The Sweet Sting of Love

William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night or What You Will is a comical story full of love, foolery, and pain all at the same time. It ends with three weddings; a happy note for most characters. However, for some the end is not so joyous. Malvolio, a character who has been unlawfully deceived, swears his revenge at the end of the story. Why do you think Shakespeare made this comedy end so badly for this character? Twelfth Night demonstrates that love can cause pain and suffering. Malvolio's unhappy ending demonstrates this as well as Antonio's situation in the end. Orsino mopes around for most of the play longing for the woman he loves, causing him to realize in the end that he is a fool. How else does Shakespeare demonstrate through this play the idea that love can not only cause happiness, but also pain and suffering? Why else might Shakespeare have ended this play on a happy note for some and an unhappy note for others? What other themes can you find in Twelfth Night and where do they apply in the story?

"If Music be the Food of Love, Play on"

Reflecting on our latest English project, I wanted to use this blog to discuss the role music has in literature, our culture, and the world. In class, we put music to act 2 in Shakespeare's The Twelfth Night and What You Will to gain a deeper understanding of what was occurring in the scene. The music we chose was able to influence the emotions each person felt. The scene could be perceived differently depending on the genre that was chosen. The same goes for music with movies, plays, television shows, and even novels. Music surrounds our lives and I want to know why you think it is so influential in everyday lives. People link memories to certain songs and choose songs that are special to them. Is music a way to express what a person is feeling when they do not have the words? Why does music compliment literature so well? Why does Shakespeare reference music to love?