Twelfth night: In Shakespeare time women were generally regarded as inferior to men. In twelfth night does the playwright suggest that he might not accept this idea?
             Twelfth night is set in a time when women were thought to be weaker than men, so to have strong women and emotional men would have been very odd. I believe this tells you that Shakespeare did not agree with this and here is my evidence.
             Viola is one of the strongest characters as when she comes onto the island, she does not cry about her brother, she only says "o my poor brother, and so perchance may he be" this is straight away showing that Shakespeare does not agree that women are weaker than men as when Viola's brother comes ashore onto the island he is very upset "he left behind him myself and a sister, both born in an hour." Sebastian Viola's brother however goes on for quite a while about Viola to Antonio. Shakespeare is saying that women can be just as strong as men emotionally.
             Viola wants to know everything about the island straight away from who governs the island to the Dukes personal life "who governs here?...what is his name?" This also shows women have initiative and do actually know what to do. Shakespeare also gives Viola a very hard part which she manages to keep, she successfully convinces the Duke that she is a man and she carries out men's jobs with no problems. Again Shakespeare did this to show that women can do just as much as men.
             Sebastian however is similar to his sister although he was much more emotional he also went in search of a job "I am bound to the court Orsino's court" this is showing that men may be weaker, yet Shakespeare is trying to keep the audience happy at the same time so men and women are portrayed as equal.
             The Duke however was an emotional wreck "How will she love, when the rich golden shaft hath killed the flock of affections else that live in h...