ENG3704
ASSIGNMENT 2 2024: TWELFTH NIGHT OR THE WINTER’S TALE
PARAPHRASE YOUR WORK TO AVOID PLAGARISM
TWELFTH NIGHT
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.
ESSAY
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare is celebrated for its exploration of love,
identity, and human nature, particularly regarding gender roles. In her article
"Diffraction Patterns of Homoeroticism and Mimesis between Twelfth Night and
She’s the Man," Xavia Publius delves into the intricate layers of gender performance
within the play. Publius argues that Twelfth Night challenges traditional distinctions
between homoerotic and heterosexual expressions of love and fellowship by
activating gender as performance. This essay will explore Publius' insights,
examining how Shakespeare's play navigates themes of gender ambiguity, cross-
dressing, and desire to disrupt societal norms.
Jennifer Higginbotham's analysis of gender and sexuality in Twelfth Night will also
be considered. By analyzing key moments in the play and character dynamics, this
essay aims to demonstrate how Shakespeare's manipulation of gender performance
blurs the lines between different forms of desire. Through careful examination of the
text and consultation of scholarly articles, this essay seeks to unravel the
complexities of gender queerness in Twelfth Night, offering new perspectives on
Shakespeare's exploration of love, desire, and human relationships.
William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night intricately weaves gender performance into its
fabric, where characters traverse identities and relationships in a comedic
exploration of love, desire, and societal norms. By delving into the nuances of
gender performance, Shakespeare blurs the lines between homoerotic and
heterosexual acts of love and fellowship, challenging traditional notions of gender
and sexuality.
In Twelfth Night, Shakespeare portrays gender as a malleable construct, subject to
manipulation and interpretation. The character of Viola epitomizes this fluidity as she
adopts the guise of Cesario, a man, to navigate the patriarchal society of Illyria.
ASSIGNMENT 2 2024: TWELFTH NIGHT OR THE WINTER’S TALE
PARAPHRASE YOUR WORK TO AVOID PLAGARISM
TWELFTH NIGHT
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.
ESSAY
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare is celebrated for its exploration of love,
identity, and human nature, particularly regarding gender roles. In her article
"Diffraction Patterns of Homoeroticism and Mimesis between Twelfth Night and
She’s the Man," Xavia Publius delves into the intricate layers of gender performance
within the play. Publius argues that Twelfth Night challenges traditional distinctions
between homoerotic and heterosexual expressions of love and fellowship by
activating gender as performance. This essay will explore Publius' insights,
examining how Shakespeare's play navigates themes of gender ambiguity, cross-
dressing, and desire to disrupt societal norms.
Jennifer Higginbotham's analysis of gender and sexuality in Twelfth Night will also
be considered. By analyzing key moments in the play and character dynamics, this
essay aims to demonstrate how Shakespeare's manipulation of gender performance
blurs the lines between different forms of desire. Through careful examination of the
text and consultation of scholarly articles, this essay seeks to unravel the
complexities of gender queerness in Twelfth Night, offering new perspectives on
Shakespeare's exploration of love, desire, and human relationships.
William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night intricately weaves gender performance into its
fabric, where characters traverse identities and relationships in a comedic
exploration of love, desire, and societal norms. By delving into the nuances of
gender performance, Shakespeare blurs the lines between homoerotic and
heterosexual acts of love and fellowship, challenging traditional notions of gender
and sexuality.
In Twelfth Night, Shakespeare portrays gender as a malleable construct, subject to
manipulation and interpretation. The character of Viola epitomizes this fluidity as she
adopts the guise of Cesario, a man, to navigate the patriarchal society of Illyria.
