How is sexual identity explored in Twefth Night - Essay Example

espeare not only has exhibited equal mastery in his treatment of both tragedy and comedy but also he has exposed the true facts of life through his respective treatment of both genres of Tragedy and Comedy. Due to the cultural evolution during the time of Renaissance, people’s understanding of the society as well as relationship between genders received a different angle of interpretation. Shakespearean dramas, sonnets and Metaphysical poetry are best evidences that reflect such realization of people.

This aspect is quite clear among Shakespeare’s sonnet composition, where he has provided a great deal of emphasis over friendship between two males. It is through his verse that the poet has attempted to preserve the physical beauty of his male friend. Sonnet no. 18-126 are excellent examples of such attempt from the poet and in the later sonnets (127-152) Shakespeare has attempted to describe the beauty of a dark lady and the poet has also provided highest importance to memorize such beauty through his verse.

Thus, it is clear from Shakespeare’s treatment of sexuality that love and appreciative mentality of beauty are such virtues that are never dependent over the any kind of gender biasness or sexual identity. His realization has also been reflected in his comedies of which As You Like It and Twelfth Night are classic examples. Unexplored sexual identity, in both these dramas, has played very important role in orienting the action, theme as well as pace but at the same time both the dramas have clearly expressed the fact that love does not depend over sexual identity.

It is the most important of all humane virtues and a person, who has fallen in love with his/her partner, does not change the expression of love according to his/her sexual identity. Themes of deception and disguise have occupied a special place among the major Shakespearean comedies, such as Taming of the Shrew, As You like It or Twelfth Night. Looking at the renaissance society, a critical