1. What thematic strands have you located?
Pure…virtuous…fair…guiltless…honest…transparent…tainted…vulgar…dirty
2. Where is the data you retrieved found? What is happening in context when Shakespeare employs this particular theme or image?
Pure found only in Act 5, scene 1 Antonio is speaking to Orsino he is telling Orsino about how much he looks up to him and loves him Antonio says…”Did I expose myself, pure for his love, into danger of this adverse town…” Antonio uses pure to describe that his feelings are not tainted but are true.
Virtuous first found in Act 1, Scene 2 and the Captain describes Olivia as “…a virtuous maid, a daughter of a count…” a flattering description and also found in Act 1, Scene 5 line 260 Olivia is talking to Viola who has come on behalf of Orsino to woo her. She says that “Your lord does know my mind; I cannot love him: Yet I suppose him virtuous, know him noble, of great estate, of fresh and stainless,…” Olivia sees him as good person, of good stature a good man to be acquainted with. And lastly Act 2 Scene 3 Sir Toby Belch says to Malvolio “Out o’ tune, sir: ye lie. Art any more a steward? Dost thou thin, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes ale? Sir Toby is telling Malvolio that he is out of tune he lie and he is only a servant here and that no one can have a good time because he is so stuck up and high and mighty for that kind of behavior?
Fair The captain first uses the fair to describe Olivia in Act 1, Scene 2. Later in the same act and scene Viola says to the Captain that there is “…a fair behavior in thee” and in the same set of lines says “…With this thy fair and outward character...” Viola is truly thinking that the Captain is a honest and trustworthy person so she can trust him with her plan. Act 1 Scene 3, Sir Andrew says “Bless you, fair shrew” and again calling Olivia a “Fair lady…” Act 1 Scene 5 the word fair is used as Maria says to Olivia describing Caesario “I know not, madam: ‘tis a fair young and well attended.” And Viola uses to describe Olivia “But, if you were the devil, you are fair”. Viola is trying to woo Olivia for her master Orsino so that by saying that she would be a fair devil is really funny because Viola actually loves Orsino and doesn’t truly want Olivia to marry him, Viola sort of mocks her with that line. Also in the same scene Viola says to Olivia again while she is leaving and not having won her over for her master “…be placed, in contempt! Farewell, fair cruelty.” Act 2 scene 1, Sebastian describes his long lost sister Viola by saying “…she bore a mind that envy could not but call fair.” Act 2, Scene 4 Orsino describes women “For women are as roses, whose fair flower being once display’d, doth fall that very hour.
Transparent Act 4, Scene 2 The fool digused as Sir Topas says to the imprisoned Malvolio ”Why it hath bay windows transparent as barricades,…” The fool is making fun of him that it isn’t dark at all
Guiltless Act 1, Scene 5 Olivia talking to Malvolio say to him “To be generous, guiltless and of free disposition… Olivia is telling Malvolio that he would be getting bothered by what the fool was saying if he weren’t so full of himself.
Honest Act 4, Scene 2 the fool is talking to Maria about that he is going to pretend and dress up like a priest to fool Malvolio “…but to be said an honest man and a good housekeeper…” meaning that if he is honest and a good host you can have good morals and can be taken seriously.
Tainted Act 3, Scene 4 “…if he come; for, sure, the man is tainted in’s wits.” Maria is talking to Olivia about Malvolio’s behavior and by using tainted to mean that he out of his mind, I find that by using the word tainted funny because is actually Maria who taints Malvolios mind with the letter and fooling him into believing that Olivia loves him.
Vulgar Act 3, Scene 1 Viola speaking with Olivia says “No, not a grize; for ‘tis a vulgar proof, that very oft we pity enemies.” Viola sort of jabs Olivia because Olivia is sort an enemy of hers because she loves Orsino and doesn’t want her to get together with him. Viola saying to Olivia, is it harsh proof that we feel sorry for our enemies.
Dirty Act 2, Scene 4 Orsino is telling Cesario to go and talk to Olivia on his behalf and that it isn’t the land that she inherited or her riches that he wants from her. “…Prizes not quantity of dirty lands;” meaning that her property is dirty because she inherited it.
3. How does the data you retrieved support your first thoughts on Shakespeare’s obsessive use of a particular image? What can you argue about Shakespeare’s figuration?
The data I retrieved does support my first thoughts on Shakespeare’s obsessive use of a particular image because Shakepeare tends to use an image but then in the backround or behind the scenes or theme he really means the opposite he enjoys keeping the reader guessing. My argument about Shakepeare’s use of figuration is that he tends to create the sense of pure and virtue but the characters evolve into the opposite of what you believe by having the characters play on each other and their true colors come out. Shakespeare likes the reader to see the characters in a certain light only to then add the other side into the picture using humor and visual ways.
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