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ENG3704
ASSIGNMENT NO: 02
TWELFTH NIGHT & THE WINTER’S TALE
YEAR : 2024
PREVIEW
Discuss how William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night activates gender as performance,
thereby dissolving the distinction between homoerotic and heterosexual acts of love and
fellowship. Your answer should be cognizant of the distinction between gender
performance and gender identity, and the way in which Shakespeare uses the subtext of
the play to comment on gender queerness as taboo. Make detailed refence to the play in
your answer, and consult at least two articles.
In William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, the theme of gender as performance is central
to the exploration of love and fellowship, blurring the lines between homoerotic and
heterosexual relationships. The play challenges societal norms by portraying characters
who engage in acts that defy traditional gender roles, highlighting the fluidity and
complexity of gender identity.
In her article, ‘Diffraction Patterns of Homoeroticism and Mimesis between Twelfth Night
and She’s the Man’, Xavia Publius writes the following:
“In literary criticism, what constitutes homoerotic energy in a piece has a
specific history braided using three strands—psychoanalysis, the lesbian
continuum, and queer coding—all of which analyze the suppression of
queer content as (respectively) taboo, his-torically unimportant, and
subversively immoral. Because of this suppression, queer possibilities were
relegated to the subtext, and in order to locate these queer subtexts,
audiences had to know what to look for…” (2020:57).
Discuss how William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night activates gender as performance,
thereby dissolving the distinction between homoerotic and heterosexual acts of love and
fellowship. Your answer should be cognizant of the distinction between gender
performance and gender identity, and the way in which Shakespeare uses the subtext of
the play to comment on gender queerness as taboo.
Make detailed refence to the play in your answer, and consult at least two articles.
In William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, the theme of gender as performance is central
to the exploration of love and fellowship, blurring the lines between homoerotic and
heterosexual relationships. The play challenges societal norms by portraying characters
who engage in acts that defy traditional gender roles, highlighting the fluidity and
complexity of gender identity.
One of the most notable examples of gender performance in the play is the character of
Viola, who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Viola's transformation challenges
the notion of fixed gender roles and identities, as she seamlessly adopts the
mannerisms and behaviors associated with masculinity. This gender disguise leads to a
series of comedic misunderstandings and romantic entanglements, as Viola/Cesario
becomes the object of affection for both Duke Orsino and Lady Olivia.
Through Viola's character, Shakespeare explores the idea that gender is not inherent
but rather a performance, suggesting that one's gender identity is fluid and can be
altered based on social context. This idea is further reinforced by the character of
Malvolio, who is tricked into believing that Olivia is in love with him. Malvolio's
willingness to adopt behaviors and attitudes outside of his usual persona highlights the
malleability of gender roles and the performative nature of gender identity.
Shakespeare also uses the subtext of the play to comment on the taboo nature of
gender queerness. The play's exploration of homoerotic desire, particularly in the
relationship between Orsino and Cesario/Viola, challenges traditional notions of love
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