tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4876924230312266819.post5886110689370259434..comments2023-05-20T08:57:21.103-07:00Comments on The Red Fleece: The True Villain of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night? Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4876924230312266819.post-4718253309094853942023-05-20T08:57:21.103-07:002023-05-20T08:57:21.103-07:00Finally, I actually completely agree with your fin...Finally, I actually completely agree with your final statement but this still does not make Sebastian a villain. He uses the excuse of "Or I am mad, or else this is a dream.<br />Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep" <br />essentially saying he is in a dream and just wants it to continue (much like the sentiment of most characters in the carnivalesque world of Illyria, in which time and its synonyms repeated often is the greatest issue), (lethe is also a classical reference to the river of forgetfulness of the Greek underworld).<br /><br /> "The bad guys get everything they want without trying, while the real heroes are beaten, disgraced and humiliated. Despite their best efforts they failed to save Olivia from the clutches of an evil, bad tempered and cruel scrounger." <br />No characters tried to stop the twins from marrying. It is still an active choice at the end of the play for the marriage of Viola. After all, the twins being revealed does not cause too much of an issue, with it being overshadowed by poor Malvolio's "I will be revenged on the whole pack of you".<br /><br />One last ironic statement! You say that "Twins with too much time on their hands are the devil." But you earlier say #IReallyHadNothingBetterToDoThatDay<br />Hypocritical much? (also the twins and literally ever character in Twelfth night have no time on their hands, before the incoming wind and the rain. (see my last points)).<br /><br />But hey ho, I like your manga picture (Ive read it and it could have been a bit better but meh) and anime reference. <br /><br />Uhh I am taking my final exam in like 3 days time. Wish me luck! <br /><br />- Yours faithfully, A Twelfth Night professional. Justmakinganameforthisonetwelfthnightargumenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10541482235351808763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4876924230312266819.post-80054954387067649372023-05-20T08:57:14.097-07:002023-05-20T08:57:14.097-07:00HOLD UP, okay there are many flawed reasons within...HOLD UP, okay there are many flawed reasons within this "essay" of yours. I think your opinion is really interesting and funny but it does use lots of colloquial language and sometimes does not make sense so, let me go through where your reasoning falls apart. (I am a long-time researcher of Twelfth Night as well for credentials.)<br /><br />#1<br /><br />You say "One thing that's puzzled me lately is WHY Viola dresses up as a boy? If she needed to find work, she could have just got a job as a maid, like Maria.<br />Put simply- more money."". <br /><br />The issue here is that Viola is literally in an unknown land, a female all by herself. If you did not know, it would be dangerous for her to go around as a female in Illyria and as for Maria, she is a completely different person than Viola. She only manages to do well by scheming against Malvolio and ends up getting married by the drunkard Sir Toby WITHOUT her permission. Viola as a male can get time to make her own decision on who she loves through disguising as a male. Also I do not understand about your statement "more money" when she has NO money to begin with, she is shipwrecked. <br /><br />#2<br /><br />You say: Hmm...compulsive liar, motivated by greed, jealousy and ambition...traits you'd associate with the villain. Know what other characters in Shakespeare's works share these traits?<br /><br />Listen up. Viola lies but nearly EVERY character lies in Twelfth Night. Unlike most other villains she KNOWS it is wrong as well - "Disguise I see thou art a wickedness" Act 2 Scene 2. Being motivated by ambition is a fatal flaw in Tragedy plays but in Twelfth Night it makes Viola stand out as the HERO or the only one who actively tries to get what she wants through the clever medium of disguise. Other characters use disguise to play tricks on Malvolio or Malvolio himself is presented as foolish with the "yellow stockings" - a unfashionable trend in the Jacobean period. But Viola almost becomes her brother through disguise, it is simultaneously a way of mourning for him and fulfilling his role. Furthermore, Viola is never manipulative actively, she only fulfils Orsino's wishes. <br /><br />#3<br />You say:<br />Captain Nameless claims that it's “courage and hope” teaching Sebastian how to tie himself to a mast, but that's all it is- a claim. I have a theory that the twin with the Y chromosome already knew how to do that. What I propose is that Sebastian is himself... a pirate.<br /><br />This would make sense apart from one "little thing", YOU DONT HAVE TO BE A PIRATE TO KNOW HOW TO TIE MASTS. He could have easily been a good sailor as well, in fact people on ships would be probably required to learn these skills. <br /><br />4#<br />So you say:<br />So, just to reiterate- Sebastian pulled a knife, durring a fist fight, and threatened a man who was simply trying to break it up.<br /><br />Well, firstly, Sebastian is actually under attack, he does not know if they will continue fighting. Likewise, do you really think Sir Toby is breaking up the fight? He does not CARE at all for Sir Andrew (I personally think Sir Toby is the main villain of Twelfth Night, but that is another story). Sir Toby just wants to fight to be honest, it is not Toby but Olivia who actually breaks everything up: "Hold, Toby! On thy life I charge thee, hold!". This is notable for being the first time Toby's antics go too far and Olivia gives some definite imperative short sentences. (Note: I see what you said at the end "Or are you now after a pint of my malapert blood?". Really clever actually! Just like Sir Toby you made this outragous statement that causes battle (of wit however). <br />Part 2: On next comment.<br /><br /><br />Justmakinganameforthisonetwelfthnightargumenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10541482235351808763noreply@blogger.com