Twelfth Night Appearance vs Reality Quotes

There is a fair behaviour in thee, captain,
And though that nature with a beauteous wall
Doth oft close in pollution, yet of thee
I will believe thou hast a mind that suits
With this thy fair and outward character.

– William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 2. Viola praises the Captain for being both handsome and honorable, as she decides to disguise herself as Cesario, a man, to gain work with the Duke. Not all who are physically attractive are good on the inside, she says, touching on the play’s theme of appearance vs reality.

Diana’s lip
Is not more smooth and rubious. Thy small pipe
Is as the maiden’s organ, shrill and sound,
And all is semblative a woman’s part.

– William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 4. When Orsino first meets Viola who is posing as the pageboy Cesario, he notes that “he” is rather feminine in appearance. So maybe Viola’s disguise is not as good as she thought it was. Orsino goes on, in a rather sensual and suggestive way, to describe Cesario’s physical attributes, like “his” lucious red lips and high pitched voice. Orsino appears to be actually attracted to Cesario. At this point Cesario is about to set off in a bid to woo Olivia on behalf of Orsino, who seeks to think Cesario is perfect for the job.

Misprision in the highest degree! Lady, cucullus non facit monachum; that’s as much to say as I wear not motley in my brain. Good madonna, give me leave to prove you a fool.

– William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 5. Lady Olivia’s clown Feste says this after she brands him a “dry fool” and orders him to be taken away. He is telling Olivia, in Latin, that “the cowl does not make a monk.” In other words appearance isn’t always the reality and she shouldn’t judge a book by the cover. While he may look the part of a fool, it does not make him foolish or without wit. And he will prove she is the fool – Olivia has gone into mourning for seven years for a brother who didn’t die recently. We come to learn that Feste is one of the play’s most intelligent characters.

Daylight and champaign discovers not more. This is open. I will be proud, I will read politic authors, I will baffle Sir Toby, I will wash off gross acquaintance, I will be point-device the very man. I do not now fool myself, to let imagination jade me; for every reason excites to this, that my lady loves me. She did commend my yellow stockings of late, she did praise my leg, being cross-gartered, and in this she manifests herself to my love, and with a kind of injunction drives to these habits of her liking. I thank my stars, I am happy.

– William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Act 2, Scene 5. A puffed-up Malvolio, having read the fake love letter from his employer Olivia, seems to lose his puritanical reserve and throw caution to the wind to further his ambition. Which is to rise in the world from servant to nobleman and rid himself of lower-class acquaintances. He is convinced that he is not fooling himself that Olivia loves him! Oh it’s definitely love, but love of self, for the only one that loves Malvolvio is Malvolio. So much so that he cannot separate appearance from reality.

What relish is in this? How runs the stream?
Or I am mad, or else this is a dream.
Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep;
If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep!

– William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Act 4, Scene 1. Sebastian wonders if he is mad or dreaming, because the beautiful Olivia whom he has never seen before is in love with him. He doesn’t realize she has mistaken him for Cesario – his sister disguised. Oh what a tangled gender web Shakespeare weaves, where not everybody is who they appear to be.

Blame not this haste of mine. If you mean well,
Now go with me and with this holy man
Into the chantry by. There, before him
And underneath that consecrated roof,
Plight me the full assurance of your faith
That my most jealous and too doubtful soul
May live at peace.

– William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Act 4, Scene 3. Olivia doesn’t let the grass grow under her feet when she wants to wed her man. Stepping into the traditionally male role she appears with a priest and promptly proposes marriage to Sebastian – mistaking him for Cesario (Viola). Appearances can be deceptive, especially in this play!

Fear not, Cesario. Take thy fortunes up.
Be that thou know’st thou art, and then thou art
As great as that thou fear’st.

– William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Act 5, Scene 1. Olivia speaks to Cesario (Viola in male disguise), believing him to be Sebastian, whom she has just married. She thinks Cesario is afraid of admitting the two of them have secretly married. She urges him to take up his new fortune and elevated social status. Oh what a tangled web these confounded disguises and gender mix-ups weave.
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