Viola/Cesario - The moods

Twelfth Night – Essay: Mood and Feeling

(Two strong themes in the play are music and love, and are mentioned many times, subsequently).

Act 2, Scene 4:

This scene opens with Duke Orsino in his court feeling sorry for himself, because Cesario has not been able to successfully sharpen Olivia’s views of him.
He then asks for music to ‘calm’ him, but unfortunately Feste is not around at the time. Orsino asks Cesario (who is there) about his love instead, whilst the tune is being played. Cesario describes his love to Orsino, and also tells of the similarities between them. This is, in fact, dramatic irony. The person inside Cesario, Viola, is longing for Orsino, and is describing him, unbeknownst to anyone but the audience.
Finally, Feste arrives and begins to sing the song that Orsino wished to hear. The song turns out to be a very sad one, which is about love that doesn’t get returned. This song also plays close to Orsino’s heart, because of the simi...