Character study I am doing my English character study on

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorHigh School, 10th grade February 2008

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Character study I am doing my English character study on Viola, from William Shakespeare's play, "Twelfth Night".

Viola first appears in the play when she washes up on the shore of Illyria, after being shipwrecked. With her, is the shipwrecked ship's captain and surviving crew. Viola then discovers that her twin brother Sebastian is not ashore and must have been drowned. The captain tries to console her by telling her: "I saw your brother, most provident in peril, bind himself-… …-to a strong mast that lived upon the sea." Viola begins to think about her situation. She has the idea to go see the duke of Illyria, who was once friends with her father. We start to find out about Viola's background like her family. The way she addresses the captain shows her class and the captains reaplies, she sounds high placed and important. We don't meet Viola's father in the play, but he must be rich and powerful because he is friends with powerful people.

We see Viola's uncle and he has the title of sir, so must be in a high place. So Viola must be from an upper class background.

But the journey to the duke is long and dangerous, and a woman like herself would get taken advantage of, so Viola decides to disguise herself as a man. Viola shows a lot of determination by being willing to pose as a man in foreign land she also seems quite brave, but the plan does seem a bit over-the-top but very original.

Viola travels to duke Orsino and becomes one of his messengers under the name of Cesario, and is an instant hit with the duke.

"he hath known you but three days, and already you are no stranger." Viola then finds herself in love with the Duke Orsino and becomes jealous when she has to deliver love letters to a woman who does not want the duke. She must also be frustrated not being able to reveal her real sex to the duke. When she secretly confides to herself about her love for Orsino, she shows her romantic side.