Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-05-27
TWELFTH NIGHT ~
By Miss Elizabeth Osborn.
, o o O o oooooo o o.

o o o 70 O o o o 600 90
Twelfth Night has always been q
favorite play with students Of Shakes
pere. As a whole It is romantic and
made up of events which assume
a tinge Of improbability.
This play has been considered the
most delightful Of Shakespere's
comedies-full of sweetness and
pleasantly making us laugh at the
follies Of mankind without despising
them. Nllf a.
The heroine is Viola. TO think Of
Twelfth Night is to think Of Viola.
Her assumption Of disguise is the
motive-spring of the plot and our
sympathies are centered upon her.
In the province Of Inyria ID laid
the scene of the play. Whether this
province existed only in Shakes
pere's Imagination is not . question
to be discussed. es
When the story opens 1 fearful
storm has swept over land and sea,
during which many ships have been
wrecked. On. one Of the. vsesels is our
heroine. Viola, and her twin brother,
Sebastian, children OF q; princely
father, whose death has orphaned
them in early youth. Viola was res
cued by the captain from whom she
learns that a certain Duke Orsino
rules the country upon whose shores
she has found refuge Duke Orsiho
she remembers as the former friend
of her dead father. 49, ISL
She is certain that her brother
has met a fearful fate until the
captain persuades her that Sebss-
tian has as good q chance Of rescue
as he, as she last beheld him tied to Q
spar.
Viola is an imaginative girl and
soon conceives q plan that brings her
into hazardous places through which
she has scarce strength of heart or
head TO steer her couEse. She finds
upon inquiry that Duk1 0rsi1o is still
q, bachelor and yesY Dseh in love
with Olivia, . great lady in nlyria-
a lady who will not listen to his tale
of love. Realizing the improperly Of
applying to Orsin for help she de-
termines to disguise herself as .
page and offer her service to him.
She has the gift Of song and thereby
wins his interest and regard. ii. Iefsa
The antitheses between the bold
ness Of her scheme and the girliah-
ness Of her nature has great charm
and humor. Viola. a. Cesario secures
the confidence Of Orsfno to the ex-
tent that he sends her to plead his
case with Olivia. which she does with
far greater earnestness than Orsino
as manifested in his own suit. Up
to this time the countess has refused
to receive any message from Orsino.
By a freak Of fortune Olivia falls
completely in love with this page
a most undignified and unreasonabls
proceeding on the part ofa dignified
and sensible woman. Viola is very
loyal and true, she loves Orsino her
self and her love is quiet and un-
changed, marked by lowliness very
Characteristic of her modest nature.
Our heroine's brother arrives upon
the coast of Illyria when affairs have
reached this state OF complication,
he confides TO . sailor, Antonio, who
had rescued him, his distressed con-
dition and the loss of his sister who
is is twin and perfect likeness. An
tonic, knowing n ia be dangerous for
him to be seen in the city, genef-
ously gives his purse 20 Sebastian
to supply his present need and then
leaves him. ~ 4ajo Iqa
When Viola is confronted with
danger in the dual scene she almost
breaks down in her disguise and we
wonder if the discovery can be de-
layed. Her resemblance to her broth
er makes Antonio mistakes her for
Sebastian and he appeals TO her for
the purse when he is arrested by
Orsino's ofifcerA From this Viola
guesses that hes1 brother 10 living. O.
Meantime Olivia has taken Sc
bastian off to q church AMI they
have plightsd their troth, she thinking