Thursday, September 18, 2014
A real-life character from Twelfth Night?
Choose a character from Twelfth Night and then choose a character from real life that is quite similar in in some way. Make sure it is a person who most of us know: a famous sports person, movie start, TV personality, politician, etc. When making the comparison, be sure to support your points with actions from the play and actions of the real life character. Good Luck
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In Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” the character of Viola is one of the leading ladies…or should I say one of the leading men? We all know her as the inspiration for the popular movie “She’s the Man.” However, that’s not the only movie connection we can make for her. When I think of Viola I think of a pretty young woman who is looking for the right opportunities to advance and is trying to manage herself as best as she can. For me, I can relate her to the young, famous actress, Hayden Panettiere. Some of the most striking similarities for me would be their go-getter attitudes, their taste in men, and their personal “disguises.”
ReplyDeleteWhen shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria, Viola does not sink into a damsel in distress like mood. Instead, she decides to seek honorable work amongst one of the most renowned women in Illyria, Olivia. And when she cannot serve Olivia she is not daunted. She continues on to dress like a young man and serve the duke Orsino. The world met Hayden Panettiere in a similar way, although I imagine she was younger in her first movie than Viola in “Twelfth Night.” At the age of eleven she played the daughter to assistant coach Boone in 2000’s “Remember the Titans.” The world was enchanted by her and pleased to see her five years later in “Racing Stripes” at the age of sixteen. Panettiere had been in commercials since she was a toddler and the television was her home. But at the same time as “Racing Stripes” she began to migrate into her own unfamiliar land. More mature roles served as Panettiere’s Illyria and, like Viola, she made her way and even thrived with the changing situations.
Panettiere is engaged to and expecting a child with Wladimir Klitschko. The character of Viola married the duke Orsino. What is the relation between the two men? Each of them represents a type of power and self-command. Orsino is described by the captain as someone who is as good a man as he is a duke. This implies that Orsino is honorable and does a fine job of ruling Illyria. His name is further praised by the fact that Viola’s father spoke it to her years back. At first, the idea of Viola and Orsino is odd, although still cute. She is a young, attractive maiden and he seems to be older and of higher stature. But nothing as insignificant as those facts kept them apart and so it is the Panettiere has committed herself to a Russian boxer. Whether or not boxing is seen as an “honorable” profession is arguable, but there is no denying that it takes determination, dedication, and strength of body and mind. Both women chose “leading men” in a way because both men have an obvious power about them.
One of the most important aspects to the comedy of “Twelfth Night” is Viola’s disguise as the boy Cesario. This is one of the driving forces throughout the entire play. Obviously Panettiere isn’t in the habit of cross-dressing, but she, too, has disguised herself. During the filming of the “Guiding Light” when Panettiere played a character by the name of Lizzie Spaulding she was noted for saying “[W]hen the camera comes on, I am not Hayden any more, I am Lizzie!” So in a way, every time Panettiere accepts a new role she becomes a new person. But her so called disguise goes beyond that. A couple of years ago, the already stunning Panettiere got a nose job. In the scheme of things, it is minor because she never followed the actor stereotype of getting into drugs or alcohol. However, her surgery speaks about something within her, a need to escape the stereotype she had created for herself. Like Viola, she saw it as the only choice. If Viola wanted a job with Orsino she had to be a man. If Panettiere wanted to escape the image of her younger self she had to look and feel more mature.
Shakespeare has a pleasing ability to make characters so realistic that comparing them to people in real life is not all that hard. This is something we were able to see in both “Hamlet” and “Twelfth Night.” Shakespeare also developed characters that made his audience think about them and about them within the story line. Everything that Viola did was for a purpose, there was nothing random about her actions, and that is what makes her so real. By comparing her to people such as Hayden Panettiere we are able to imagine what Viola would be like in real life.
DeleteAnn, I really enjoyed your opening paragraph, in fact, it's probably my favorite part of your blog. You're second paragraph was interest if because you talked about Panettiere's Illyria. It really helped out things into perspective. Also, the fact that you put in some background information about her made your blog easier to read and a lot more enjoyable. I also wrote about Viola marrying a man of higher power, or one that was very self confident. I think that's a very common thing for any woman to look for in a man even in today's world. Your example of “[W]hen the camera comes on, I am not Hayden any more, I am Lizzie!” was a great way to prove your point of how she disguised herself even if it wasn't quite like Viola did, she still acted like a person other than herself. Your blog was an interesting read and you did an excellent job!
DeleteAnn,
DeleteRelating Viola to Hayden Panettiere was something I never would have thought of. You used specific examples to prove your point, and that really made for a strong blog. My favorite part was when you always related her fiancé to Duke Orsino. I also really enjoyed your mention of Hayden's Illyria. It was a great perspective on the topic. Another segment from your blog that really hit the nail on the head was when you discussed the ways Hayden has disguised herself. It's weird to think that playing a role in a movie or TV show, or even getting a nose job could be considered a disguise, but it's true. Celebrities often have to change themselves to fit in or be accepted by their fellow actors and fans. Just like famous people, Viola had to change in order to achieve what she wanted. I think there's something there for all us to learn from, and that is to just be yourself despite doubt and disappointment from others. If we really want to be great and successful, then we need to have strong practices of staying true to ourselves. Overall, you wrote another wonderful blog, Ann!
It's truly amazing Shakespeare can go from writing a tragedy such as "Hamlet" to a comedy like "Twelfth Night". He truly was an amazing author with many creative, and slightly crazy, ideas. I'm choosing to compare Viola to Britney Spears. This may seem like a weird comparison, but I found a connection between their determination, creativity, and love interests. Although to my knowledge Britney never dressed up and disguised herself as a male, I'm also comparing their willingness to change their appearance when they felt it was needed.
ReplyDeleteAll throughout "Twelfth Night" Viola is very bright and full of spunk, just like Britney Spears. They never let anyone stop them from doing what they set their minds to. They were both full of determination, Viola when she got the idea to dress up as a male, and Britney when she decided to become a singer. A lot of people were against both women' decision, but they ignored the public's opinion and stuck to their plans. It was harder back in the time when Viola would have been living compared to now in the twenty first century. However, the drive and determination the two women had was the same even if they were many years apart.
Britney Spears is very creative when it comes to her song choices. She never does anything predictable. She's always changing and is never afraid to try something new which is how she stayed popular for so long and made so many people like her. Viola on the other hand, was also very unpredictable. No one could have guessed that she would have wanted to dress up and act like a male solve the dilemma. She never failed to play the part of Cesario. She kept up the part and convinced Olivia to the point of making her fall in love with Viola who was disguised as a man.
Many girls like men that are higher up on the totem pole whether it's a celebrity or an actual prince. Viola was in love with the Duke, who was more popular, for better lack of a word, than her. Britney also, before she got married, dated men that were as famous as she was because it was good for her image. Both Viola and Britney liked men that would make them look better. They two of them also ended up with someone that wasn't suspected.
Shakespeare was truly an amazing author. The whole concept of "Twelfth Night" as a play with a male playing the part of a female acting like a male, is insanely creative just as many musical artists, such as Britney Spears, have to be open to trying things so they can maintain the attention they're receiving. It's weird to think someone like Viola can be related to someone as modern day as Britney Spears but Shakespeare was before our time and his writings still relate to today's times.
Jessica,
DeleteReading your blog was sort of like stepping on foreign ground for me because I know absolutely nothing about Brittany Spears. I think I might be familiar with two of her songs and, if my memory serves me correctly, I once read a magazine article that talked about when she shaved her head. Either way, it was hard for me to form my own opinion while reading your blog because I could not make any sort of comparison. I can, however, agree with most of the things you said about Viola, especially about her being determined and spunky. She knew what she wanted and went after it but also had a control over herself that prevented her from revealing her true identity. Her eventual love for Orsino is an interesting topic because they didn’t know each other very long, but we have to remember that her disguise allowed her to get closer to Orsino than she ever could have as a woman. I liked that you said that, before her marriage, Spears dated men that made her "look better." It was a good thing to point out because, in Elizabethan times, marriages were centered around social standings. That was the reason why Viola wanted to work for Olivia and eventually Orsino; the people of the highest classes had more opportunities than the lower class. Working for them or marrying them or dating them would have been like having a great job reference on their resume.
The only thing I wish I had seen in your blog would be a “disguise” comparison. I think stereotypes and media place a lot of pressure on most famous people so that a lot of people feel the need to disguise themselves so that they fit the standard. It isn’t hard to find someone like that today. But maybe that was the point you were trying to make with your blog. Brittany Spears may be so like Viola in her driven attitude that she never felt the need to disguise herself. If that was a point you were trying to make, I like it! It’s nice that you chose to focus on the personality of Viola rather than her actions because my blog was more action oriented and by doing that you set our blogs apart. Good job!
Jessica,
DeleteGreat comparison between Britney and Viola. I have always been a fan of Britney's music. I enjoyed how you described how they disguised themselves. Viola dressed as a guy, and Britney changed for popularity purposes. In a way, both women went crazy. Who dresses up as a guy, and what women forcefully makes their hairdresser shave their head for no reason?
I especially liked how you included the creativity that each woman had. To fulfill either of their roles they had to have some inspiration to become interesting. I think it is what attracted Duke Orsino to Viola and fans to Britney.
The only thing I wish you would have included are the men Britney dated. It would have been easier and clearer to make a comparison between her and Viola's love interests. Overall, the blog was descriptive. I thought it was well done. Great job!
Honestly, I love Britney Spears. I always have! My cousins always love to remind me how I used to run around singing her song “lucky.” I still listen to this song and some of her others today, but instead of playing them on my key chain boom box (remember those?) I play her songs in my car on my way to my last year on high school. Its so weird how some things never get old! Like Britney’s songs and Shakespeare’s plays. However, I doubt Britney’s songs will be able to outlive Shakespeare and his works.
DeleteGetting back on point with you and your blog, I understood exactly where you were going from the start! I never would have expected to use Britney as an example, but I think it was perfect! You used some really good examples. Especially how the both went out of their own comfort zone and the comfort zone of their communities. Both of their risks did pay off in the end however! Viola ended up happy with her lover, and Britney became so successful in the music industry and became the Princess of Pop! I loved your blog. Very interesting and entertaining! Good Job!
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ReplyDeleteIn Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," there are many qualities to the characters that add to the comedic effect, whether it's the funny way they decide to act around certain characters or the trouble they get themselves into. One of these characters is Malvolio, a Olivia's steward. Malvolio is a stuck-up guy who is hopelessly in love with Olivia, who will never have feelings for him. It was easy to feel sorry for him, until you saw how he treated those he considered lower than him on he totem pole, including Sir Toby and Sir Andrew. Because if this attitude, Malvolio is always the center of every cruel joke and prank. Malvolio is the Elizabethan Era form of a guy in today's society that has an excessive amount of confidence and believes he is a ladies' man but actually repels the love of a woman. One celebrity who has a lot more in common with Malvolio than expected is Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino when he was on the reality television show, "Jersey Shore" and his actions after its final season.
ReplyDeleteIf you have never watched "Jersey Shore," let me fill you in on a few of these uncanny similarities. Mike, right from the start, believed that he was better than the others in the house. He, like Malvolio, tended to tattle on people to those they have upset. He always seemed to try to ruin other people's relationships and friendships to make himself feel better. Also, Mike was hopelessly crushing on his female co-stars, even when they were clearly not interested and in other relationships.
Similar to how Malvolio was always the focus of the rude jokes produced by Toby, Andrew, and Maria, Mike was constantly being hated on during the reality show's six seasons. When Malvolio was released from the dark dungeon, Olivia didn't have any pity on him. Toby, Andrew, and Maria laughed at him and called him insane. Malvolio ran off, claiming he would get his revenge. On "Jersey Shore," Mike tried to tell the truth at times, but the others refused to trust him because of his past lies and deceit. Without the trust of his supposed friends, Mike really didn't have any reason to be acting like the old Situation. So, Mike turned to drinking and prescription medications after the show ended, which was his way of getting over what happened in Jersey.
If Malvolio were a real person in today's world, I feel like he would be someone like The Situation. The way these two guys confront problems and treat those around them are so similar it is almost scary. Some would disagree with this parallel, and say that Malvolio is more like the dork-type who tries too hard to impress the girl he has always wanted to be more than friends with. Personally, I think both kinds of people work, but Mike's actions and attitudes better fit Malvolio's. I think that if Shakespeare were still around and writing plays about the different people found in our world, the fool in a comedy would be a guy like The Situation, someone who tries too hard to make others like him because he is better than them but quickly turns to havoc when things don't go in his favor.
Natalie,
DeleteWow! I would have never made that connection. I always just pitied Malvolio, but you brought a whole new side of him to my attention. He is not the innocent servant that he wants people to believe he is. He is a bully who can bring the heat, but can not take it. Mike is like him in so many ways. He thinks the world bows down to him. It is crazy. But what I am always told is that "you can not reason with crazy."
On Jersey Shore, Mike deliberately tries to break couples up. Why the couple even trusts his rumors blows my mind. They know very well what he is capable of. He was a troublemaker on the show, just like Malvolio is sort of a trouble maker in the play.
I kept thinking through this play on how comedy has not changed that much through time. We still find Shakespeare's humor funny. You have presented that personality traits have not changed much either. I never took the time to look into that. I just assumed that over time human's have learned to become different. I really liked your blog. Well done!
You know, I never really was a fan of Mike from Jersey Shore. He always seemed to be front and center in all of the arguments and fights, with more often than not being the cause. Yeah, I was never a fan of him. My favorite episode was when Ronnie confronted him on this and they had their little fight! But anyway, I never would have thought to make the connection between the cast of Jersey shore to the cast of the Twelfth Night!
DeleteI agree on your opinion that Mike is like the modern day Malvolio, both the center of jokes and the center of drama. I also agree, their resemblance is slightly scary! Whats even weirder that since Jersey Shore was a “reality” show and supposedly wasn't scripted, not only were Shakespeares plays enjoyable but extremely relatable, with the characters really realistic!
Your post was very well written. You even wrote a little excerpt explaining Jersey Shore a bit, which I thought was very a very smart thing to do in case some of us hadn’t seen Jersey Shore before! You really made some excellent connections and wrote out your opinions strong. Another job well done, Natalie! keep up the good work.
In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, the use of disguise is used by many characters. Viola dresses herself in men's attire, Olivia shields her face, Andrew and Toby hide their true person due to the amount alcohol they drink, Malvolio and Maria are servants and do not have a say on who they are, and Duke Orsino hides behind a messenger. The Duke particularly reminds me of pop star Ke$ha. Ke$ha admits to being insecure about her body. Her agent and many others demanded she lose excessive amounts of weight over a weeks time. She became sick trying to meet their demands. All the glitter, sequins, and makeup disguised Ke$ha of who she truly was. It was almost like her costumes allowed her to be the overconfident person she wanted everyone to think she was. Like Duke Orsino, she hid behind another person.
ReplyDeleteDuke Orsino's messenger allowed the Duke to be able to get to know Olivia better without having to show himself to her. As the reader can see, Olivia does not find this too attractive. Instead Olivia falls in love with the messenger Cessario, who is really Viola. The Duke does not understand. He had given all his love to her through letters. How could she fall for a servant? The Duke found this uncalled for. He loved Olivia, but because he had someone else present Duke Orsino's love Olivia had no interest. This was more common in the Shakespearean era, yet there were still people like Olivia who wanted someone more confident in who they were. She thought a man should be able to be with her before they are married. Maybe even Duke Orsino should have started with giving Olivia the letter to Olivia himself. She would have more respect for him, and she would see that he had the confidence to be who he was.
Ke$ha can be seen as doing the same thing as Duke Orsino except with her fans instead of a lover. She presents herself as having this great amount of confidence, and many may see her as a liar. Her fans look up to her wanting to be as confident as Ke$ha. She is a performer though. She is able to fake whoever she may want to be. Over time, Ke$ha has realized that being a Victoria's Secret Model is not who she is and not what her fans want her to be. They want her to be happy with her accomplishments, not worrying about her body. Ke$ha decided to become the healthy, fit person that no one could bring down. Anybody can see that she is much more content with herself, especially in some of the costumes she wears. Before she was confident with her body Ke$ha wore skimpy costumes to show off her body. Even today she wears similar skimpy costumes, but now she is wearing clothing that is more risky. She wants to prove to the public that she is not afraid to be who she is. She is no longer afraid.
These two people are not the only ones who are not confident in themselves. Many people are scared of what people think of them. They hate being judged; everyone hates judgement. It is a part of life and is something that people why away from, and why many people keep to themselves. Ke$ha and many other celebrities can be an inspiration to many people of all ages. That is why they allow their stories to be told, no matter how embarrassing the stories may be. Duke Orsino can be an inspiration, also. Sometimes following the wrong thing can lead you to the right path. In the Duke's case, chasing Olivia led him to Viola. He unknowingly opened up to a woman. He was able to be himself to someone. Life is full of crazy twists and turns, and stories like Ke$ha's and Duke Orsino's can help many people be who they are without being afraid.
Willis, Jackie. "Kesha Talks Eating Disorder: I Was Really Hurting My Body." Entertainment Tonight. CBS Studios, 11 July 2014. Web. 21 Sept. 2014. .
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ReplyDeleteIn Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, or What You Will, there seemed to be more characters than normal to me. For me, it was all too easy to get lost in the plot and confused about who was who. However, Viola was one character I never lost track of… Viola and of course “Cesario.” Maybe I am crazy, but when I thought of Viola and her secret identity, I thought of Miley Cyrus and her Hannah Montana scandal.
ReplyDeleteNow, I hope everyone isn't laughing too hard at my analogy. It may take some convincing, but I promise my reasoning isn't as far fetched as you might think. I specifically remember when Miley Cyrus began her “transformation,” a portion of her fan base kept voicing their opinion that they wanted the “old Miley” back, comparing pictures of the star on her hit show “Hannah Montana” to her provocative performances on stage. Clearly, he made quite the transformation. However, Cyrus only replied to the comments saying that she never changed, and the character she played on “Hannah Montana” was never here, but simply a character she played, nothing more than a past performance. In relation to Viola, She obviously wasn’t really a man, she just simply pretended to be a man.
I may not have you convinced yet on their similarity, but I still have more to add to the argument. If Cyrus’s character truly was only a character, That would have made Miley Cyrus a real life rebel rocker pretending to be a sweet girl, acting as a pop princess who is pretending to be an average girl. Similar to how the male who acted as Viola was a boy pretending to be a girl who was pretending to be a boy.
During class, we also had a conversation on how there was no big revelation on Violas double life as “Cesario.” Everyone was fairly quick to accept this, and there was no big shocking conversations regarding her transformation. No one seemed to really care or even acknowledge her hidden life, but I imagine if they had, her reaction would have been similar to Miley’s. With Violas acquaintances being the clowns they are, I can only imagine them teasing Viola endlessly regarding her absurd, manly choice, while she would defend herself saying she never was really a man she just pretended to be one.
Although Miley Cyrus and Viola’s personalities seem to be polar opposites, I still find their situations similar. While we all know that the inspiration for she’s the man clearly came from Twelfth night, I can’t help but wonder if maybe its possible that Violas secret life had a little bit of an influence ion Miley Cyrus’s secret identity as Hannah Montana. Obviously Miley wasn’t pretending to be a man like Viola was, but more often than not, Shakespeare does have some sort of influence. As Dr. Diiulio said, There are no coincidences.
Every Shakespeare play, no matter if it is read or watched, blows me away. I am always left with my mind rambling thought upon ending et another of his master pieces, and the Twelfth Night was certainly no expectation. In fact, the Twelfth Night might even be one of my new favorites. It honestly amazes me how certain things are timeless. While the language has changed, the jokes were still hilarious and the plots are still intriguing so many years and decades later. Shakespeare truly was ahead of his time, and the movies and shows today mimicking his plays prove this to be true.
Felicia,
DeleteThis was a really interesting analogy! Like most actors, Miley was simply playing a part. She was nothing like Hannah or even the Miley she portrayed on the Disney show. I feel like people get those ideas in their head that characters in shows and movies mimick who the actors/actresses are in real life. But rather, it's just a script and a costume. The same goes for Viola. She was acting like Cesario but that was not who she really was. My favorite part of your blog was when you said that Miley was pretending to be a nice girl who is secretly a popster who is trying to have a normal life, and how Viola was really a boy playing a girl pretending to be a boy. The truth gets tangled up in all of these disguises that it is hard for the people around them to accept their true personalities, except in Viola's case. It was quite strange how everyone in the play was perfectly fine with the fact that she dressed up as a boy, but that's beside the point. Overall, you wrote a great blog, Felicia!
Felicia,
DeleteBefore I address the rest of your blog let me just say that your third paragraph was spot on! You took the comparison of Miley Cyrus to Viola one step further by comparing the acting that went on with each one of them. I personally saw that as the strongest point of your blog, especially since we just had the blog about male actors playing female roles.
As a whole I was also really impressed with your blog. Although we always know who Viola is throughout the play, there is an air of "mystery" around her because the other characters don't know who she is. At the same time, I feel like the whole world felt blind-sided when Miley Cyrus changed her hair and wardrobe and pretty much her entire self. All of the sudden everyone wondered who the real Miley was. Her sudden change is extremely similar to the moment when Viola reveals that she is actually a girl. Everyone present must have had a moment where they wondered who she actually was and if anything she ever said or did was real.
In my opinion you chose the best possible comparison for Viola so far, especially in light of her disguise. You made me feel as if you really took time to think this out and I was very impressed. Who knew that Shakespeare's crazy plots could be so applicable to real life people and situations?