Forbidden Love

The idea of unrequited love is something that has spanned the ages. From Shakespeare's Olivian and Cesario/Viola to the modern day love affair between Buffy and Angel, love unreciprocated or even worse, forbidden, is a tragic theme that has befallen many hearts.
In William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", the author sets in motion a series of relationshiops that seemed doomed from the very start. Shipwrecked Viola pines for Duke Orsino who longs for Olivia who completes this messy triangle by setting her sights on Cesario.
Duke Orsino's love is apparent from the beginning of the play. He enjoys the feeling of being in love and craves more of it proclaiming "give me excess of it" (2). Almost immediately after stating his love for Olivia, the duke is told by his servant Valentine that Olivia doesn't have time for love because she is mourning her dead brother. Orsino's love is shot down, yet he refuses to give up. The duke refuses to believe that his love will not be returned by...