Other
Critical Quotations Relating to Characters and Themes in Twelfth Night by Shakespeare
Collation of Critical Quotations Relating to Characters and Themes in Twelfth Night by Shakespeare
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
Content preview
Twelfth Night – critical quotationsShakespearean comedy
Comedy … focuses primarily on the experience of the group, as opposed to the individualist, isolationist
emphasis of tragedy. (Lisa Hopkins)
It is possible to discern in Shakespeare’s comedies clear signs of the conservatism which is so often felt to
flourish in comedy. (Hopkins)
Comedy dealt with the dangerous present
Language, mood and atmosphere, music
It is replete with moments in which visual sensation and sounds hover between sensuous numinousness
and semantic specificity. (Bruce Smith)
There is a ‘languorous atmosphere of amorous reverie and exquisite yearning’ (Ryan)
John Hollander: 'The Role of Music in Twelfth Night' (1956)
- 'the nature of a revel is disclosed in the first scene. The materials are to be music, food and drink and
love'
- 'exterior fluids of all kinds, wine, tears, sea- water, urine, and finally the rain of inevitability bathe the
whole world of Illyria, in constant reference throughout the play'
C. L. Barber: 'Shakespeare's Festive Comedy' (1959)
'People are caught up by delusions or misapprehensions which take them out of themselves'
Kiernan Ryan: 'Shakespeare's comedies' (2009)
'The languid atmosphere of the amorous reverie and exquisite yearning created by Orsino's opening
speech defines the emotional climate of Illyria right at the outset'
'"Nothing that is so, is so": therein lies the distilled wisdom not just of Twelfth Night, but of the whole
sequence of comedies it brings to a close'
'The labile nature of language is immediately linked to the wilfulness of the libido by the quip about
making words wanton' (labile = liable to change)
A critical reader: (2014)
- 'Twelfth Night has always been recognised as the play by Shakespeare most suffused with generally
melancholy music and song'
- 'The characters who welcome music in Illyria are more uniformly saddened by it' - W. H. Auden.
- Elam: music 'is not a decorative addition to the play but as essential part of the play's dramatic
economy'
Orsino
‘amiable erotic lunacy’ (Harold Bloom)
A narcissistic fool (Herschel Baker)
C. L. Barber: 'Shakespeare's Festive Comedy' (1959)
- 'The delight he [Orsino] he takes in Cesario's fresh youth and graceful responsiveness in conversation
and in service, is one part of the spectrum of love for a woman'
'Orsino meets poised Viola in a world of revelry'
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller cocoamor. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £3.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
53022 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now