Analyzing Viola from Twelfth Night
& Viola from "She's The Man" (Terrbile Movie)
Viola's Identity (TN varient)
Viola is a woman who was working under the Duke, Orsino. She is also the sister to Sebastian, both of them believe the other has died. She disguised her self as Sebastian, calling herself Cesario, and tries to help the Duke with a small problem of his, only to get caught up in it, as shown in this quote: "Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness, Wherein the pregnant enemy does much. How easy is it for the proper false In women’s waxen hearts to set their forms!" (TN, act 2, scene II)
Viola's Identity (STM varient)
Viola is a teenage girl who was on the girls soccer team when it was pulled from her old school. In the movie: She's the Man, her old coach does not seem at all bothered by this, even stating, indirectly, that he believed the girls sucked at soccer and needed to be cut (STM). When Viola's boyfriend said so as well, he was dumped, yet acted like her opinion did not matter and also that they were still dating, heavily implying how little the school thought of girls. To get back at soccer, she joined a different schools soccer team, dressing up as Sebastian to do so, but inventible things go awry...
Viola's Gender (Both varients)
In all versions of the play Viola is female. She is not judged by it in TN, but is quite a bit in STM. She's the Man states that this was due to the above boys should do sports, while girls should only do things that have been categorized as girly belief in her old school (STM). For TN, Viola dressed as a man anyway, but the reason why was never stated. It was assumed she did so to avoid any against-female laws that were there, if any. Albeit this was due to the fact that the time period saw females as sub-par to males. They could not work or get money without a man, so she needed to dress up as one. " I’ll pay thee bounteously—Conceal me what I am, and be my aid For such disguise as haply shall become The form of my intent." (TN, act 1, scene II)
How Other People Percive Viola (Both Varients)
Since Viola in TN was dressed as Cesario for the nearly the entire play, almost no one knew she was a girl. But people had differing opinions of Viola when she was Sebastian and herself at the different plot events of STM. Characters from She's the Man see Viola as weak and only useful for relationships (STM). TN characters see Viola as spineless and a manipulator who uses people for a specific reason, then disposes them later. Shown here: "A very dishonest paltry boy, and more a coward than a hare. His dishonesty appears in leaving his friend here in necessity and denying him." (TN, Act 3, Scene 4)
How Viola and I Compare (Both Varients)
Viola (STM variant) and I are similar in the sense neither of us believes that for activities and competitions, gender counts for a person's skill. We are different in the sense I have never disguised myself as another person in my entire life, nor have I ever joined a sports team, or attempted to pretend to be the opposite gender.