Orsino and Cesario?

Yeah, you're right. People just try to make it something it isn't.

Consider the original context: performance in a country where women were forbidden from taking part in theatrical performance, and all women would be played by boys and young men. The intimation is definitely there, though modern performance can take it whereever it deems prudent.

If you've never seen Shakespeare played with an all male cast, it really is worth seeking out. There are jokes and situations that get a new breath of life in this context, suggesting very strongly that the all-male casting was more than just an obstacle to the playwright. It created some very interesting dynamics that led to greater exploration of gender politics and relationships. There are also a number of all-female companies sprinkled around the world that bring ever more interesting balances out in these classic scenes.

Have you read the original play? I am currently playing Viola in a production of Twelfth Night and have throroughly studied many of Shakespeare's works, including this one. In Shakespeare's time, it was not anything entirely out of the ordinary for men to have relationships. In fact, many young boys, whom were still feminine in boyish respects, were prostitutes. So that makes it entirely appropriate for Shakespeare, who was rumored to be enamoured of a Duke whom he worked for, to write in sexual ambiguity.

Also, the theme of the play is based on true love. The only character that truly experiences true love is Viola. Orsino loves Olivia simply because it was a given characteristic of nobility, and a smart political match. She is also rather attractive and at the appropriate age for marriage. The sea captain in the second scene of Act 1 sets up the absurdity of true love when he discusses with Viola that the Duke's favor is simply the gossip of the last month or so. Olivia falls in love with Cesario after 20 minutes of conversation, rather abrupt for someone who has abjured the company of men for seven years of mourning. Malvolio's crush on Olivia is based on social advancement. Toby marries Maria in exchange for her jest on Malvolio, and I need not explain the baseness of Aguecheek's love for Olivia. Viola is the only one who feels true love for Orsino. Proof of this is the exact event that sets up the comedy. Though she loves the Duke herself, she nonetheless tries to woo Olivia for him. Even after Olivia's proclamations of love for Cesario, Viola feels strongly enough for the Duke that she continues to do his bidding, knowing in her heart that if it were to work, she would have absolutely no chance with Orsino. THAT is true love. Another example of her love comes in Act Five, when the Duke professes "Come boy, my mind is ripe with mischief. I will sacrifice the lamb that I do love, to spite a raven's heart within a dove." Which loosely means that he will put Cesario to death to spite Olivia, whom he knows loves Cesario. But Viola, understanding what he intends to do, replies, "And I, most jocund, apt and willingly, to do you rest, a thousand deaths would die." Or: And I, to make you happy, would die time and time again. This is a proclamation of true love. Each of the other characters think more of themselves than of the people they "love", and would not even think of giving their life for them. Viola, however, would do it in a heartbeat. So this entirely disproves the idea that Orisino is so in love with Olivia that he could never be attracted to an affectionate and rather feminine servant. Not to mention, remember the Duke's line that proclaims his love for Viola, "Cesario, for so you shall be as you are a man until in other habits are seen, now Orsino's mistress, and his Fancy's queen." Orisino KNOWS Viola is a woman, yet still calls her Cesario, her MALE personage. This, above all else, leads us to believe there was indeed a strong attraction between Orsino and Cesario. Also, if Shakespeare didn't want any homoerotic undertones in this work, he probably would not have let Olivia fall in love with Viola. Also, what about Sebastian and Antonio? Antonio is undoubtedly the most up front about his sexuality. While it was intendly left for interpretation, hence it's title What You Will, Antonio acts as either the outright homosexual or as a very dediated friend. "Gentleness of all the Gods be with thee! I have many enemies in Orsino's courts, or else presently I would join thee there. For for my love, danger will seem sport, and I will go!"

So, in overall reply to your topic, while it is entirely up for interpretation, there is more than sufficiant evidence in favor that Shakespeare DID intend for there to be homoerotic undertones.

Questions? Comments? Please contact me.

I totally agree.

I would imagine it was just a fun device in Shakespeare times, because the men were played by women anyway see quote below

The audience would know that this Man was pretending to be a woman who was pretending to be a man, i would imagine it very much added to the comedy on stage, oh to have been there, maybe at Tithe barn, what an experience !!!



Because women didn't take to the English stage until after the Restoration (1660), all the women in Shakespeare's plays were originally played by young boys or men. Shakespeare had a great deal of fun with this convention. In a production of As You Like It in 1600, a boy would have played Rosalind, who disguises herself as a boy, then pretends to be a woman. Let's review: that's a boy playing a woman disguised as a boy pretending to be a woman. Because we are committed to the idea that Shakespeare is about everyone - male and female - Shenandoah Shakespeare is not an all-male company, but we try to re-create some of the fun of gender confusions by casting women as men and men as women

I watched a production at the Globe Theatre in London, using an all-male cast. This scene was particularly poignant but funny as we were so aware of its multi-level reality/disguise. There was the oddity of a man finding himself attracted to a youth, plus we knew the youth was really a young woman, BUT we also knew the young woman was being played by a man. So it was wonderfully awkward, funny, sweet, and romantic all at the same time!
In this film there are really only the two levels, Orsino finds himself attracted in spite of his love for Olivia,to something about this youth, AND we (the audience) know it's okay really since Cesario is really Viola. Plus Viola knows she is a woman and can love Orsino, but she mustn't compromise him while he thinks she is a youth!