Dramatic Irony in Twelfth Night

Dramatic Irony in William Shakespeare's................… Āla D.
Amir
Dramatic Irony in William Shakespeare's

Twelfth Night
Āla. D. Amir
College Of Education
University Of Missan
Abstract: Authors use characters of the play, and

many techniques to get finally its influence on the
their point across. One of dramatic construction of
these techniques is the play.
dramatic irony. William The study deals
Shakespeare used this with the definition of
technique in his play dramatic irony, reasons
Twelfth Night (1601) to for using this kind of
present his views about technique, and its
love, self love, friendship, elements. Then, it shows
etc. in a way that produces dramatic ironies in
laughter and on the part of Twelfth Night both in
the audience. the main plot and
The aim of this subplot. Finally, the
study is to show the study sheds light on the
technique of dramatic influence of the dramatic
irony in Twelfth Night, irony on the dramatic
and to discuss its role in construction of the play.
helping audience The study ends with
recognize the themes and Notes and a
the personalities of the Bibliography.
.
Journal of Missan Researches,Vol(5),No(9),2008……….289
Dramatic Irony in William Shakespeare's.............… Āla. D.Amir
William Shakespeare was a master of his craft.

He commanded the English language as no one else
could. But his talent did not end at words; it spilled over
into creative techniques including dramatic irony.
Dramatic irony is widely used in drama,
especially in William Shakespeare's plays which rely
largely on it. The question should be asked is: why does
this technique spread largely to cover not only drama
but also all kinds of literature? To know the reasons, it
is necessary first to know what is meant by dramatic
irony.
When the audience is more aware of the true state
of events that will have a great influence on the
development of the plot in any work of literature than
the characters themselves are, it is called dramatic
irony1. It keeps the audience on the inside throughout
the entire literary work. William Shakespeare's Taming
of the Shrew is full of dramatic ironies. Christopher Sly,
a drunkard tinker is found asleep by a lord who takes
him into his house and has him treated as a nobleman.
Lucentio falls in love with Bianca so he changes his
clothes with Tranio (Bianca's tutor) in order to be a tutor
to teach Bianca. Petruchio, Horntensio's friend is
persuaded to present the disguised Horntensio as
another tutor for Bianca. All these events which are
caused by disguise, deception, and mistaken identity are
known to the audience, but not to the characters
themselves. So with the use of dramatic irony,
Shakespeare incorporates the audience into the play by
endowing them with the great position by allowing them
to know the hidden truth.
.
The result of dramatic irony is that of a comforting

effect and interest on the part of the audience because
they " [enjoy] being on the secret "2 which
means that the authors respect them. This is one reason
for largely spreading dramatic irony as a technique. The
audience feels like a part of the story, i.e. they feel they
have something in common with the characters. Also it
makes the audience feel privileged and even superior to
the characters when they understand the hidden
meanings of the words and actions of the characters at
the time the characters are oblivious 3. Therefore, the
behaviour of the characters becomes ironic because they
are unable to grasp the reality of the truth. Besides that,
it produces comic effects, especially in the comedies,
because the ignorance of the characters makes them
appear ridiculous and their actions humorours 4. That
makes the play more interesting and entertaining.
Moreover, dramatic irony is used to heighten
suspense. When the audience knows what is happening,
there is more suspense, because they are waiting for the
crucial moment in which they can see the reactions of
the characters when everything is revealed 5. It is also
used to "assist in developing the depth of the characters
and … in foreshadowing"6.In Sophocles' Oedipus the
King, for instance, Oedipus is a nobleman. He declares
the punishment of banishment for the man who killed
Laius.
Oedipus: If self-incrimination keeps him silent,

Let him be accused he need
fear nothing Worse than
7
banishment. P.32
.
Oedipus does not realize this time that the man he is

speaking of is himself, but the audience does. Therefore,
when Oedipus puts a curse on the Laius' murderer and
hopes the killer's life to be wretched, there is heightened
suspense since the audience knows that Oedipus is in
hard times. They also foreshadow that his life will be
wretched at the end.
After all, whatever the reason is for using it,
dramatic irony creates a remarkable increase in the
audience's tension and concern, and a kind of unity
between the audience and the characters. It also creates
a setting for a great deal of irony where the characters
make comments that take on a double meaning.
Dramatic irony is based on three main elements: 1-
Disguise: it occurs when a character either hides his true
identity under a mask in order not to be recognized by
anyone, such as a woman disguised as a man (outer
disguise) or when a character disguises as another
personality to hide his real one (inner disguise). In
almost most of Shakespeare's plays, women disguise as
men. In Two Gentlemen of Verona, Julia disguises as a
boy in order to follow her lover, Proteus, who forsakes
her. Julia (disguised as Sebastian) becomes Proteus's
servant and he does not realize or discover that until the
end of the play while the audience knows that from the
beginning. 2-Mistaken identity is usually accompanied
by disguise, or in other words, it is the result of disguise.
It happens when one character is unaware of the
disguised character and mistakes him for another. In
The Merchant of Venice, Portia and Nerissa disguise as
men: a lawyer and a clerk in order to save Antonio. As a
result, Bassanio and Gratiano mistake them for a lawyer
and a clerk and, on that basis; they treat them and give
.
them the rings that rouse a problem which is solved at

the end when mistaken identity is revealed while the
audience is aware of everything from the beginning. 3-
Deception: occurs when a character intends and plans
tricks and conspiracies secretly, to deceive others to
achieve his ends that are made fun of, get rid of them, or
for punishment. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a
comedy based on Oberon's trick. Oberon, the King of
fairies, decides to punish his wife, Titania, because she
refuses to give him the boy of the Indian King. Oberon
orders his mischievous servant Puck to bring him a
magic flower. If its juice falls on the eyelids of a
sleeper, it will make him fall in love with the first
creature he sees on waking up. Oberon squeezes the
love juice on Titania's eyelids. As a result, Titania falls
in love with Bottom who has been bewitched by Puck
and has the head of an ass. Oberon wants to punish
Titania through making her fall in love with a man with
an ass's head. All these tricks or deceptions which are
known to the audience but not to the characters
themselves.
As usual, the end of any literary work is the final
resolution. So, in the case of the plays where the basis of
conflict and change is dramatic irony, the resolution is,
of course, the resolve of dramatic irony itself 8.
In Twelfth Night, the play starts with dramatic
irony and ends with its resolution. If we review the play
thoroughly, we shall find that almost every scene in
every Act contains dramatic irony.
With dramatic irony, Twelfth Night presents the
themes of love, self-love, friendship, and the theme of
appearance and reality.
.
The main plot revolves around the disguise of

Viola. Viola decides to hide herself under the mask of a
man to obtain employment by the Duke of Illyria as a
kind of protection and security since she thinks that her
brother may be drowned and she is left alone in this
foreign land.
Viola [To Captain]: Conceal me what I am, and be

my aid
For such disguise as haply, shall
become
The form of my intent. I'll serve
this duke
(I. ii. 51-53)9
In fact, "Viola's disguise into a male sets a series of

conflicts and changes in motion. This [disguise] ignites
two plights in parallel; her disguise intensifies her love
towards Orsino and Olivia's love towards her"10. Thus,
dramatic irony is based on disguise in this case.
Disguise is crucial to the plot of the play. It is the thread
that runs through the play from the beginning to its end.
After having known that Viola has survived,
Shakespeare lets the audience know that Sebastian,
Viola's brother, is still alive as well. Shakespeare hides
this fact from Viola as he hides the fact of Viola being
still alive from Sebastian who also thinks that Viola may
be drowned and he is left alone in the foreign world:
Sebastian For some hour before you took me from

the breach
Of the sea was my sister drowned.
Antonio Alas the day!
.
Sebastian A lady, sir, though it was said she must

resemble me, was yet of many accounted beautiful;
(II. i. 17-21)
Again, Shakespeare makes the audience aware that

Viola and Sebastian are twins. These facts, which are
known to the audience but not to the characters, are
important for the development of the plot of the play.
They prepare us, the audience, for the role played by
mistaken identity and they set up the potential for
dramatic irony.11
Viola as Cesario confuses all of the characters into
thinking that she is a man. The only people who know
of her identity (apart from the captain who rescues her
from the shipwreck) are the audience. This makes the
play more enjoyable and entertaining for the audience as
they want to know what happens in Viola's future and if
she finds her brother.
Viola falls in love with Orsino and she is so much
favoured by him that he tells her what is inside himself
and sends her to woo Olivia. This is interesting for the
audience because they want to know what happens to
Orsino and his love for Olivia and to Viola and her love
for Orsino if Olivia ever removes her veil to accept
Orsino's love. This is the case in which Shakespeare
uses Viola's inner and outer disguise to hide her identity
as a means to leave the audience in suspense 12. The
audience is waiting to see how this matter will play
itself out.
Against her will, Viola carries out orders
unquestioningly and goes to Olivia's house asking for
her hand to Orsino. Olivia is impressed by Viola's
youthfulness, passion, and beauty, i.e."[y]ounger men
.
are apparently more interesting to her than older nobility

such as Orsino",13 and by her charming speech, in other
words, Viola's praising Olivia's beauty makes Olivia
welcome the idea of love not for Orsino but for Viola.
Olivia always dismisses Orsino's messengers of
marriage under the excuse that she has a vow of
mourning for seven years for the death of her brother, an
action that appears more for her sake rather than in
actual despair for the loss of her brother. But upon
seeing Cesario (Viola), Olivia finds that she cannot hide
her love. She confesses that she is in love. This shows
that Olivia suffers from self-deception. She even reveals
it indirectly by sending a ring to Cesario (Viola). The
ring is a symbol of love and marriage. Viola: "I left no
ring with her, what means this lady?"(II. ii. 14)/"She
loves me sure…."(II. ii. 19) She is rational enough to
realize that Olivia has fallen in love with her. The
audience also realizes Viola's problem as they realize
that Olivia is the largest victim to love and disguise.
Olivia falls in love with Cesario (Viola), though she
realizes how far from manliness this "Cesario" is. Olivia
is obviously blinded by love in this case. By this, i.e.
through Viola's disguise, the audience is made aware of
one of the play's themes that is the theme of appearance
and reality which means that things are not always what
they seem. When the characters are unaware of a
disguise, their quest for the truth or reality becomes a
lesson in truth seeking for the audience. Hence, Olivia's
readiness to fall in love with appearance is a lesson
about blind love that Shakespeare presents in this play
through dramatic irony.
The dialogue about love and women between
Orsino and Viola is another example of dramatic irony
.
based on disguise. The audience who knows the truth

about Viola's gender understands it. Nevertheless,
Orsino does not understand her answers.
Orsino: Hath stayed upon some favour that it

loves;
Hath it not, boy?
Viola: A little, by your favour.
Orsino: What kind of woman is't?
Viola: Of your complexion.
Orsino: She is not worth thee, then. What
years, i' faith?
Viola: About your years, my lord.
(II. iv. 22-28)
The dialogue is quite humorous, especially when
she tells him the story of her father whose daughter
loved a man:
My father had a daughter loved a man,

As it might be, perhaps, were I a woman,
I should your lordship.
(II. iv. 102-104)
Viola's lines are an example of the prettiest use of

dramatic irony when the audience understands the
hidden meaning. To them, it is an obvious expression of
her love, shaded by her talking of it in the third person.
This creates a desire inside them to shout "'TELL HIM!
TELL HIM YOU LOVE HIM, VIOLA!' ".14 But Orsino
remains totally unaware and takes the references as
polite and meaningless complements.
After that long conversation, Viola is obliged to go
to woo Olivia again. The dialogue between Olivia and
.
Cesario (Viola) is a series of speeches, which shows that

both of them are in some sort of disguise known to the
audience but not to the characters. Cesario's (Viola's)
sentence "That you do think you are not what you are"
(III. i. 130) which means that Olivia is mistaken because
she is in love with a girl, is misunderstood by Olivia
who thinks Cesario (Viola) refers to her social position
which is different from Cesario (Viola) and on this
assumption Olivia replies: " If I think so, I think the
same of you" (III. i. 131) which means that Cesario
(Viola) is a nobleman in disguise. Viola also
misinterprets Olivia thinking that she means that
Cesario (Viola) is not what he is and Cesario (Viola)
agrees with her "Then think you right; I am not what I
am"(III. i. 132) which means that she is a girl. Once
more Olivia misinterprets Cesario (Viola) and she
wishes that Cesario (Viola) were a man in love with
her:" I would you were as I would have you be!" (III. i.
133). This time Olivia declares her love to Cesario
(Viola) face to face. Olivia is pleading for love and is
rejected because Cesario (Viola) tells her in the plainest
way that she does not and will not give her heart to any
woman:
I have one heart, one bosom, and one
truth,
And that no woman has; nor never none
Shall mistress be of it, save I alone.
(III. i. 150-152)
Olivia is surprised by this dreadful answer. The

audience, unlike Olivia, understands what is meant.
They are waiting with pity to know what will happen
next. By this, dramatic irony accomplishes its task of
.
sharing the audience with the feelings of the characters.

The love triangle between Orsino, Viola (as Cesario),
and Olivia is unravelled at the end of the play when
Viola reveals her real identity as a woman.
Another example of dramatic irony Shakespeare
uses in this play is that which is based on deception. In
Twelfth Night, it is the characters, almost without
exception, who, in varying degrees, are involved in
deception as Patrick Swinden says: "Whether we look in
the plot that Shakespeare took (indirectly) from the
Italian, or the plot he made up to put beside it, we shall
discover deceit piled on deceit."15
Sir Toby (Olivia's uncle) deceives Sir Andrew (Sir
Toby's friend who woos Olivia) to believe that he can
win Olivia's heart. Whenever Sir Andrew wants to
withdraw because he believes that Olivia will accept
Orsino's proposal of marriage, Sir Toby persuades him
that she will not marry anyone elder or richer than
herself and that he can win her at the end:
Sir Andrew: Faith, I'll home tomorrow, Sir Toby; your

niece will not be
seen; or if she be, it's four to one she'll
none of me. The
count himself here hard by woos her.
Sir Toby: She'll none o' the count; she'll not match
above her degree,
neither in estate, years, nor wit; I have
heard her swear it. Tut,
there's life in 't, man.
(I. iii. 86-91)
Sir Andrew believes him directly:

.
I'll stay a month longer. I am a fellow o' the

strangest mind i'
the world; I delight in masques and revels
sometimes alto-
gether.
(I. iii. 92-94)
Shakespeare makes Sir Andrew "a figure of
fun"16because of his foolish. He is made a fool by Sir
Toby for the latter's benefit because Sir Andrew is rich
and Sir Toby is a pleasure seeker. Sir Toby is self-love
in this respect and dramatic irony helps the audience to
understand this theme. The audience knows that Sir
Toby deceives Sir Andrew because they know what a
kind of lover Sir Andrew is since life, for him, consists
of "eating and drinking" (II. iii. 10) only and what a
kind of woman Olivia is. Thus, they foreshadow that the
marriage between them will never happen. Besides Sir
Toby's deception, Sir Andrew deceives himself, i.e. he
suffers from self-deception. He thinks that he is a
courtly lovable gentleman. To Sir Toby and the
audience this is wrong.
This example of dramatic irony based on deception
is further used to create a link between Orsino, Viola,
Olivia's relationship_ Sir Toby, Sir Andrew's
relationship_ and Sebastian, Antonio's relationship.
After having noticed Olivia's admiration towards
Cesario (Viola), Sir Andrew decides to withdraw again.
But Sir Toby and Fabian (Olivia's servant) deceive him
into thinking that Olivia wants to arouse his jealousy,
"to put fire in/ [his] heart, and brimstone in [his] liver."
(III. ii. 16-17). They further deceive him to have
revenge upon Cesario (Viola) by challenging her in a
fight though they know that he is a coward. This
.
situation is funny for the audience who knows that

Cesario (Viola) is a woman and she cannot be his rival
in love.
Now Sir Toby deceives both Cesario (Viola) and
Sir Andrew and makes fun of them. He goes to Cesario
(Viola) to tell her about the fight with Sir Andrew.
When he sees that Cesario (Viola) is a coward like Sir
Andrew, Sir Toby tells her that Sir Andrew insists on
the fight. He even describes Sir Andrew as a brave
knight:
He is knight, dubbed with unhatched rapier, and
on carpet
consideration; but he is a devil in private brawl;
souls and
bodies hath he divorced three, and his
incensement at this
moment is so implacable that satisfaction can be
none but by
pangs of death and sepulchre. Hob, nob, is his
word; give 't
or take 't.
(III. iv. 203-208)
Then Sir Toby returns to Sir Andrew telling him

that Cesario (Viola) accepts the fight, insists on it and
that he must be careful because Cesario (Viola) is very
brave:
Why, man, he's a very devil; I have not seen

such a firago.
I had a pass with him, rapier, scabbard, and all,
and he gives
.
me the stuck- in with such a mortal motion that

it is in-
evitable; and on the answer, he pays you as
surely as your
feet hit the ground they step on. They say he has
been fencer
to the Sophy.
(III. iv. 237-242)
A lot of the intrinsic humour in this play is based on

this scene of fight because the ignorance of the rivals
(Sir Andrew and Cesario [Viola]) juxtaposes with the
omniscience of the audience. The fight starts when
Antonio (Sebastian's rescuer and friend) enters and
draws his sword against Sir Andrew: "I for him [Cesario
(Viola)] defy you [Sir Andrew]" (III. IV. 273)
Antonio's entrance to the scene prepares for another
dramatic irony, which, this time, is based on mistaken
identity. This idea is shown when Antonio mistakes
Viola for her twin, Sebastian, and intervenes to protect
her from Sir Andrew. Antonio risks death and comes to
Illyria, though he is wanted by Orsino's officers for the
sake of Sebastian. This is a typical example of
friendship. Once more, Shakespeare clearly depicts
another theme of the play through dramatic irony. It is
the theme of friendship and the roles of Sir Toby and
Antonio are remarkable in this province.
Fortune plays its role and Orsino's officers catch
Antonio. This matter obliges Antonio to have his money
back from Cesario (Viola) mistaking her for Sebastian:
Antonio: I must obey. [To Viola]This comes with

seeking you;
.
But there 's no remedy; I shall answer it.

What will you do, now my necessity
Makes me to ask you for my purse? It
grieves me
Much more for what I cannot do for you
Than what befalls myself. You stand
amazes;
But be of comfort. (III. iv. 289-295)
This situation is comic to the audience because they

know that Viola receives no money from Antonio:
"What money, sir?" (III. iv. 289) Antonio is stunned
because he cannot understand why Sebastian betrays
him now.
The confusion of mistaken identity continues and
Shakespeare shows another example of dramatic irony
based on mistaken identity in scene i of Act IV. In this
brief scene, mistaken identity is intermingled with
violence that abruptly changes to be combined with
love. Sebastian is about to strike Feste because Feste
mistakes him for Cesario (Viola) and insists that
Sebastian is Cesario (Viola): "If you [Feste] tarry
longer/ I shall give worse payment" (IV. i. 16-17). Sir
Andrew also mistakes Sebastian for Cesario (Viola).
After having seen the cowardice of Cesario (Viola) from
the earlier fight, Sir Andrew finds now his chance to
show his knighthood, so he strikes Sebastian: "Now, sir,
have I met you again? There's for you" [Striking
Sebastian] (IV. i. 21). Sebastian who is unaware of what
is going on and he is startled as to why this man (Sir
Andrew) is striking him, is not afraid of returning the
harm, so he starts striking Sir Andrew as well: "Why,
.
there 's for thee, and there, and there./ Are all the people
mad?" (IV. i. 22-23). Sir Toby and Fabian intervene to
protect Sir Andrew. The fact, that the audience knows it
is Sebastian, not Cesario (Viola) while the characters do
not, makes the fight excused.
However, the fight is stopped by Olivia.
Shakespeare creates much humour out of mistaken
identity. Olivia hopes that Sebastian, whom she
mistakes for Cesario (Viola), will forgive her uncle and
will not be angry with her. Sebastian, bewitched by
Olivia's beauty, falls in love with her at first sight.
Therefore, when she asks him to marry her: "Nay; come,
I prithee; would thou 'dst be ruled by me!" (IV. i. 57),
Sebastian accepts at once:" Madam, I will." (IV. i. 58)
Olivia is extremely happy at the sudden change of
events that make Cesario (Viola) finally love her and
agree to marry her. At the same time, Olivia is lucky
because she gets married to a real man and not to a
woman in the image of man. The marriage of Olivia and
Sebastian provides the basis for all of the other
complications to be unravelled later on.
The non-recognition continues and Orsino comes
with Cesario (Viola) to woo Olivia. The arrival of
Orsino with Cesario (Viola) allows the audience to
observe that Orsino is expressing his frustration with the
lack of progress in his efforts to win Olivia. While
Orsino and Cesario (Viola) are waiting for Olivia,
Antonio and officers arrive. Cesario (Viola) praises
Antonio before Orsino:" He [Antonio] did me kindness,
sir, drew on my side;" (V. i. 57) whereas Antonio
accuses her of betraying him after three months of
friendship. Both Orsino and Cesario (Viola) regard his
words madness: "… fellow, thy words are/ madness"
.
(V. i. 88-89). If they call Antonio's words madness,

what will they call Olivia's words: "Whither; my lord?
Cesario, husband, stay?" (V. i. 133) And what will they
call Sir Andrew and Sir Toby's complaint Against
Cesario (Viola): "He [Cesario (Viola)] has broke my
head across, and has given Sir Toby a bloody/ coxcomb
too. For the love of God, your help!" (V. i. 165-166)
Viola's disguise and mistaken identities following it
make the audience more excited, more interested, and
more enthusiastic to know when everything will end up
and how. They certainly know that the solution is in the
hand of either Viola or Sebastian but they do not exactly
know which one or how.
The appearance of Sebastian before all makes the
audience know how the things will be unravelled before
the characters themselves. Therefore, they are not
amazed by his arrival, his apologizing to Olivia for
hurting her uncle: "I am sorry, madam, I have hurt your
kinsman," (V. i. 194) and by greeting his friend
Antonio: "Antonio! O my dear Antonio!" (V. i. 204)
whereas the characters are amazed as it is illustrated by
their comments:
Orsino: One face, one voice, one habit, and

two persons,
A natural perspective, that is and is
not!
(V. i. 202-203)
Antonio [To Sebastian]: How have you made division

of yourself? An apple cleft in two is not more twin
Than those two creatures. Which is Sebastian?
Olivia: Most wonderful!
.
Sebastian: Do I stand there? I never had a brother;

(V. i. 207-211)
Sebastian also swallows the bait of Viola's disguise
and mistakes her for a male: "Of charity, what kin are
you to me? /What countryman, what name, what
parentage?"(V. i. 215-216) This is a hint to make the
audience imagine that a change of clothes is enough to
deceive others17. When Viola reveals herself as a
woman, everything becomes clear. The confusion
dispels and things quickly fall into their natural order.
Olivia agrees to be Sebastian's wife just because he
resembles Cesario [Viola] ( the image of the man she
loves so deeply) in spite of the fact that Olivia opens her
heart to Cesario (Viola) because of her kindness and
charming speech that Sebastian does not seem to have. 18
It emphasizes that Olivia's love has no depth or
sincerity. She is infatuated with the idea of love and not
with a particular person just as Orsino who, after a long
period of declaring his love and devotion to Olivia,
transfers his love to Viola depending on her confession
many times when she was in disguise that no woman
would love him like her if she were a woman. Now,
when she reveals herself as a woman, the love between
Orsino and Viola is possible, especially as he realizes
that he loved Viola all along:"[To Viola] Boy, thou hast
said to me a thousand times/ Thou never should'st love
woman like to me." (V. i. 252-253) This emphasizes the
idea that "[Orsino's] attraction to Olivia…like the other
would be wooers Sir Andrew Aguecheck and Malvolio,
is a disaster."19Whereas Viola's love, unlike them, is true
and stable. Hence, without dramatic irony, the theme of
love would not be better displayed in this play.
.
Shakespeare continues to employ dramatic irony

throughout the play to include the subplot. Dramatic
irony in the subplot repeats the same themes of the main
plot through Maria's deception of Malvolio (Olivia's
steward) because of his ill behaviour.
Malvolio also suffers from self-deception. He feels
that Olivia loves him and that is why she agrees with
him in everything he does including insulting not only
the other servants but also even her relative Sir Toby
and his guest Sir Andrew. According to Malvolio, it is
love that makes his commands as if they were her own
and his opinions taken into consideration. But according
to reality, this is the position that was always given to
any household steward in the Elizabethan period and not
only to Malvolio, as it is pointed by Clare Byne:" an
Elizabethan household steward was a gentleman of
considerable importance, occupying a very responsible
position, which gave him the exercise of very
considerable power".20 As a result, the audience, once
more, is made aware of the theme of appearance and
reality.
Before falling in Maria's trap, i.e. before finding the
letter, the audience, through his way of thinking, which
is heard by them, recognizes that Malvolio is guilty of
self-love. This creates much humour because, as it
seems, that Malvolio forgets that he is merely Olivia's
steward. His ambition to be a count and to impose his
authority upon the others makes him blind to reality and
makes the audience sure that Malvolio does not love
Olivia for her person, as C. L. Barber comments: "He
[Malvolio] does not desire Olivia's person; that desire
even in a steward, would be sympathetically regarded,
though not of course encouraged by a Twelfth Night
.
mood, what he wants is to be Count Malvolio….His

secret wish is to violate decorum himself, then relish to
the full his power over others".21
Also, through his way of thinking, the audience is
informed on Malvolio's real identity that is hidden under
the mask of Puritanism. It can be regarded as a spiritual
or inner disguise because Malvolio has a materialistic
spirit that is different from what his spirit must be since
he is a Puritan as he claims and behaves.
Dramatic irony in the subplot begins when Maria
with the presence of Sir Toby and Sir Andrew writes a
forged love-letter to Malvolio in her own hand that
looks like Olivia, i.e. Maria's hand is to be disguised as
Olivia's, to deceive Malvolio to think it is from Olivia.
The audience is aware of this deception whereas
Malvolio is not when he finds the letter, reads it, and
follows its instruction. Malvolio's error which leads to
embarrass himself is "a conceited and subjective
interpretation of data, which confirms instead of
challenging his fantasy".22
There is the presence of dramatic irony in Act III,
scene iv, that is shown by Olivia's mistaken identity for
Malvolio. When Olivia asks him "wilt thou go to bed,
Malvolio?" (III. iv. 29) she means to have rest, Malvolio
interprets this as a seduction and, thus, he
enthusiastically replies "To bed! ya, sweetheart, and I'll
come to thee" (III. iv. 30) which shows the extent of his
delusion. Then he repeats the instructions of the letter.
Olivia surprisingly repeats after him. She even ascribes
his strange behaviour to a "very midsummer madness."
(III. iv. 51) Malvolio is mistaken for a mad- man by
Olivia because she does not know what is going on
whereas the audience who is aware of Malvolio's sanity
.
and who knows the reason behind, which is supposed to

be his strange behaviour will laugh aloud.
Another scene prepares the audience for dramatic
irony, which, this time, contains its three main elements
together, is when Feste wears a gown and beard of a
priest to disguise as priest Topas who is supposed to
cure mad Malvolio. Malvolio is deceived for the second
time because he is unaware that he is actually talking to
Feste than to real Sir Topas. The dialogue between
Malvolio and Feste gives pleasure to the audience who
knows that Malvolio mistakes Feste for Sir Topas
especially when Feste wants to help Malvolio with a
light and a paper to write a letter to Olivia whereas Sir
Topas (Feste) prevents Feste from even talking to
Malvolio:
Feste Advise you what you say; the minister is

here. [As Sir Topas]
Malvolio, Malvolio, thy wits the heavens
restore! Endeavour
thyself to sleep, and leave thy vain bibble-
babble.
Malvolio Sir Topas!
Feste Maintain no words with him, good fellow.
[As Feste] Who, I,
sir? Not I, sir.God be wi' you, good Sir
Topas. [As Sir Topas]
Marry, amen… [As Feste] I will, sir, I will
(IV. ii. 83-89)
.
As the play progresses and the state of Malvolio

becomes worse, the audience can easily sympathize with
Malvolio though they know that it is his self-love which
ends himself locked up in a dark cell and is accused of
being mad. Therefore, they welcome the idea when
Feste eventually brings Malvolio a paper and a candle to
write a letter that he (Feste) gives to Olivia. Olivia sends
for Malvolio to explain everything. When Malvolio
comes with the letter in his hand, everything becomes
clear. We see that the letter, which sets dramatic irony,
is the same that resolves it.
Throughout the use of dramatic irony in the play, it
is noteworthy that its influence on the dramatic
construction of the play is the parallels and contrasts.
Malvolio's love to Olivia is a parallel to Viola's love to
Orsino. Viola, disguised as Cesario, is the servant of
Duke Orsino and Malvolio is the steward of Countess
Olivia. Both of them fall in love with their masters, and
both of them act as love-messengers: Viola between
Olivia and Orsino, and Malvolio between Olivia and
Cesario (Viola). Despite this almost identical parallel in
circumstances, Malvolio and Viola are a contrast in
character and action. Viola's love is pure and sincere.
She painfully sacrifices her love for the sake of Orsino's
happiness and tries her best to convince Olivia of
Orsino's love and worth, using her sincere emotions that
are motivated by the purest motives of love of her
bosom. Accordingly, Viola's disguise as a man does not
conceal her feelings as a woman, but her experience as a
man integrates with her feelings as a woman. 23
Malvolio's love, on the contrary, is self-love. He seizes
the slightest chance that comes his way to achieve all
his absurd dreams of power and wealth. Also, Viola's
.
reaction when Antonio calls her "Sebastian" is in

contrast with Malvolio's when he reads Maria's letter.
Though both of them are told what they want to believe,
Viola does not believe and keeps her balance until she
makes sure that her brother is really still alive while
Malvolio believes the letter without thinking it may be
fake which leads to his downfall.
Viola is also a parallel to Olivia. Both of them have
a dead father and a lost brother on the part of Viola
since she does not know whether he is alive or not, and
a dead brother on the part of Olivia. Yet they are a
contrast in character and action. Despite the loss of her
brother, Viola is still optimistic and has faith to live life
to the full. She loves Orsino for his sake and keeps her
love in her heart like "a worm i' the bud," (II. iv. 107)
whereas Olivia is pessimistic. She keeps herself away
from the world because of her dead brother. She is
indifferent to Orsino's passions and feelings. Falling in
love with Cesario (Viola in disguise) and then
transforming it to Sebastian after it was only for the
memory of her dead brother shows that Olivia's love is
self-love. Moreover, the relationship between Antonio
and Sebastian is a contrast to that between Sir Toby and
Sir Andrew. The true friendship is shown by the
technique of dramatic irony.
To employ dramatic irony in this play, Shakespeare
uses disguise, mistaken identity, and deception which,
in return, cause confusions and internal conflicts among
his characters and it is this confusion that appeals to the
audience and leads to comedy. It keeps the audience
wondering how many more of these situations will arise,
and at the end, how this confusion and conflict will be
solved. Eventually, without dramatic irony, the themes
.
of love, self-love, friendship, and the theme of

appearance and reality would not be better presented.
And without dramatic irony, the play would be far less
confusing and far less interesting. But with dramatic
irony, Twelfth Night is categorized as one of the most
amusing comedies ever written.
.
Notes:
1
Layman A. Baker, "Dramatic irony: Critical
Concepts," (1999,
URL:http://www.ksu/english/baker/english287/cc-
dramaticirony.htm) January 24, 2006, p.1 of 4.
2
C. Hugh Holman, A Handbook to Literature (New
York: The Odyssey Press, 1960), p. 155.
3
"Dramatic Irony," (1999, URL: http://
www.vcu.edu/art web/ play writing.htm) January 24,
2006, p. 2 of 2.
4
"The Uvic Writer's Guide: irony," (1995, URL:
http:// www.Uvic.ca/
w/guide/pages/literature/irony.htm.) January 24, 2006,
p. 1 of 2.
5
"Reasons for Irony,"(URL: http:// www.ripen. edu/
academics/ the atre 23/…Oedipus/ reason for irony.htm)
February3, 2006, p.1of 1.
6
Ibid.
7
Sophocles, The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles:
Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone,
translated by Paul Roche (London: Longman Group
Limited, 1958).
.
8
C. Cheng, "Shakespearean Use of Dramatic Irony,"
(March 1996, URL: http://www.
geocities.com/sophius/dramaticirony.htm) January 25,
2006, p. 2 of 5.
9
William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, ed. Bernard Lott
(London: Longman Group Ltd., 1959). All subsequent
quotations from this play are taken from this edition and
enclosed within the text in parentheses.
10
C. Cheng, p.2 of 5.
11
Jenia Geraghty, "A Study of William Shakespeare's
Twelfth Night, Showing How Shakespeare's Choice of
Form, Structure and Language Shape Meaning,
"(November 2002, URL:
http://www.literature_study_on-
line. com/essays/twelfth_night.htm) February 7, 2008,
p. 3 of 6.
12
"Deceiving Disguises in Twelfth Night," (URL:
http:// www. bookrags. Com/ essays op: search & sting;
twelfth night. htm) March 12, 2006, p. 2 of 2.
13
Lee Lady, " Shakespeare's Women in Drag:
Viola,"(February 2002, URL: http:// www. ha waii.
edu/~ lady/ lit/ Shakespeare/ Viola. htm) March 13,
2006, p. 2 of 8.
14
"Use of Humor and Dramatic Irony in Twelfth
Night," (URL: http://www.
exampleessays.com/viewpapers/39423.htm) March 5,
2008, p. 1 of 1.
.
15
Patrick Swinden, An Introduction to
Shakespeare's Comedies (London: The Macmillan Press
Ltd., 1973), p. 127.
16
5E. F. C. Ludowyk, Understanding Shakespeare
(Cambridge University Press, 1962), p. 209.
17
Bernard Lott, "Introduction," to William
Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, ed. Bernard Lott (London:
Longman Group Ltd., 1959), p. xiii.
18
Lee Lady, p. 7 of 8.
19
Joseph Penquigney, "The Two Antonio and Same-
Sex Love in Twelfth Night and The Merchant of
Venice," in Shakespeare and Gender: A History, eds.
Deborah Barker & Ivo Kamps (London: Verso Press
Ltd., 1995), p. 180.
20
Clare Byrne, "The Social Background," in A
Companion to Shakespeare Studies, eds. Harley
Granville-Barker & G. B. Harrison (Cambridge
University Press, 1964), p. 204.
21
C. L. Barber, Shakespeare's Festive Comedy
(Princeton University Press, 1972), p. 255.
22
Ralph Berry, Shakespeare's Comedies:
Explorations in Form (Princeton University Press,
1972), p. 201.
.
23
Juliet Dussinberre, Shakespeare and the Nature of
Women (London: The Macmillan Press Ltd., 1975), p.
265.
Bibliography:
1. Baker, Layman A. "Dramatic Irony: Critical

Concepts." 1999. URL:
http://www.ksu/english/baker/english287/cc-
dramaticirony.htm.
Retrieved January 24, 2006. Article of 4 pages.
2. Barber, C. L. Shakespeare's Festive Comedy.

Princeton University Press,
1972.
3. Barker, Deborah & Ivo Kamps (eds.). Shakespeare

and Gender: A History.
London:Verso Press Ltd., 1995.
4. Berry, Ralph. Shakespeare's Comedies: Exploration

in Forms. Princeton
University Press, 1972.
5. Cheng, C. "Shakespearean Use of Dramatic Irony."

March 1996. URL:
http://www.geocities.com/sophius/dramatic
irony.htm. Retrieved
6. January 25, 2006. Article of pages.
"Deceiving Disguises in Twelfth Night." URL:

http://www.bookrags. com/
.
essayop: search & sting; twelfth night.htm. 7.

Retrieved March 12,
2006. Article of 2 pages.
8. "Dramatic Irony." 1999. URL:

http://www.vcu.edu/art web/play writing.
Writing.htm. Retrieved January 24, 2006. Article
of 2 pages.
9. Dussinberre, Juliet. Shakespeare and the Nature of

Women. London: The
Macmillan Press Ltd., 1975.
10. Geraghty, Jenia. "A Study of William Shakespeare's

Twelfth Night,
Showing How Shakespeare's Choice of Form,
Structure and Language Shape Meaning." November
2002. URL: http://www.
11.literature_study_online.com/essays/twelfth_night.ht
m. Retrieved
February 7, 2008. Article of 6 pages.
12.Granville-Barker, Harley & G. B. Harrison (eds.). A

Companion to
Shakespeare Studies. Cambridge University
Press, 1964.
13.Holman, C. Hugh. A Handbook to Literature. New

York: The Odyssey
Press, 1960.
.
14.Lady, Lee. "Shakespeare's Women in Drag: Viola."

February 2002. URL:
http://www.ha
15.waii.edu/~lady/lit/Shakespeare/viola.htm. Retrieved
March 13, 2006. Article of 8 pages.
16.Ludowyk, E. F. C. Understanding Shakespeare.

Cambridge University
Press, 1962.
17."Reasons for Irony." URL:

http://www.ripon.edu./academics/the atre23/..
Oedipus/reason for irony.htm. Retrieved
February 3, 2006. Article
of 1 page.
18.Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night. Ed. Bernard
Lott. London: Long-
man Group Ltd., 1959.
19.Sophocles. The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles:
Oedipus the King, Oedipus at
Colonus, Antigone. Translated by Paul Roche.
London: Longman
Group Limited, 1958.
20.Swinden, Patrick. An Introduction to Shakespeare's

Comedies. London:
The Macmillan Press Ltd., 1973.
21."Use of Humor and Dramatic Irony in Twelfth

Night." URL:http://www.
exampleessays.com/viewpages/39423.htm.
Retrieved March 5,
2008. Article of 1 page.
.
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Dramatic Irony in William Shakespeare's................… Āla D.

Dramatic Irony in William Shakespeare's

Abstract: Authors use characters of the play, and

William Shakespeare was a master of his craft.

The result of dramatic irony is that of a comforting

Oedipus: If self-incrimination keeps him silent,

Oedipus does not realize this time that the man he is

them the rings that rouse a problem which is solved at

The main plot revolves around the disguise of

Viola [To Captain]: Conceal me what I am, and be

In fact, "Viola's disguise into a male sets a series of

Sebastian For some hour before you took me from

Sebastian A lady, sir, though it was said she must

Again, Shakespeare makes the audience aware that

are apparently more interesting to her than older nobility

based on disguise. The audience who knows the truth

Orsino: Hath stayed upon some favour that it

My father had a daughter loved a man,

Viola's lines are an example of the prettiest use of

Cesario (Viola) is a series of speeches, which shows that

Olivia is surprised by this dreadful answer. The

sharing the audience with the feelings of the characters.

Sir Andrew: Faith, I'll home tomorrow, Sir Toby; your

Sir Andrew believes him directly:

I'll stay a month longer. I am a fellow o' the

situation is funny for the audience who knows that

Then Sir Toby returns to Sir Andrew telling him

Why, man, he's a very devil; I have not seen

me the stuck- in with such a mortal motion that

A lot of the intrinsic humour in this play is based on

Antonio: I must obey. [To Viola]This comes with

But there 's no remedy; I shall answer it.

This situation is comic to the audience because they

(V. i. 88-89). If they call Antonio's words madness,

Orsino: One face, one voice, one habit, and

Antonio [To Sebastian]: How have you made division

Sebastian: Do I stand there? I never had a brother;

Shakespeare continues to employ dramatic irony

mood, what he wants is to be Count Malvolio….His

and who knows the reason behind, which is supposed to

Feste Advise you what you say; the minister is

(IV. ii. 83-89)

As the play progresses and the state of Malvolio

reaction when Antonio calls her "Sebastian" is in

of love, self-love, friendship, and the theme of

1. Baker, Layman A. "Dramatic Irony: Critical

2. Barber, C. L. Shakespeare's Festive Comedy.

3. Barker, Deborah & Ivo Kamps (eds.). Shakespeare

4. Berry, Ralph. Shakespeare's Comedies: Exploration

5. Cheng, C. "Shakespearean Use of Dramatic Irony."

"Deceiving Disguises in Twelfth Night." URL:

essayop: search & sting; twelfth night.htm. 7.

8. "Dramatic Irony." 1999. URL:

9. Dussinberre, Juliet. Shakespeare and the Nature of

10. Geraghty, Jenia. "A Study of William Shakespeare's

12.Granville-Barker, Harley & G. B. Harrison (eds.). A

13.Holman, C. Hugh. A Handbook to Literature. New

14.Lady, Lee. "Shakespeare's Women in Drag: Viola."

16.Ludowyk, E. F. C. Understanding Shakespeare.

17."Reasons for Irony." URL: