Disguise And Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice And...

The concept of disguise has been known and used since the beginnings of drama, but this concept was most famously known for being used in plays written by the biggest playwrights of the Elizabethan era— especially for being used in William Shakespeare’s plays. What do we mean by disguise? In broad terms, it would mean pretending to be something that one is not. The concept of disguise can mean changing behavior, or hiding intentions, the most frequent form of disguise is the change of ones personal appearance, usually through the changing of clothes, to mask ones true self. Shakespeare used disguises in various ways in his plays; As You Like It, Measure for Measure, The Merchant of Venice, and Twelfth Night were all plays in which Shakespeare used the concept of disguise as a device to further the plot, it was sometimes even used for comic relief. Disguises can be used both maliciously and/ or morally, depending on its use and its influence on the characters. In both Me rchant of Venice and Measure for Measure, both Portia and Duke Vincentio donned a disguise to pursue justice how they saw morally fit, but ultimately their deception was only for selfish gain; Portia disguises herself to save a friend, and Vincentio disguises himself to know the true feelings of his subjects, both manipulate the law in the name of justice while in their disguises. In The Merchant of Venice, the concept of disguise was briefly used by Jessica, Shylocks daughter, to escape her fathers home toShow MoreRelatedGender Roles And Roles Of William Shakespeare s The Merchant Of Venice 1837 Words   |  8 Pagesreflected in Shakespeare. What sets Shakespeare apart is the fact that he also challenges, and at times even breaks down those stereotypes especially in his comedies. Hamlet may proclaim â€Å"Frailty thy name is woman†, but even the merest of character analyses of Portia in The Merchant of Venice, or Viola in The Twelfth Night conclusively proves that they are anything but. In this paper we begin by examining the prevailing gender stereotypes in Elizabethan England. Taking The Twelfth Night as the basisRead More Cross-dressing in Twelfth Night, As You Like It, and The Merchant of Venice3276 Words   |  14 PagesCross-dressing in Twelfth Night, As You Like It, and The Merchant of Venice Any theatrical performance requires a two-fold exchange. The performers must act in such a way as to engage the audience and draw them into the story of the stage. However, the audience itself must yield to the imagination, allowing at times the irrational to take precedent over rational expectations. This exchange between performers and audience creates the dramatic experience; one cannot exist without the otherRead MoreSatire : The Fundamental Function Of Satire1644 Words   |  7 PagesPrior to this, the early part of the seventeenth century in England saw the rise of a realistic mode of comedy based on a satiric observation of contemporary manners and customs. Its purpose was didactic: to expose the shortcomings and folly of society s ways. Comedy during the Renaissance was attributed to Cicero, according to Jonson in Every Man Out of his Humour (1599). It was an imitation of life and an image of truth. [7] Following this, the late nineteenth century offered farce as the comicRead MoreShakespeare s Twelfth Night ( C. 1600-01 )2907 Words   |  12 PagesINTRODUCTION Twelfth Night (c. 1600-01) is a complicated play which deals with the nature of love, gender role and the intricate comic and tragic experiences of love. The characters have multiple layers of gender roles and sexual attractions which makes the issue of gender identity more complex. For example, Viola, the heroine of the play is dressed as a male, Cesario, throughout most of the play. As a male, Viola woos Olivia for Orsino, resulting in Olivia falling in love with Viola-as-Cesario.Read MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Twelfth Night3153 Words   |  13 PagesThroughout Twelfth Night, or What You Will, Shakespeare challenges the notion of the heteronormative social standard of 1601, when the play was performed. The comedy is Shakespeare’s only play to have two titles, and is titled in reference to the Elizabethan nativity, or the twelfth night of the Christmas celebration. Circa 1600 during the reign of Elizabeth I, this holiday was celebrated as a festival in which everything was tu rned upside down, much like the innately chaotic world of Illyria, inRead MoreThe Elizabethan Er An Important Form Of Entertainment And Occupation For The Elizabethans2132 Words   |  9 PagesINTRODUCTION Elizabethan Era was the time when drama became an important form of entertainment and occupation for the Elizabethans. Shakespeare stands as a colossus in the English literary arena and his plays are considered as the greatest writings. These plays are rich and are suggested works for pursuing women’s studies and gender ideologies. His plays depicted the social status and responsibilities of women in the society. He seemed to support the English renaissance stereotypes of men and women