The Truth About Disguise Essay, Research Paper

The Truth About Disguise

Shakespeare cleverly uses the art of camouflage, in both his calamities and his comedies, in order to use a literary device known as dramatic sarcasm, where the

audience members are cognizant of something ( in this instance the true individuality of characters ) that characters in the drama are non. This, of class, creates tenseness in a drama

and excites the audience ; actions take topographic point on the phase, of which the audience knows the import, but characters on the phase do non. It besides creates a scene for a

great trade of sarcasm where characters make remarks that take on a dual significance.

Two illustrations of characters who utilize such camouflage are Iago, from Othello, and Viola, from Twelfth Night. The intents for which Iago chooses to mask his

motivations are to derive an office which he feels he deserves and to acquire retaliation on Othello for allegedly perpetrating criminal conversation with his married woman.

Most of the sarcasm in Othello stems non from what Iago says, but instead from what the other characters say about him, such as the mentions to him as & # 8220 ; honest Iago, & # 8221 ;

& # 8220 ; the bold Iago, & # 8221 ; and & # 8220 ; a really valorous fellow. & # 8221 ; Iago & # 8217 ; s camouflage makes the audience fearful for the other characters, and causes them to feel for those who suffer his wrath.

He destroys Othello & # 8217 ; s friendly relationship with Cassio, Othello & # 8217 ; s matrimony to Desdemona, and influences him to kill Desdemona by converting him that his married woman had been

unfaithful to him with Cassio. He himself, in efforts to protect his camouflage, stabs Cassio, Roderigo, and his married woman.

The grounds Viola chooses to mask herself, nevertheless, are to protect herself from danger, and to win the love of the Duke. In a few yearss & # 8217 ; clip while masked in this

camouflage, through her humor, appeal, trueness and musical ability she wins the trust of the Duke, who employs her to court Olivia. In her trueness to the Duke, though she is

profoundly in love with him, she makes an honorable effort to win Olivia & # 8217 ; s love.

Viola & # 8217 ; s address throughout the scenes where she attempts to court Olivia for the Duke supply a great trade of sarcasm such as when she tells Olivia, & # 8220 ; I swear I am non

that I play ( I, V, 180 ) . & # 8221 ; The full duologue between Viola and the Duke about the love of a adult male versus that of a adult female is besides rather humourous, particularly when she,

through deep linguistic communication, tells him she & # 8217 ; s in love with him, stating, & # 8220 ; My male parent had a girl loved a adult male as it might possibly, were I a adult female, I should your Lordship

( II, four, 107-109 ) . & # 8221 ; Later, her punning about bids sympathy when while joking with Viola, Feste makes a epigram about her deficiency of a face fungus, and she responds,

& # 8220 ; By my engagement, I & # 8217 ; ll state thee, I & # 8217 ; m about ill for one [ aside ] though I would non hold it turn on my mentum ( III, I, 46-48 ) . & # 8221 ; It is, of class, besides rather humourous when Viola

inadvertently earns Olivia & # 8217 ; s fondness & # 8211 ; for herself, and denies her, stating, & # 8220 ; By artlessness I swear, and by my young person, I have one bosom, one bosom, and one truth, and that

no adult female has, nor ne’er none shall mistress of it be save I entirely ( III, I, 157-160 ) . & # 8221 ;

Viola & # 8217 ; s mask affects several characters in different ways. With this camouflage, she is able to perforate the Duke & # 8217 ; s love for Olivia, going his confidante and

gaining his love, to subsequently go his married woman. Viola besides manages through a unusual bend of events to court Olivia for Sebastian.

Though the characters in Shakespeare & # 8217 ; s dramas use camouflages for different intents, camouflage ever imparts a subject of & # 8220 ; visual aspect versus reality. & # 8221 ; When things are

non as they seem to be, the party unaware of the camouflage is put in the pursuit of world & # 8211 ; whether they know it or non. When the audience is incognizant of a camouflage, they

are presented with a enigma which they must try to work out ; when the characters of a drama are incognizant of a camouflage, their quest for the truth becomes a lesson in

truth-seeking for the audience. In both of these dramas, the failure of characters to recognize the truth are lessons to the audience. In Othello, Othello & # 8217 ; s belief in Iago & # 8217 ; s

narrative of the corruptness of his honest married woman and Roderigo & # 8217 ; s belief in this same self-seeking officer are both lessons in trust. In Twelfth Night, Olivia & # 8217 ; s readiness to fall in

love with visual aspects is a lesson about love. Sometimes it seems disguise Tells more than fairness.