The general setting of Twelfth Night holds particular significance. Shakespeare often places his comedies in
distant, exotic locations to highlight the otherworldly and dreamlike nature of the romance. The name “Illyria”
would have been unfamiliar to his original audience—just as it is to most people today. Its real geographical
existence on the Adriatic coast is irrelevant to the play; rather, the name evokes a sense of a faraway land filled
with mystery, intrigue, and passion. This ethereal atmosphere is further enhanced throughout the play by the
frequent and evocative use of music, reinforcing the romantic and whimsical mood.
Act 1, Scene 1 is set in an apartment within the palace of Orsino, Duke of Illyria.
We are introduced to Duke Orsino, who is hopelessly in love with Olivia and consumed by his longing for her,
so much so that he is unable to focus on anything else. His messenger, Valentine, returns with word from
Olivia’s maid: she has vowed to mourn the death of her brother for seven years and, during that time, intends to
withdraw entirely from the world. Shakespeare, furthermore, uses Twelfth Night to explore human desire
(ranging from ambition and identity to romantic relationships) through various dramatic techniques, including
dialogue, soliloquy, and dramatic irony.
Act 1, Scene 1 sets the mood for the entire play by immediately immersing the audience in themes of love,
excess, and emotional uncertainty.
“If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken and so die.” (1.1)
ANALYSIS
Orsino, the Duke of Illyria, is being entertained by musicians in his palace, fully immersing himself in the
romantic atmosphere they create. Enamoured by Olivia, he asks for the music to continue, hoping it will soothe
his lovesick thoughts. Shakespeare uses Orsino to satirise the traditional courtly lover: exaggerated,
self-indulgent, and more in love with the idea of love than with the woman herself.
“If music be the food of love, play on”: starts with a very famous Shakespearean line.
“If”: conditional form, shows uncertainty, his love is not real. Orsino, caught in a lovesick haze, embodies the
whims of the aristocracy: fickle, emotionally excessive, and detached from real hardship. His romantic idealism
reflects not authentic feeling, but the luxury of those who have the leisure to obsess over love without
consequence.
A modern audience might see him as quite self-absorbed and indulgent. Experiencing unrequited love is
incredibly painful for him. His hyperbolic verse reflects his high status as Duke.
Evans describes him as “A man who lives in an illusion of love”, that is, he is in love with the idea of falling in
love.
Music is likened to “the food of love”. This metaphor evokes the theme of love, portraying Orsino as a romantic
dreamer.
Music represents harmony and beauty, evoking the joy of love and serving as a fitting introduction to a romantic
comedy. Orsino expresses how listening to music leaves him feeling complete. It alludes to how music has a
therapeutic effect that soothes the heart.
As the actor listens to the music, he closes his eyes. This gesture signifies not only his deep appreciation for the
melody but also highlights his naivety regarding the complexities of love.
The words “play on” display command and authority.
He seeks to indulge in an “excess of it” yet, just as overindulgence in food can lead to feelings of disgust, he
thinks that by drowning his ‘lovesickness’, he might get rid of his “appetite”. In other words, the Duke wants to
kill his unrequited love by overdosing on music.
, “The appetite may sicken and so die”: gastronomical imagery underscores a sense of entitlement to Olivia’s
affection. It lacks emotional connection and links everything to power dynamics, lending a melodramatic tone to
the expression.
On stage, the actor playing Orsino might direct his gaze towards Olivia’s house at the mention of the word
“appetite” as she is the object of his desire. He hungers for her in the same way one might crave a feast,
suggesting a possessive form of affection.
Nevertheless, the Duke is not truly in love with Lady Olivia, but rather with the idea of being in love itself.
Despite her repeated rejections, he persists in his insistence that she should marry him, revealing his infatuation.
Orsino appears to revel in the emotional drama of unrequited love, surrendering to his passions without making
any real effort to win Olivia over directly. This detachment explains why he later entrusts Viola, disguised as
Cesario, to carry out his courtship on his behalf.
“That strain again! It had a dying fall:
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound,
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more:
'Tis not so sweet now as it was before.” (1.1)
ANALYSIS
Shakespeare showcases how the Duke is quick to change his mind.
The music does not bring Orsino peace of mind and he orders them to stop playing. He is so deeply in love that
the feeling will not go away until satisfied. Ironically, while Orsino holds the power to command those around
him, he remains powerless over his own desires.
Exclamatory sentences: The actor says the speech in an exaggerated style to emphasise that he is overwhelmed
with emotion.
“That strain again!”: while strain typically refers to a musical tune or melody, it can also suggest a sense of
tension or tightness, implying that unrequited love can be emotionally tormenting.
The exclamation mark acts as a caesura, which is a pause or a break within a verse, marking the end of one
phrase and the beginning of the next. For the actor, it can serve as a subtle way to offer a brief moment to
breathe between phrases.
This technique maintains a natural flow yet it can create a dramatic or hyperbolic pause, adding a theatrical
touch to the lines.
The tune had “a dying fall”: he seems to be disturbed by the falling note of the melody, which can foreshadow
him falling out of love with Olivia later in the play.
Orsino instructs his musician to replay that certain segment of the song, as its cadence, with its poignant “dying
fall”, evokes an unfitting sense of melancholy.
In “like the sweet sound”: simile, sibilance, and alliteration of the letter ‘s’. His emotions are excessive; he is in
love with the idea of love.
This is characteristic of a Petrarchan lover, facing a one-sided love.
It contradicts his desire to get cured as it portrays that he is lost in his world where love is supreme.
The phrase “bank of violets” suggests a person who revels in romantic musings. Orsino presents gifts like a
teddy bear and flowers, cliché love tokens, which seem to diminish the richness of his poetic language. This
portrays him as a possibly insincere lover.
Interestingly, the word “violets” comes from the Latin term ‘viola’, hinting at the eventual twist in the story
where he will indeed fall for Viola disguised as a man.
“Stealing and giving odour!”: juxtaposition between ‘stealing’ and ‘giving’ which can indicate how he thinks
love is taunting or provoking him. Love is dominating him.
distant, exotic locations to highlight the otherworldly and dreamlike nature of the romance. The name “Illyria”
would have been unfamiliar to his original audience—just as it is to most people today. Its real geographical
existence on the Adriatic coast is irrelevant to the play; rather, the name evokes a sense of a faraway land filled
with mystery, intrigue, and passion. This ethereal atmosphere is further enhanced throughout the play by the
frequent and evocative use of music, reinforcing the romantic and whimsical mood.
Act 1, Scene 1 is set in an apartment within the palace of Orsino, Duke of Illyria.
We are introduced to Duke Orsino, who is hopelessly in love with Olivia and consumed by his longing for her,
so much so that he is unable to focus on anything else. His messenger, Valentine, returns with word from
Olivia’s maid: she has vowed to mourn the death of her brother for seven years and, during that time, intends to
withdraw entirely from the world. Shakespeare, furthermore, uses Twelfth Night to explore human desire
(ranging from ambition and identity to romantic relationships) through various dramatic techniques, including
dialogue, soliloquy, and dramatic irony.
Act 1, Scene 1 sets the mood for the entire play by immediately immersing the audience in themes of love,
excess, and emotional uncertainty.
“If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken and so die.” (1.1)
ANALYSIS
Orsino, the Duke of Illyria, is being entertained by musicians in his palace, fully immersing himself in the
romantic atmosphere they create. Enamoured by Olivia, he asks for the music to continue, hoping it will soothe
his lovesick thoughts. Shakespeare uses Orsino to satirise the traditional courtly lover: exaggerated,
self-indulgent, and more in love with the idea of love than with the woman herself.
“If music be the food of love, play on”: starts with a very famous Shakespearean line.
“If”: conditional form, shows uncertainty, his love is not real. Orsino, caught in a lovesick haze, embodies the
whims of the aristocracy: fickle, emotionally excessive, and detached from real hardship. His romantic idealism
reflects not authentic feeling, but the luxury of those who have the leisure to obsess over love without
consequence.
A modern audience might see him as quite self-absorbed and indulgent. Experiencing unrequited love is
incredibly painful for him. His hyperbolic verse reflects his high status as Duke.
Evans describes him as “A man who lives in an illusion of love”, that is, he is in love with the idea of falling in
love.
Music is likened to “the food of love”. This metaphor evokes the theme of love, portraying Orsino as a romantic
dreamer.
Music represents harmony and beauty, evoking the joy of love and serving as a fitting introduction to a romantic
comedy. Orsino expresses how listening to music leaves him feeling complete. It alludes to how music has a
therapeutic effect that soothes the heart.
As the actor listens to the music, he closes his eyes. This gesture signifies not only his deep appreciation for the
melody but also highlights his naivety regarding the complexities of love.
The words “play on” display command and authority.
He seeks to indulge in an “excess of it” yet, just as overindulgence in food can lead to feelings of disgust, he
thinks that by drowning his ‘lovesickness’, he might get rid of his “appetite”. In other words, the Duke wants to
kill his unrequited love by overdosing on music.
, “The appetite may sicken and so die”: gastronomical imagery underscores a sense of entitlement to Olivia’s
affection. It lacks emotional connection and links everything to power dynamics, lending a melodramatic tone to
the expression.
On stage, the actor playing Orsino might direct his gaze towards Olivia’s house at the mention of the word
“appetite” as she is the object of his desire. He hungers for her in the same way one might crave a feast,
suggesting a possessive form of affection.
Nevertheless, the Duke is not truly in love with Lady Olivia, but rather with the idea of being in love itself.
Despite her repeated rejections, he persists in his insistence that she should marry him, revealing his infatuation.
Orsino appears to revel in the emotional drama of unrequited love, surrendering to his passions without making
any real effort to win Olivia over directly. This detachment explains why he later entrusts Viola, disguised as
Cesario, to carry out his courtship on his behalf.
“That strain again! It had a dying fall:
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound,
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more:
'Tis not so sweet now as it was before.” (1.1)
ANALYSIS
Shakespeare showcases how the Duke is quick to change his mind.
The music does not bring Orsino peace of mind and he orders them to stop playing. He is so deeply in love that
the feeling will not go away until satisfied. Ironically, while Orsino holds the power to command those around
him, he remains powerless over his own desires.
Exclamatory sentences: The actor says the speech in an exaggerated style to emphasise that he is overwhelmed
with emotion.
“That strain again!”: while strain typically refers to a musical tune or melody, it can also suggest a sense of
tension or tightness, implying that unrequited love can be emotionally tormenting.
The exclamation mark acts as a caesura, which is a pause or a break within a verse, marking the end of one
phrase and the beginning of the next. For the actor, it can serve as a subtle way to offer a brief moment to
breathe between phrases.
This technique maintains a natural flow yet it can create a dramatic or hyperbolic pause, adding a theatrical
touch to the lines.
The tune had “a dying fall”: he seems to be disturbed by the falling note of the melody, which can foreshadow
him falling out of love with Olivia later in the play.
Orsino instructs his musician to replay that certain segment of the song, as its cadence, with its poignant “dying
fall”, evokes an unfitting sense of melancholy.
In “like the sweet sound”: simile, sibilance, and alliteration of the letter ‘s’. His emotions are excessive; he is in
love with the idea of love.
This is characteristic of a Petrarchan lover, facing a one-sided love.
It contradicts his desire to get cured as it portrays that he is lost in his world where love is supreme.
The phrase “bank of violets” suggests a person who revels in romantic musings. Orsino presents gifts like a
teddy bear and flowers, cliché love tokens, which seem to diminish the richness of his poetic language. This
portrays him as a possibly insincere lover.
Interestingly, the word “violets” comes from the Latin term ‘viola’, hinting at the eventual twist in the story
where he will indeed fall for Viola disguised as a man.
“Stealing and giving odour!”: juxtaposition between ‘stealing’ and ‘giving’ which can indicate how he thinks
love is taunting or provoking him. Love is dominating him.
