and protest it to him.
However, Maria plots to shake-up Malvolio, and allows him to misinterpret information
about Olivia that suggests her love for Malvolio. As a result, Malvolio is stirred into
believing that there is an existing love between he and Olivia, even though it is a
falsified creation of Maria. 
Malvolio's function in this film is to serve as a comedic contrast to the merry-makers,
as well as a vital reminder to Feste that life is serious, and not all fun and games.
Malvolio expresses the dark side of comedy and love. He emphasizes demureness, yet, when
he thinks he has the chance to move forward with Olivia, he abandons all that he stands
for and acts like an absolute fool. This action is the first imperative step that leads
to the undoing of several characters, primarily Malvolio. It is essentially Malvolio's
ultimate narcissism that allows the other characters to easily plot his demise. This
destruction of fortune is the fundamental expression of irony within the film. 
Feste and Malvolio are essential in understanding the two types of love that are
expressed within the film, and the need to delineate these types in order to understand
their impact on the comedic conflict that occurs. Feste demonstrates that life creates
cruel jokes and that it is the way in which one can understand these situations that
determines whether man is a fool or not a fool. At the same time, Malvolio not only shows
his love for Olivia, but also his obsessive self-love, and Nunn's interpretive message
throughout the film is that this type of self-importance cannot be the basis for romantic
love. The great lovers in this film are those individuals who are able to express love
that is unselfish, and without concern for personal intentions. 
Viola and Sebastian represent the purest of the love demonstrated, with their concern for
each other as well as the unselfish nature of their interactions, including Viola's
representation of the messages of Orsino to Olivia. Even though Viola is in love with
Orsino, she represents the purity of love that conquers all in spite of the comedic
conflict. 
Feste serves an essential role in "Twelfth Night", since he is the only character who has
witnessed and heard more than any of the other characters in the film. Ben Kingsley's
performance of Feste is charismatic and clever. He serves as a device to drive the
storyline along, and his "songs" add the comedic aspect of the love relationships.
The breakdown of Malvolio in the foyer of Olivia's home brings to an end, for a brief
moment, the comedic conflict that was present throughout the film. The comedy turns to
sadness, as Olivia states that Malvolio has been "most notoriously abused". This sadness
turns to anger in Malvolio as he exits and vows, "I'll be revenged on the whole pack of
you"! However, the comedic conflict and love returns quickly, as everyone is paired with
someone to love and enjoying their fortunes. Nunn's addition of the wedding scene
provides an ending with closure, something Shakespeare's play was lacking. Feste closes
the film with a song of the various stages of life, putting all of the profound meanings
of life into this "comedy". 
Bibliography
"Twelfth Night". Directed by Trevor Nunn, Screenplay by Trevor Nunn. Produced by Stephen
Evans and David Parfitt. Based on the play by William Shakespeare. First Line Films. 
Bibliography
Twelfth night