Pygmalion and Galatea by E.M. Falconet (1763)

(wikicommons)

 

Orsino falls in love with Olivia who is for him a projection of his 'anima'; that is, a composite image of the women in his life. Similarly, the sculptor Pygmalion from Ovid's Metamorphoses, falls in love with his own creation, Galatea. Venus, to reward Pygmalion's fidelity, makes Galatea come alive.    

Smiling

Jove, I thank thee: I will smile; I will do everything that thou wilt have me.

Twelfth Night Act II Sc. 5

What is a smile for us? If it is a genuine smile it makes us feel good. We fall under its charm and respond emotionally, mentally and physically to it.

It is difficult for us to separate ourselves from the significance of a smile and see what it is, say, for a martian. An extraterrestrial would probably see it as a complex primate facial expression involving an upwards opening of the the mouth that exposes the teeth. This display elicits euphoria and a like response.

Real and fake smiles

One of the themes treated in Twelfth Night is disguise, and how it ironically can draw out the truth. Viola disguises herself as a boy and she draws out the true feelings of Olivia and Orsino; but, also enables herself to witness the true orsino and this leads her to fall in love with him.

Disguise is a form of deception and vice-versa. Malvolio is deceived into believing the Lady Olivia is in love with her; the objective being to draw out his true character for everyone to see. Malvolio is duped into believing that he should smile, something he does not do naturally, and this would please Olivia. Unfortunately, his smile, like his love makes a fool of him. Malvolio's humilation like the act of blushing draws sympathy from the happy couples but does not prevent Malvolio from leaving disgraced.

Humiliation

What is the significance of blushing?

Smiling

Take the smile test

It is very difficult for us to distinguish a genuine from a fake smile. It is believed that it is simply better, for the sake of social unity, not to know what people are thinking or feeling.

In Twelfth Night, just as in the period of carnival, society collapses and fun and confusion reigns - where people can live out their fantasies and desires

Conversation with Paul Ekman - New York Times

Part 2: C.J.Jung and the Collective Unconscious


Go to the following website http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/jung.html and read about one of the following aspects of Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious. Be prepared to speak about it in class.

Personal unconscious

Collective unconscious Archetypes

The Mother & Mana

The Shadow &The persona

Animus & Anima

Syzygy

Father &Child

Hero & the Wise Old Man

Animal & Trickster

Original Man & God

Hermaphrodite

Self


In the next lesson you will investigate the biology of sexual attraction and falling in love. In this way we will try to explain further Orsino's infatuation with Olivia.

Click on the link below and follow the instructions:

Part 3 The Biology of Attraction


Twelfth Night: Homepage

Nature, Art & Language

Olivia's reaction to Cesario - Twelfth Night Act I Sc. 5

The title Twelfth Night refers to when the play was first performed. The ‘twelfth night’ in Shakespeare’s day was 6 January, twelve days after Christmas and was similar to a period of carnival. That is, it was a time for carnal pleasures, celebration, frivolity, the reversal and mockery of social and sexual roles through disguise and mischief. The objective was to temporarily collapse society only to have it renewed afterwards.

The play carries these themes and is designed to both amuse and confuse us. In this scene Cesario (who is Viola disguised as a young man) has been sent by the Count Orsino to convey his messages of love and persuade Olivia to reconsider him.

We have already seen that Orsino has noticed that Cesario has such curious feminine and youthful traits that he thinks he is apt to talk and influence Olivia (I.4 lines: 23-35). We presume that it is also because of Cesario’s androgynous appearance that Orsino has taken him into his confidence where he can talk openly about his infatuation for Olivia (I.4 line 13: I have unclasped to thee the book even of my secret soul).

It should also be noted that it is because of this disguise that Viola can see Orsino for what he really is and for this reason she begins to fall in love with him.

This draws out a major theme in the play in which we see the irony of disguise. Rather than concealing the truth, disguise tends to draw it out.



Act I Scene 5

Olivia has sworn not to receive suitors while she is mourning for the death of her brother. Nevertheless, Cesario/Viola has managed to get an audience with her.

Exercise

In the following exercise your task is to read a passage with the commentary from the text and paraphrase and interpret it for the class. Once you have done this we will watch the scene.

1. Lines 174-183: Viola:"Are you a comedian?” to Olivia:"Come to what is important in't, I forgive you the praise."
Focus on the double meaning when Viola says: "I am not that I play."

2. Lines 220- 239: Viola: "Good madam, let me see your face." to "I see what you are, you are too proud."
According to Viola/Cesario why should Olivia consider the Count Orsino? (this may remind you of a previous lesson in which we discussed possible universal responses to beauty.) How does Olivia answer Viola?

3. Lines 239-252: From Viola: "I see what you are, you are too proud." to Olivia: He might have took his answer long ago."
How does Olivia feel about Orsino? What does Olivia think of Orsino? Why do you think she can't love Orsino?


4. Lines 253-265: From Viola: "If did love you in my master's flame,..." to Viola: "I am a gentleman."
In this part of the scene Cesario tells Olivia how he would court her if he was Orsino. Paraphrase his speech. At this time who do you think Viola/Cesario might really be thinking of?


5. Lines 266-284: from Olivia: "Get you to your lord." to Olivia: "Well, let it be." What does Olivia see that is so attractive in Viola/Cesario? Describe Olivia’s reaction to Viola/Cesario.

Twelfth Night: Homepage

***

That instant was I turned into a hart,
And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds,
E’er since pursue me
Twelfth Night, Act I Sc.1

***

Contents

Introduction

Part 1: Act I Scene 1: Lines 1-41

Part 2: C.J.Jung (1875-1961), the Collective Unconscious and Twelfth Night

Part 3: The Biology of Attraction

Part 4: Olivia's reaction to Cesario - Act I Sc. 5: Lines 174-284

Part 5: The Gulling of Malvolio - Act II Sc.5 - The Biology of Smiling and Blushing (in prep.)

Introduction

Shakespeare’s comic play Twelfth Night or What You Will was probably written in 1601. The main title refers to the day when the play was first performed. The ‘twelfth night’ in Shakespeare’s day was 6 January, twelve days after Christmas and was similar to a period of carnival. That is, it was a time for carnal pleasures, celebration, frivolity, the reversal and mockery of social and sexual roles through disguise and mischief. The objective was to temporarily collapse society only to have it renewed afterwards. The play carries these themes and is designed to both amuse and confuse us.

The lesser title is What You Will, but it is not clear what this was supposed to mean. It may mean ‘whatever you like’, suggesting that the title of the play, Twelfth Night, is not important, and for that matter any title is superfluous. If it is connected to the themes of the play it could have suggested unexpectness, apparent craziness and confusion; that is, on the twelfth night you can be anything you like, or ‘what you will’, and anything can happen.

Part 1: Act I Scene 1: Lines 1-41

Here we see Count Orsino love sick for the disinterested Lady Olivia. Orsino is aware of her complete lack of interest. Nevertheless, he persists knowing full well that his passion is like an illness of his own making quite beyond his control.

Information exchange

Either

In groups of 4 read the lines 1-41 and answer the questions below. To make this task team work and to save time, divide the questions amongst you and work on them simultaneously. Once you have finished share your findings with the others in your group. Then present them to the class, comparing your interpretations with those inthe class who studied the same lines as you.

Or

The class could be divided into four groups. Each group is responsible for one of the four questions. Once each group has answered its question the answers should be shared seminar style.

1. Describe Orsino’s feelings about being in love. (Lines 1-8)
2. What does Orsino mean when he says:

…. so full of shapes is fancy
That it alone is high fantastical. (Lines 14-15)

3. Interpret the metaphor of the hart (female deer) and hounds in lines 19-24. *
4. Lines 37-41 reveal the way men viewed women in Shakespeare’s day. Check the commentary, this is difficult.

Part 2: C.J.Jung and the Collective Unconscious

*Engraving on page 1 by Virgil Solis (1514-1562) shows a scene from Greek classic poem Metaphoses by Ovid (43BC-18AD). Here the hunter Actaeon is transformed into a stag on seeing the goddess Diana naked. Source: http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/month/sep1999.html