Inescapable Cycle of Desperation Inescapable Cycle of Desperation As a light hearted comedy, welfth Night presents the challenges that arise from the very common deception of appearances that are present throughout the play. Through the character’s challenges with deciphering each others’ feelings, the play encapsulates the common struggles associated with love. Though many different forms of relationships are presented- whether it be T
familial love between siblings or a romantic entanglement between lovers, welfth Night presents the apparent flaws that arise among relationships. The problems that arise from the tangled relationships in welfth Night illuminate the struggle that Olivia and Orsino undertake as they cope with the consequence of completely indulging themselves in their desire for love. Both T
of which characters long for a soul mate, and eventually submit themselves for this desire to consume their lives. Moreover, this insatiable lust that they prioritize in their lives becomes the T
drive to their lives, as they are willing to sacrifice everything to achieve it. Thus, Olivia’s and Orsino’s act of surrendering to their emotional state is their mechanism of coping as a victim of love because the absence of love’s comfort drives their desire to seek substitutions. Both Olivia and Orsino suffer from the absence of receiving the love that they need, prompting them to seek other substitutions to account for the grief they have to cope with. Olivia suffers from the loss of her brother, and she initially handles the distraught feelings by isolating herself away from society. Essentially, she makes her decision to not face reality, by staying in a
utopian society as she demands Maria by saying, “Give me my veil. Come, throw it o’er my face” (Shakespeare 1.5.164). She intensifies the situation as she vowed to “water once a day her chamber round with eye­offending brine—all this to season a brother’s dead love, which she would keep fresh And lasting in her sad remembrance” (Shakespeare 1.2.31­34). Gradually, she fills the emptiness from her brother’s loss by transferring her feelings over to Viola. She realizes the lack of comfort she will receive from grieving over the pain; thus, causing her to resort her feelings over to Viola. Olivia gradually comes to dismiss the mourning towards her brother, almost to the point to make people think she “she probably just use[d] her deceased brother as an excuse to ward off the Duke’s apparently unrelenting love” (Mantey 2). Olivia is not even aware that she is rejecting someone else’s feelings as Viola did to her. Moreover, Olivia recognizes this personal weakness of not being able to overcome her resonating feelings toward Viola so she confesses “By maidhood, honor, truth, and everything, I love thee” (Shakespeare 3.1.157­158). This act of surrendering towards her feelings is presented through her transferred feelings of her brother toward Viola. Similar to Olivia’s need to transfer her feelings in order to fill the emptiness that she suffered from her brother’s loss, Orsino’s tendency to find a significant other is his form of achieving his goal to avoid the loneliness. While Olivia had to fulfill the absence of her brother, Orsino wants to fill the emptiness of not being in love; therefore, guiding him to dedicate his life to receive reciprocated feelings from Olivia. Orsino wants his messenger Viola to “O, then unfold the passion of [his] love” (Shakespeare 1.5.26). This passion that he extends out in order to receive the love that he longs for by Olivia notes the emptiness that he longs to fulfill. Though he continually attempts to cope with the empty feelings, he is mentally not capable of doing so,
causing him to surrender to his feelings by looking for alternatives. Essentially, Orsino wants to satisfy this appetite for love that he feels cannot be fulfilled easily. Orsino notes in the beginning of the play, “If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken and so die” (Shakespeare 1.1.1­3). To Orsino, love is a struggle that he feels helpless towards; therefore, making him feel as if he cannot do much against it. By being so consumed by the concept of love and getting entangled in the urge to be loved as well, Orsino finds himself investing his life towards Olivia whom he cannot receive the same feelings from. Unconsciously, Orsino finds himself vulnerable to what he has his mind set on. Over and over, there is conflict in the love entanglements, as Olivia refuses to give the feelings that Orsino passionately sets forth, and he becomes a victim to what he got himself in. Orsino describes his attraction towards Olivia to be an “instant [when he] was [...] turned into a hart, And [his] desires, like fell and cruel hounds, E’er since pursue [him]” (Shakespeare 1.2.21­23). Through this reference to an animal that could be chased, it parallels the situation that Orsino is in- him being the prey to his own yearnings. Thus, the isolation that Orsino suffers from as a result of his own desires lead him to seek alternatives that will satisfy his thirst for love. The comfort that being loved brings becomes a central drive to the lives of Olivia and Orsino. Moreover, Olivia is blinded by the satisfaction that it brings and cannot seem to grasp the concept of not receiving the same feelings. Though Olivia is the cause to someone else’s grievance, she is oblivious to that fact and continues to pursue her lust for Viola. In being blind to the feelings that she’s rejecting as well, Olivia does not completely understand the concept of love; therefore, leading her to continually seek acceptance from Viola. She urges Viola as she states, “Stay. I prithee, tell me what thou think’st of me” (Shakespeare 3.1.145). Viola then
acknowledges Olivia’s disregard to herself and responds bleakly by saying, “That you do think you are not what you are” (Shakespeare 3.1.146). The lack of respect that Olivia receives from Viola should be an indicator that she should stop pursuing her desires, but because of her reluctance to accept reality, she continues to do so anyways. This negligence Olivia has towards her own identity guides her to seek someone that is not worth her time and efforts. The continual act of Olivia seeking Viola despite the minimal chances she has assists us to understand the tendency for mankind to fill the bleak feeling of being alone. Similar to Olivia’s struggle to recognize her self identity, Orsino’s continual motivation to seek Olivia proves the desperation that he holds in order to be loved. Just like Olivia, Orsino like any other character enjoys the relief of being loved; thus, leading him to live in a fantasy of always being loved. Orsino’s obsession with love is apparent in the opening statement of the play, “If music be the food of love, play on” (Shakespeare 1.1.1). Orsino is greatly passionate about love, and though he faces the struggle of not always receiving it, he is willing to do whatever it takes to satisfy this appetite that he mentions about love. Though a victim is commonly referred to someone that is deceived by others, Orsino becomes a “victim of his own imagination” (Delahoyde 7). Orsino allows this obsession he has for love dominate his life, and is ignorant to the fact that he suffers from emotional pain due to what he imposed on his own life. Though he is in control of the situation to a certain extent, he is so caught up with love in general that he lets this desire steer the direction of his life. His continual obsession with love is apparent as he extends himself towards Viola after being betrayed by Olivia. He acknowledges Viola’s hard work and notes, “since you called me “master” for so long, Here is my hand. You shall from this time be Your master’s mistress” (Shakespeare 5.1.341­343). Though many would
expect Orsino to be averse towards future relationships, it is rather the opposite- Orsino is more open to the efforts of Viola and essentially empathizes with her as they share the common struggle throughout the play. The constant attempts of Orsino to satisfy his appetite for love molded him to becoming a victim of his own obsessions. Due to the dramatic irony that is present throughout many parts of the play, the audience feels as if the love triangle can end very simply; however, the constant challenges that Olivia and Orsino face are evidence of the cycle of desperation that they are entangled in. When first introduced to the character of Olivia, the audience gets a very sharp impression of Olivia since she made an entrance that was worth remembering. In responding to the death of a brother that she so dearly loved, she makes a whole scene ultimately “all this to season A brother’s dead love, which she would keep fresh And lasting in her sad remembrance” (Shakespeare 1.2.32­34). Due to the death of her brother causing her to get out of her own comfort zone, she is forced in this state of desperation. She is constantly longing for something to take her mind off the death of her brother. After finally indulging herself in something she hopes would satisfy her emotional “appetite,” she finds herself entangled in a bigger cycle of desperation, as she sees no other perfect love than Viola- whom she cannot have. Olivia finds herself trapped in these constant cycles of desperation because she loses her identity as she pursues her interests. She stays blind to her surroundings; thus causing her to feel so helpless to her emotional state. Olivia’s helpless response to her emotions override her intentions, causing her to remain in this cycle of desperation as she attempts to pursue her interests. Orsino’s circular characteristic of being erratic with his decisions parallel the cyclical period of desperation he is stuck in. From the beginning of the play to right before he recognizes what
he is ultimately in love with, Orsino demonstrates erratic characteristics of being very irregular on his opinions. The first impression that Orsino gives off is a man that “is turned inward, self­regarding, deeply self­centered” (Tonkin 5).“Orsino demonstrate[s] of [his] identit[y] by [his] erratic behavior” (Newman 99). The opening lines of the play executes a very important role in the characterization of both Olivia and Orsino. As Orsino rambles on about the wonders of love, he demands “excess of it” (Shakespeare 1.1.2). Not even a couple lines away from saying this, he mentions “Enough; no more. ’Tis not so sweet now as it was before” (Shakespeare 1.1.7-8). This quick change of mind influences his reputation in that many of the other characters are uncertain in what he is pursuing. Moreover, the audience is also very conflicted in what he is dedicating his life towards because he seems to always be looking for something that he cannot have- Olivia. Orsino cannot seem to envelope his feelings around the fact that Olivia will not love him back so he ties himself back in this cycle of desperation once again. Only through Orsino’s desperate state of mind is his willingness to appreciate love apparent. The love triangles, or rather the circular cycle of desperation that Olivia and Orsino are caught in presents the need for balance between fantasy and reality. Both Olivia and Orsino lose their identity in the satisfaction that love gives; therefore, causing them to stay in this continuous cycle of desperation. The consequences they face from pursuing the love lives they want out of selfish desires are a result from being victims to the love they yearn for. In all, the tendency of both these characters to satisfy their thirst for comfort causes them to remain in this cycle as the pain from grievance traps them. Works Cited Delahoyde, Michael. "Twelfth Night." T
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