How Does Shakespeare Present The Puritans In Twelfth Night
Looking back at history, documents show the tension between Puritans and Shakespeare. The play Twelfth Night is perfect evidence that shows how Shakespeare disagreed with the Puritans beliefs .Shakespeare decides to use the character Malvolio to represent the puritans at that time period. Shakespeare uses the character of Malvolio to ridicule the puritans and portrays the puritans as ambitious, selfish and bitter.
The Puritans gained their power after they renounced the Anglican Church, this was right after the first English Civil War. Their beliefs started to be known in the time period of Bloody Mary. Puritans disagreed with the Anglican Church because it had many similarities to the Catholic church and they believed that the church of England should purify itself from the catholic beliefs. Puritans despised the Globe Theatre where Shakespeare's presented his plays. They believed that the theatre should be close down because it attracted criminals, prostitutes, beggars and gamblers. Puritans favor autonomous churches over a centralized church. They wanted to build a society focused on community and family.
Even …show more content…
Maria is accusing him of being selfish and self centered, a typical puritan characteristics. Malvolio makes everything about him, in the occasion when Olivia tells Malvolio “ Wilt thou go to bed, Malvolio?”(Crowther 3.4). With Olivia just implying that he should rest instead Malvolio takes the comment as if Olivia wanted to go to bed with him. This implies that Malvolio makes himself dignified and better than others. Shakespeare also portrays Malvolio as selfish when Malvolio is incapable of loving someone else but himself. Malvolio is also being selfish when he feels more important than Viola or Cesario because he throws the ring on the floor instead of giving it to
The Puritans gained their power after they renounced the Anglican Church, this was right after the first English Civil War. Their beliefs started to be known in the time period of Bloody Mary. Puritans disagreed with the Anglican Church because it had many similarities to the Catholic church and they believed that the church of England should purify itself from the catholic beliefs. Puritans despised the Globe Theatre where Shakespeare's presented his plays. They believed that the theatre should be close down because it attracted criminals, prostitutes, beggars and gamblers. Puritans favor autonomous churches over a centralized church. They wanted to build a society focused on community and family.
Even …show more content…
Maria is accusing him of being selfish and self centered, a typical puritan characteristics. Malvolio makes everything about him, in the occasion when Olivia tells Malvolio “ Wilt thou go to bed, Malvolio?”(Crowther 3.4). With Olivia just implying that he should rest instead Malvolio takes the comment as if Olivia wanted to go to bed with him. This implies that Malvolio makes himself dignified and better than others. Shakespeare also portrays Malvolio as selfish when Malvolio is incapable of loving someone else but himself. Malvolio is also being selfish when he feels more important than Viola or Cesario because he throws the ring on the floor instead of giving it to