Event Analysis 6 AJ

Alex Jordan

November 20, 2013

Event Analysis 6

Professor Juniper Ellis

Caught Up in the Confusion

            Deception is throughout Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Characters pretend to be people they are not thus creating a huge controversial love triangle. Viola, after a shipwreck has left her on Illyrian, takes on the persona of Cesario. She begins to work with Duke Orsino who she in fact falls in love with. Although Viola loves Orsino, he is in love with Olivia. Orsino sends Cesario to deliver love letters to Olivia. This ultimately is his down all because Olivia begins to fall in love Cesario and not Orsino. Also when Antonio needs help he turns to Cesario thinking he is Sebastian. When Cesario acts as if he does not know who Antonio is he thinks that Sebastian is betraying him. When Olivia pronounces her love for Cesario she is unsettled when he does not feel the same way. When the real Sebastian comes Olivia professes her love to him thinking he is Cesario which creates an even larger problem. Viola is forced to reveal her true identity which affirms Orsino’s love for her. They later will wed but due to her disguise it created a very large problem with everyone involved.

            This idea of disguises I feel is closely related to Zen meditation. Zen meditation is all about finding your true self. It is all about slowing things down; taking in every little detail of life. It’s about relieving stress and finding a place where you can relax. Zen is about centering yourself and releasing everything that has a negative effect in your day to day life. It is about not having a mask or disguise. Zen is all about the person as an individual and to show your true colors.

            If Viola had just shown who she truly was and not try to disguise herself a lot of the conflicts would have been avoided. Duke Orsino may have fallen in love with her to begin with. He never would have asked her to deliver the love letters to Olivia. Olivia never would have fallen in love with Cesario. Antonio would not have felt betrayed if Cesario did not act in the he did. Not being who you truly are created a large conflict in this story. It drew people away from each other as well as made people fall in love with people who are not who they say they are.

            Overall I have enjoyed this course. It has not only helped with my ability to read poems and short stories and grasp the concepts within the story/poem. It has taught me to look past the surface of something. Every situation, person, object and action all have a deeper meaning. Nothing is necessarily as it seems. It has also made me look at themes through the structure of the poems and stories. I have a greater appreciation of the little things in life because this class had taught me to slow down and take in the minor fluctuations in a day. This class had a huge impact on me and I have grown to understand myself through each of the events as well as the poems and stories we read. I had a great time in this course and am not looking forward to the conclusion of this course.