Look at page 4, and reexamine the passage where Curio discusses Olivia's current state. Then, study Viola's situation in scene ii. View this film version of Act I, scene ii--It may help to illuminate the visual aspect we missed in class: Teachers' Domain: Twelfth Night Act 1 Sc 2
After your analysis, discuss how these characters (Olivia and Viola) serve to highlight each other.
The reason why Olivia and Viola serve to highlight each other because Olivia is mourning her father and brothers death by not being with a man for seven years. Then Viola is upset because she thinks that her brother is dead. She is going to dress up and act as the Duke as a eunuch and have her sing in dukes court to try and get into to try and talk to olivia.
ReplyDeleteOlivia and Viola first seem to be quite similar, but actually are quite different. They have both suffered through a brotherly loss. Viola, although not totally certain, believes her brother has died after her shipwreck; furthermore, Olivia knows her brother has passed away. Viola decides to totally start a new life and assumes a totally new identity, which I think is silly. I understand that she wants to celebrate life, and through assuming this identity she believes she is respecting her brother. I just think its an antic. Although Viola quickly recovers from the loss, the reader is able to see that it is also bad to dwell on such sorrows. Olivia decides to pay respect by mourning for seven years. This contrast on how they deal with sorrow highlights Viola's commonness and Olivia's nobility.
ReplyDeleteOlivia and Viola experience the same situation and both suffer the loss of their brother. They highlight each other because the way they deal with the loss is completely different. Olivia shows how weak she is by mourning for her loss for seven years. I think it's ridiculous of her not to date any guys and build up a wall inside her to pay respect to her brother. on the other hand, Viola is also upset that her brother died from the shipwreck but she knows it wont do her any good. Thats why she decides to begin a new life by wanting to disguise as a man. She is emotionally stronger than Olivia.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare threw these two characters into an unfamiliar, lonelier life without their brothers. Both want to hide from society; Olivia wants to “dedicate the next seven years to her brother," grieving by herself, while Viola wants to disguise as a eunuch for the Duke. The fact that they both want to hide as a result of the loss of their brothers makes them similar, but their motives are extremely different. Olivia is hiding because she is upset about her brother and doesn’t want to be with Duke, while Viola isn’t even ascertaining the fact that her brother might still be alive! If Olivia is actually upset, then this shows she is stronger on her own than Olivia is, and she is not letting a boy (or the loss of a boy) get in the way of her happiness for the rest of her young years. It seems like Viola is disguising simply because she needs a safe place to stay, and ironically she is pursuing a path that brings her closer to Duke Orsino, while Olivia is trying to stay away from him. This contrast could show Olivia is snottier than Viola. The Duke isn’t good enough for Olivia while Viola seems extremely interested when she hears about nobility. The difference between their classes brings about extremely different reactions to similar situations.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Hamlet and Laertes, Olivia and Viola serve as foils to each other. Since both these women have lost their brother's they have become hidden from the world, but one is intentional and the other by circumstance; Olivia has sworn off men for 7 years in order to grieve for her brother, meanwhile Viola has become ship wrecked on the island of Illyria and coincidentally loosing her brother as well. Also, Olivia chooses to wears a veil and Viola disguises herself as a eunuch all in order to protect themselves, either from be able to grieve, or to find shelter in the Duke's palace. Furthermore, what adds to the foil of these two characters is that Olivia is of the upper class and Viola is from a lower class. As well as that, Viola has a "can do" attitude because as soon as she reached land she devises a plan to disguise herself and find shelter, unlike Olivia who seems to be shutting herself down, letting herself feel totally helpless. Actually, now that I think of it Olivia is very similar to Hamlet in this sense because Hamlet becomes completely miserable after his father's death and if it weren't for the appearance of King Hamlet's ghost, Hamlet would have made a similar oath as Olivia.
ReplyDeleteOlivia and Viola are foils of eachother and although they are in the same position, they have different ways of acting upon it. Olivia is choosing to swear off men for seven years to honor and respect the loss of her brother where as Viola is trying to start a new life and begin on a fresh page. I'm still not really sure why she is trying to be the Duke's servant and and talk to Olivia other than hiding from society. I think that she is interested in the money that the Duke and Olivia have because she is simply middle class. It is also clear that they are foils because both have lost their brother but Olivia is dwelling on it rather than Viola who is trying to start over and be a new person. They have very different attitudes, for example Olivia doesn't have any interest in the Duke while Viola seems to be excited to disguise herself and work for him. I think it will be interesting to see how these characters and their motives develop.
ReplyDeleteAfter learning about both Olivia and Viola, it is evident that Shakespeare is trying to depict the different routes of life. These differences being the reaction and behaviors of a person when placed in a certain situation. After losing her brother, Olivia dedicates 7 years of her life to him. She refuses to see men as well as be happy. Viola, on the other hand, is unsure of her brother’s death but quickly resumes her life. She does very little mourning and plans her new life in Illyria. Viola can be said to be the foil of Olivia. This can be compared to Hamlet and Laertes therefore showing Shakespeare’s technique of writing. I believe he creates these foils, Viola and Olivia, in order to amplify both characters emotions. Although they are in very similar situations both girls react in a dissimilar manner and begin their new lives completely differently. This allows the reader to see similar situations and different reactions, creating a desire to see what happens in the end to the girls.
ReplyDeleteOlivia and Viola are foils of eachother in which they are both in the same type of situation. Olivia has chosen to stay clear from any men for seven years resulting because of her brothers death. On the other hand Viola wants to disuise herself as a alone at this time, Viola basically becomes a new person because eunuch for the Duke because of the loss of her brother. While Olivia grieves the loss of her brother and wants to hide and be of the death of her brother. Another example is that Olivia wants nothing to do with the Duke, even though he wants her, and Viola wants to get closer and work for the Duke. Therefore you see there take on their situations are very different.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Shakespeare is using Olivia and Viola, who are foils of each other, to show how two people with the same circumstances can deal with them differently. Olivia and Viola (each in different social classes) have both lost their brothers, but they react differently to their own situations. Olivia decides that she wants to dedicate the next seven years of her life to remember her brother, and swears of guys for him. Viola, however, takes a different approach and decides to move on with her life, and try to go on without her brother.
ReplyDeleteOlivia and Viola are very similar characters; however, the way they act towards their similar situations create difference between them. Both characters remind me of Lebron James and Dwayne Wade, both one of the best basketball players in the game right now, but are very different in their game play. While Lebron is more of a one on one solo player, Dwayne Wade uses more of the court with his teammates and is more of a leader figure to the team. Even though these players are similar in skill they both have unique differences on the court. Olivia hiding from society while Viola creates this whole new person and character shows the comparison between them and Lebron and Wade. Shakespeare uses this skill in his writing to show the difference in people, how some characters being so similar can have totally different characteristics and personalities.
ReplyDeleteI think that olivia and viola are there to show the differences in how these situations can be handled. Experiencing the death of a brother shows there similiarites, however the reactions are different. Olivia decides to stay away from men while viola creates a new identity. Viola is stronger then olivia and you can see it by there reactions. I think it will be interesting to see how it plays out and which way will leave someone happy!
ReplyDeleteThrough the characters of Olivia and Viola we see how these characters have very similar situations. Olivia has stopped seeing men for 7 years, mourning the life of her brother and son. Viola has just ended up in a completly new place and wants to discuse herself to fit in. We see how after Viola thinks her brother has died but has moved on quickly to start a new life under a new identity, while Olivia harps on the fact the her brother has just died. We see the same situation happening to both character and we see them both react to the situation very differently.
ReplyDeleteIn order for two characters to foil each other, they must be alike in some aspect. Both Viola and Olivia are currently in a state of disarray due to either the death or disappearence of a brother. They way they react to their situations is what sets them apart. Olivia enters a seven year long state of mourning, during which she puts her romantic life on hold and won't even allow anyone to see her face. Viola, although worried about her brother, formulates a plan to press on with her life so that she will be able to strive in her new setting.
ReplyDeleteLike everyone has said above me, Olivia and Viola are two very similar but different characters. When Olivia lost her father and brother all in the same year, she said she was done trying to find men for 7 years, and that basically she would cry everyday and hide her face from society so that people couldnt see her. Viola on the other hand (who isnt even positive that her brother is dead), is kind of doing the opposite of Olivia. She sees this opportunity as a way to start over and be someone new. I am excited to see how this play relates more to the movie, "Shes the Man", and to see how these characters start to develop throughout the play.
ReplyDeleteI think that Olivia and Viola are both similar being that they hold true to their convictions. Olivia knows her brother has passed away when Viola thinks it/isn't sure of it. You can see how they both handle their situations differently. Olivia decides to mourn her brother's death for the next seven years when Viola decides to disguise herself and become a different person. Olivia and Viola seem to not be influenced by the other characters in this play and pursue in what they believe in when it comes to mourning their brothers death.
ReplyDeleteI think the significance of Shakespeare foiling Olivia and Viola is to demonstrate how two character can be in similar situations but show how they chose to handle the situation differently. As we learned in Hamlet, the grieving process is different for everyone. So while just beginning ‘Twelfth Night’ we learn that both Olivia and Viola are dealing with the deaths of their brother, and we can sympathize for them. However we find out Olivia’s grief is far more severe than Viola’s. Olivia is willing to waste her youth mourning her brother whereas Viola wants to forward with her life. At first I felt sorry for Olivia but seeing how Viola is in a similar situation and her outlook is completely different I don’t feel as bad. Their attitudes and motives are already different and I’m interested to see how each character develop through out the play.
ReplyDeleteThough Viola and Olivia are in similar situations, dealing with the loss of their brothers, they choose to mourn and handle it differently. Viola chooses to disguise herself as another person to feel a sense of starting over; wanting a new beginning. Whereas Olivia plans to ache for the next seven years, not allowing herself to be happy or have any close relationships. I feel as though both Viola and Olivia's financial/social status heavily impacts their choice of mourning. Viola is a part of the middle class where she must work to get by in life. Because she is now on her own, working for the Duke and Olivia, according to Viola, is a smart way to earn a good amount of money. On the other hand, Olivia is considered well in the upper class. She seems to get everything she desires with her good looks and wealth. Her family is the only thing that she had no control over so this comes as an even larger shock. She feels as if there is no longer importance in her life and her family deserves to take seven years of her life away.
ReplyDeleteViola and Olivia are very different in the way they handle loss, causing them to be foils. When Olivia loses her brother, she is unable to face society and vows that she will not marry for 7 years. This shows how dedicated she is to people she is really close with. On the other hand, when Viola wasn't sure about her brother's life being saved, she stayed very positive and in a way, seemed completely convinced that her brother was still alive. But the question is--what would she act like if she knew her brother was dead? Maybe she would be a less depressed version of Olivia. Since the situation is not that way, however, we must assume that she handles death/loss in a much different way than Olivia. Also, while Olivia is refusing to socialize with any men, Viola is very social, gossiping with the captain about the whole "Olivia" situation, and wanting to dress like a guy for the duke. Her motives are unclear as of now, but in general, this shows Viola's overall confidence, compared to Olivia who has close to none.
ReplyDeleteBoth characters, Olivia and Viola have lost their brothers. They are both upset by this, however; they choose to display their grief in different matters. Olivia says that she has sworn off of men for seven years because of her brother's death. Whereas Viola plans to dress up in a convoluted disguise perhaps as a way of starting over. Viola already seemed interested in the Duke based off of her conversation with the sailor whereas Olivia rejected Duke just before. There two characters are foils of each other because they are in similar situations with either their brother's death or disappearance.
ReplyDeleteSince I don't want to start out with the exact same beginning as everyone else I'll start by saying I'm excited to read this play and compare it to She's the Man. Also, to read further and see Shakespeare foil Olivia and Viola's characters throughout the play. Both Olivia and Viola have lost their brothers (Olivia's brother dies and Sebastian is be lost at sea but we are unsure whether or not he is dead); however react differently. We know from the very beginning of the play that Olivia is a wealthy, beautiful woman; however she is currently grieving her loss and refuses to love or be loved. Olivia wear a black veil to show her respect for her loss, and she has vowed that no one will see her face for another seven years and she refuses to marry anyone until then as well . Similarly, Viola wants to disconnect herself from the world and wants to become a servant for the Duke. Not only does she want to become this servant, but wants to disguise herself as a man and only address the Duke. I don't really understand the motives behind Olivia or Viola but hopefully we will as we read on.
ReplyDeleteShakespeare created two characters, Olivia and Viola, and even though it's just two scenes into the play, we can see that they foil one another. They are both suffering from the loss of their brothers, so their situations strikingly similar. Olivia's brother died and Viola's brother has disappeared at sea, but it's almost the same thing because they're both feeling the same, depressed emotions. The part that's different though are their approaches to moving on and reacting to their losses. Olivia vows to not date for seven years. She plans to wear a veil and mourn, and she thinks this will pay honor to her brother. On the other hand, Viola wants to move on and start over. I feel like she is thinking optimistically, and is hoping that her brother is just lost and not dead. They will continue to be foils of each other because their motivations will be revealed, and their actions in the future will rely on their methods of coping that they chose. Does having a positive outlook truly help, or is destiny set?
ReplyDeleteOlivia and Viola are foils of each other because although they both lost their brothers, they’re still different in the way that they act upon their brothers’ death. Olivia has chosen to stay away from men for 7 years. I think 7 years is so long, but I think Olivia is just saying that, she’s not actually going to stay away from guys for 7 years. Viola says “And might not be delivered to the world, Till I had made mine own occasion mellow, what my estate is.” Viola wants to conceal her identity and work for the Duke. At least she’s doing something with her life other than mourning.
ReplyDeleteOlivia and Viola are different characters who go through somewhat similar experiences. Olivia lost her brother and her father and swears that she is sworn off men for seven years and she would hide from society and just stay to herself however, Viola does the opposite. Viola wants to dress in a disguise which I think is a way for her to try and move on with her life and try and start over. When it comes to the Duke, the girls act differently as well. Olivia rejects the Duke right away, making the Duke think that she actually does like him, where as Viola seems to actually be interested in the Duke when she talks to the sailor.
ReplyDeleteSeeing as both girls have lost their brothers before the play even starts Shakespeare uses these girls as foils. He wants to show how differently people can respond to the same situation. Take Viola. Viola disguises herself as a eunuch and goes to work for the Duke whom she ends up falling for. This shows that she is over her brother's death and is just moving on with her life without even really thinking about him. Whereas when we look at Olivia we see a sad depressed little girl who just wants to hide from society, mourn and dedicate the next seven years of her life to mourning over her brother... Yeah, people respond much differently to the same situation.
ReplyDeleteI really like Jackies response towards Olivia and Viola. I didn't realize that even though Viola isn't moping around wearing a black veil, she as well is hiding from the world by dressing up as a male to be a servant to Duke. It's strange reading how two characters handle a brothers death so differently, but so similarly at the same time. That to me is interesting because it plays on that idea in which people tend to hide from death and grieving is unique part of life one must face. I still think that Viola's brother isn't completely gone just shooed away at sea for the time being. I get how everyone's saying that the girls are complete foils to each other and i'm eager to find out how they both handle each other when they meet up somehow in the play.
ReplyDeleteBoth Olivia and Viola are suffering from the loss of a brother (well, Viola thinks she has lost her brother) and have to decided to deal with their losses in two very different ways. Viola has decided to disguise herself as a eunuch, while Olivia has decided to wear a veil over her face and to cut herself off from all men for seven years. Although the two characters are essentially trying to achieve the same goal, they are foils to each other due to the ways that they are achieving this goal.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the purpose behind having both Viola and Olivia suffer through the loss of their respective brothers (well, sort of for Viola) is to highlight the differences in their personalities by showing how they each react to similar situations. Olivia copes with the situation by detaching herself from men for seven years. While this seems like an odd thing for a woman to do now, this was an honorable and respectful way to mourn for such a loss in this time period. In contrast, Viola seems to run from reality and start over. This leads me to believe that Shakespeare's goal is to highlight how Viola and Olivia foil one another in that Olivia is more brave and will face her problems and issues head on, while Viola may be more cowardly and run from her problems instead rather than face the truth.
ReplyDeleteBoth Olivia and Viola are dealing with loss from the very beginning of the play. They have both dealt with the loss of a brother and the way they cope with the loss is not entirely different. While Olivia hides herself from love by openly mourning her brother, wearing a veil, and remaining celibate, Viola also disguises herself from love. When she learns of her brother's death she disguises herself as a man and goes to work for the duke, she falls for the duke but this love is hidden from him because viola cannot reveal her true self.
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