Viola

• ‘Conceal me what I am’ (Viola, Act 1 Scene 2)

  • Disguise
  • Empowerment of women
• ‘He hath known you but three days, and already you are no stranger’ (Valentine, Act 1 Scene 4)

  • reference to time
• ‘Is he inconstant, sir, in his favours?’ (Viola, Act 1 Scene 4)
• ‘Yet, a barful strife/ Whoe’er I woo, myself would be his wife’ (Viola, Act 1 Scene 4)
• ‘Most radiant, exquisite and unmatchable beauty’ (Viola)

  • rule of three pronounces the melodramatic nature of her attempts to woo Olivia on behalf of Orsino
  • this allows Orsino to be ridiculed despite not being on stage
• ‘Make me a willow cabin at your gate’ (Viola)
• ‘I am the man’ (Viola)

  • Irony - male actor pretending to be a woman disguised as a man
  • Aside speech
• ‘O time, thou must untangle this, not I / It is too hard a knot for me t’untie’ (Viola)

  • End of aside
  • Closing line of scene
• ‘Of your complexion’ (Viola)
• ‘I am all the daughters of my father’s house’ (Viola)
• ’I have one heart, one bosom, and one truth,/ And that no woman has, nor never none / Shall mistress be of it, save I alone’ (Viola)