Are We Who We Want to Be, or Are We What Others See? Lily Switka College

In Twelfth Night, Shakespeare emphasizes the importance of the roles we play in the lives of those around us through elaborate love triangles and complex characters. Whether we are romantically involved, tied by familial bonds, share a common workplace, or serve one another, the way we act has an undeniable influence on others, from which both our self-perceptions and the perceptions of others are molded. Viola and Malvolio are the ultimate representations of characters who perceive themselves one way yet are seen by the other characters in a drastically different light. In both cases, the characters’ understanding of themselves is known to the audience, which creates a personal bond between the reader and the character. Shakespeare carefully crafted both Viola and Malvolio to be incredibly relatable characters, causing the reader to identify with them and be more invested of the intricacies of the plot; understanding these two characters is essential in order to reveal Shakespeare’s commentary on the main themes of the play.

Malvolio is initially introduced merely as one of Olivia’s servants, though we later understand him to be a crucial part of the plot of Twelfth Night. He is known to all as the uptight steward who would...