The Truth About Foolishness Essay Research Paper free essay sample

The Truth About Foolishness Essay, Research Paper # 8220 ; The Truth About Foolishness # 8221 ; in Shakespeare # 8217 ; s Twelfth Night. William Shakespeare used a alone device to explicate how folly is an ineluctable portion of mundane life. He employed many specific illustrations of folly in his comedy drama titled Twelfth Night. Each of the characters he created were all foolish in one manner or another. Not merely do the characters entertain the audience, but besides educate the audience as they portray world avoiding obvious truth. Shakespeare takes a humourous attack to expose the ways we fall prey to plume, amour propre and self-deceit. As the narrative unfolds, the characters discover their mistakes before they can make any existent injury to themselves or anyone else. Fortunately, merely embarrassment or humiliation are the consequence. Combinations of comedy, personality and sarcasm are all qualities each character reveals to exhibit the many types of saps we can all be. The most common type of sap in society is normally the simpleton, or a # 8220 ; natural # 8221 ; sap. Sir Andrew Aguecheek is an first-class illustration. Although Sir Andrew is amusing, it is non knowing. His mistakes include a deficiency of humor, a inclination to be easy amused, and the chance to be manipulated by others to be accepted. His folly is revealed innocently, as he considers himself a gentleman. His efforts to chat up with Maria by demoing how clever he is fail when Sir Toby advises him to accost, in other words, to court her. Sir Andrew thinks # 8220 ; accost # 8221 ; is her name as he addresses her, # 8220 ; Good Mistress Mary Accost- # 8221 ; ( I, III, 54 ) . After his abashing debut to Maria, Sir Andrew tries to salve his self-respect by express joying at himself as he says, # 8220 ; Methinks sometimes I have no more humor than a Christian or an ordinary adult male has. But I am a great feeder of beef, and I believe that does injury to my humor # 8221 ; ( I, III, 83-86 ) . It is clear that Sir Andrew is easy taken advantage of at his disbursal. Another manner folly is exposed, is through love. For illustration, Malvolio loves cipher but himself. Although he is Olivia # 8217 ; s family retainer, he considers himself better than others. It is his amour propre, haughtiness, and pride that causes Malvolio to move unwisely. Olivia says, # 8220 ; O, you are sick of ego love, Malvolio, and gustatory sensation with a distempered appetency # 8221 ; ( I, V, 89-90 ) . Even though Olivia values him as a retainer, she acknowledges his amour propre. Malvolio is besides covetous of anyone that considers themselves clever. This is apparent during his power-struggle with Sir Toby as he attempts to botch any merriment or enjoyment in Olivia # 8217 ; s family. Sir Toby inquiries, # 8220 ; Art any more than a steward? Dost 1000 think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more bars and ale # 8221 ; ( II, III, 113-15 ) ? Here Sir Toby confronts him by assailing Malvolio # 8217 ; s position of ego importance, and inquiring if everyone must move like him. Malvolio is much more successful at gulling hims hob than he is at lead oning others. This self-deceit makes him the perfect mark for Maria and Sir Toby # 8217 ; s gag. They forge a missive which leads Malvolio to believe that he may obtain the societal position he dreams of. The missive entreaties to Malvolio # 8217 ; s true nature as he claims, # 8220 ; Some are born great, some achieve illustriousness, and some have illustriousness push upon # 8216 ; em # 8221 ; ( II, V, 149-50 ) . He is nescient to the fact that he makes a complete sap of himself as he acts out the absurd instructions. It was simple human nature that caused Malvolio # 8217 ; s humiliation. He wanted to believe the missive would let him to better himself. Therefore, he considered it permission to demo the manner he genuinely feels. Unlike the other characters, he merely can non acknowledge his ain mistakes or laugh at himself. Malvolio vows, # 8220 ; I # 8217 ; ll be revenged on the whole battalion of you # 8221 ; ( V, I, 401 ) ! Equally long as he clings to his embarrassment and choler, he will non forgive and bury. Shakspere did non bury to include recognized folly by contriving a buffoon. Feste is Olivia # 8217 ; s fool, and is expected to entertain the other characters with gags, wordplaies and vocals. Ironically, Feste is intelligent and points out their folly with good phrased jokes. Viola realizes that his witty remarks are non merely random wit as she informs the audience: This chap is wise plenty to play the sap, And non make that well craves a sort of humor. He must detect their temper on whom he jests, The quality of individuals, and the clip, And, like the Haggard, cheque at every plume That comes before his oculus. This is a pattern As full of labour as a wise adult male # 8217 ; s art: For folly that he sagely shows is fit ; But wise work forces, folly-fall # 8217 ; n, rather taint their humor. ( III, I, 61-69 ) She is noticing how skilfully he can see through people, and mock their mistakes. As an entertainer, Feste will merely execute for money. And what he chooses is deliberately relevant and upseting to the other characters, as they find his true observations hard to cover with. His accurate position keeps the audience aware of how foolish the characters really behave. Feste remarks, # 8220 ; Better a witty Fool than a Foolish humor # 8221 ; ( I, V, 34 ) . This statement defends his humourous doctrine. Through his comedy Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare is learning us a lesson about the truth. Shakespeare warns us of the dangers of amour propre, pride, amour propre, haughtiness, and fraudulence. He illustrates the importance of being true with ourselves and others. Finally he suggests that laughter can get the better of folly. William Shakespeare explained the truth about folly, and the danger of taking yourself excessively earnestly. As Feste notes, # 8220 ; Foolery, sir, does walk about the eyeball like the Sun ; it shines everyplace # 8221 ; ( III, I, 40-1 ) . Cipher is exempt from looking foolish at some clip or other. Learn to laugh at yourself, before others do.