In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, or What You Will, Olivia is an Illyrian

noblewoman, adamant on mourning for her dead brother. She is the recipient of the

unrequited love of Duke Orsino, although she refuses to love for 7 years in mourning,

closing herself off from the outside world. However, through Cesario, the theme of

lovesickness, and the trait of persistence, Olivia loses her grief and opens herself to the

world. This essay explores how Shakespeare develops Olivia’s character, and how she

went from grieving and secluded to loving and fulfilled.

         One of Twelfth Night’s leading themes is the use of disguise and deception. It’s

highly likely that Viola’s disguise of Cesario singlehandedly influenced the events of the

play, as without him, the love triangle between the three main characters would not have

existed. This exact disguise influences Olivia’s change, and allows her to love again.

Cesario moves Olivia’s attention away from mourning, and onto him(her)self. Olivia’s

personality completely changes after falling in love with Cesario. Looking at her attitude

towards the subject of love before and after their meeting, her tone of voice and choice of

word differs completely. When confronted by another messenger from Orsino, Olivia

says, in a dismissive, uninterested, and annoyed tone, “If he’s got a message from the

count, tell him I’m sick, or not home… as long as you make him go away.” Here, Olivia

is completely uninterested in Orsino’s love, and is sick of the repeated attempts that he

has made. Per contra, the words that Olivia speaks to Cesario on their second meeting is

almost shocking to the reader, as her personality and mood has completely

metamorphosed. To everyone’s surprise, she claims that “methinks ‘tis time to smile

again.” Seeing that, just days earlier, Olivia was a mourning woman, virtually a recluse to

the world, this is a drastic change in her character. It is evident now that Cesario managed
to influence a large change in Olivia’s character. Before their meeting, Olivia was

dismissive at others’ attempts at loving her; she rejects Orsino with disdain, and without a

second thought. Yet she later becomes the one to love, and with that love comes a

newfound joy.  

Love, or more specifically lovesickness, is a common theme employed by

Shakespeare’s plays and characters, such as Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer

Night’s Dream. It is no surprise that Twelfth Night has its own share of lovesick

characters. One could say that Olivia starts off lovesick for her deceased brother, causing

her to mourn, but after being rejected by Cesario, Olivia is lovesick again, this time for

Cesario. This lovesickness makes her yearn for Cesario to reciprocate her love. After

Olivia became smitten with Cesario in their first meeting, and her ring is declined, it is

observed that Olivia becomes lovesick, through her dialogue with Cesario in their next

meeting. Here, she declares her love to Cesario, saying, “I love thee so, that, maugre all

thy pride, nor wit nor reason can my passion hide.” Olivia’s declaration confirms her

lovesickness, as lovesickness cannot happen without love to begin with. Lovesick is

defined as “in love, or missing the person one loves.” Olivia now fits both prerequisites,

as she has just declared the one that she loves, and we know that she longs for the one she

loves, as she is currently pleading with Cesario for him to stay, and not leave her again.

How the subject of Olivia’s lovesickness changes from brother to Cesario indicates that

she is coming out of mourning, and that she is capable of loving others again.

Unfortunately, she is again rejected, but the lovesick Olivia manages to muster the

determination to keep pursuing her beloved.

         Olivia’s growth could not have happened without her determination and

persistence, making her pursue Cesario even after being rejected. Upon their first

meeting, she falls in love. After Cesario refuses Olivia’s gift and, on their second

meeting, refuses her love, she still tries to bring him back. In a complete departure from

her nature at the beginning, she pleads to Cesario, “Yet come again, for thou perhaps

mayst move that heart.” If Olivia were to stop pleading with Cesario, the events of the

play would have been reset to its original state. Olivia, now knowing that not even her

own love can be reciprocated, will certainly not be able to reciprocate Orsino’s love,

leading Orsino to continue to attempt and court her, to no avail. This persistence is key to

leading Olivia to the person that she is at the end of the play, and to prevent her from

becoming a recluse once again. It can be noted that Olivia’s persistence does pay off,

leading to the ending, where she eventually marries Sebastian, the male version of Viola

(Cesario).

         In conclusion, Olivia’s transformation, from a mourning recluse to a married and

loving noblewoman, is influenced by Cesario, lovesickness, and determination. These

three factors play alongside each other, with Cesario causing Olivia’s lovesickness,

Olivia’s lovesickness fueling her determination to woo Cesario, and her determination

allowing her to continue pursuing Cesario, rejection after rejection. Olivia begins as cold

and secluded, unwilling and unable to reciprocate anyone’s love. However, as the play

progresses, she opens herself up, and allows herself to love Cesario. At the end of the

play, she is at a complete departure from the woman that she started out as, and she loses

her trait of grief, and ultimately opens herself, allowing her to love others once again.