How does the author introduce the theme of
unrequited, or unanswered, love?
Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, a comedy about mistaken
identity, was first performed in 1602 in the first scene of the
play, Duke Orsino, a feudal lord, professes his love for Olivia,
a countess who recently suffered the death of her brother.
Excerpt from Twelfth Night
by William Shakespeare
by opening the play with Duke Orsino's attempt to
drown his love in music
by showing that Duke Orsino surrounds himself with
flowers
by hinting at tragedy when Curio mentions the hunt
PERSONS REPRESENTED:
DUKE ORSINO, Duke of Illyria
CURIO, Gentleman attending on the Duke
VALENTINE, Gentleman attending on the Duke
ACTI
SCENE I: DUKE ORSINO'S palace
Enter DUKE ORSINO, CURIO, and other Lords, Musicians
attending /
DUKE ORSINO
If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
by shocking the reader with Olivia's refusal of Duke
Orsino's affections
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