Twelfth Night Group

Question:

zafaiz
zafaiz
Student
High School - 9th Grade

In "Twelfth Night", why does Viola want to serve Orsino?

Rate question:

Posted by zafaiz on Tuesday December 16, 2008 at 6:18 AM and tagged with act 1, captain, eunuch, musicians, orsino, scene 2, service, shakespeare, twelfth night, viola.

Answers:


  1. robertwilliam

    eNotes Editor

    Good question! Viola initially says she wants to serve Olivia, because Olivia has recently lost a brother:

    A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count
    That died some twelvemonth since: then leaving her
    In the protection of his son, her brother,
    Who shortly also died... 

    Viola, of course, sees Olivia as a kindred spirit: Viola fears at this point that her brother, Sebastian, has died. Yet the Captain then tells her Olivia

    ...will admit no kind of suit
    No, not the Duke's.

    Viola wants to keep her estate unknown, until such a time as she knows better what to do - and, perhaps, until she knows whether Sebastian has survived. So, she resolves,

    I'll serve this duke
    Thou shalt present me as an eunuch to him...

    Why a eunuch? Well, because it explains her feminine voice. And, in Renaissance courts, eunuchs were often employed as musicians and singers: and Viola goes on to say that she can sing and play several instruments.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/twelfth-text/act-i-scene-ii

    Rate answer:

    Posted by robertwilliam on Tuesday December 16, 2008 at 7:55 AM