Disguise is often presented as a cruel and painful practice. To what extent do you agree that disguise is used to create comic moments in twelfth night? Shakespeare incorporates the technique of disguise in the twelfth night to create comedic elements in the play; however some may argue that the concept of disguise is often cruel as it creates confusion and misconceptions that could lead […]

The theme of deception is ever-present throughout ‘Much Ado About Nothing’; the majority of the plot is based upon purposeful deception, some malevolent while others benign. The play itself, although set in Messina, Italy seems to echo the culture of Elizabethan society in which William Shakespeare lived; the importance of honour and pride at that time induced the need for the people to uphold this […]

Disguise and deception play significant roles in Shakespeare’s romantic comedy Twelfth Night. Shakespeare places emphasis on these somewhat “wickedness” (A2 S2 L26) traits to somehow create a traditional romantic comedy; where despite the negative ideas of disguise and deceit play a prominent role, love blossoms and a happy ending prevails. The tireless use of these ideas in different forms and guises, which endure throughout the […]