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Twelfth Night : Themes/Symbols/Motifs and Setting

Year 7 English

Course Hero

YouTube

Professor Regina Buccola of Roosevelt University explains the themes in William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night.

Professor Regina Buccola of Roosevelt University explains the symbols in William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night.

Will Viola take off her disguise and tell the truth? Watch this story, one of our 'Shakespeare Lives' videos, and find out! The story of "Twelfth Night" can be interesting and instructive for children because it explores themes such as love, identity, and self-discovery.

Viola's journey in particular can teach children the importance of perseverance and adaptability in the face of challenges and adversity. Viola's decision to disguise herself as a boy to survive in a new environment shows children the importance of resourcefulness and creative problem-solving.

Her experience also highlights the difficulties of concealing one's true identity, which can lead to misunderstandings and confusion, as demonstrated by the love triangle between Duke Orsino, Lady Olivia, and Viola.

SparkNotes

Themes- Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.

Symbols- Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

Motifs- Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.

Setting- The setting in a play is the time and place where the story unfolds, helping to create the mood and context for the characters and plot.

Theme Wheel

How does the Theme Wheel work?

  • Each wedge of the blue ring represents a scene.
  • Each row of colored boxes extending from a wedge represents a part of the scene. The closer to the blue ring, the closer to the beginning of the scene.
  • The colors in each row indicate which themes are “active” in that part of the scene.

The Theme Wheel is interactive.

  • Themes: Hover over or tap any of the themes in the Themes and Colors Key to show only that theme. Click a theme in the Themes Key to lock it.
  • Summary: Hover over or tap any row of colored boxes to read the summary associated with that row. Click the row to lock the summary.