First Impression

First impressions are critical. They will help or hurt a person. That goes strongly from works of literature. Shakespeare understood that too well in his plays. He executed the opening scenes with beauty and grace. One fine example of my statement is the comedy, Twelfth Night. The play is great all ready. Shakespeare took this play a step further and made the beginning grand.

The play opens with Duke Orsino. He is lamenting about his unrequited love for the fair Olivia. He is like Romeo from the play Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare executes the Duke’s speech in such an elegant manner. Here is what he says, “If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die. The strain again! It had a dying fall: O, it came o’er my ear like the sweet sound, that breathes upon a bank of violets, Stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more: ‘Tis not so sweet now as it was before. O spirit of love! How quick and fresh art thou, That, notwithstanding thy capacity Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there, Of what validity and pitch soe’er, But falls into abatement and low price, Even in a minutes: so full of shapes is fancy that it alon is high fantastical.” (Act I, scene I.) Time to take a good look into his opening speech. The Duke compares love to music. According to the OED, music is that one of the fine arts which is concerned with the combination of sounds with a view to beauty of from and the expression of emotion. It also says the science of the laws or principles (of melody, harmony, rhythm, etc.) by which this art is regulated. The dentition suits the Duke’s feelings of love and sorrow mixed together.

The Duke also describes love as the odour of violets. Odour or odor (As it is spelled in the OED) is smell, scent, of property of a substance that is perceptible by the sense of smell. It also is scent, smell; sometimes specific sweet or pleasing scent; fragrance. Orsino is saying that love smells sweet like and expensive perfume. He also says that his need for Olivia’s love is an appetite. An appetite is determinate desire to satisfy the natural necessities, or fulfill the natural functions, of the body. Another way to describe appetite is one of those instinctive cravings which secure the preservation of the individual and the race, or bent of the mind toward the attainment of an object or purpose. A third way to describe appetite is desire, inclination, disposition, also object of desire or longing. Out of all three definitions, the third one is the best one to explain what Shakespeare interpreted in appetite.

Later in the scene, Orsino learns that his love’s brother has died and she has veiled herself. The duke sees this as an opportunity to make Olivia his wife. He proudly says, “O, she hart a heart of that fine frame to pay this debt of love but to a brother, how will she love, when the rich golden shaft hath kill’d the flock of all affections else that live in her; when liver, brain, and heart, these sovereign thrones, are all supplied, and fill’d her sweet perfections with one self king! Away before me to sweet beds of flowers: love-thoughts lie rich when canopied with bowers.” (Act I, scene I.) He basically says that he will balance her liver, brain, and heart. In the old days, people believed there was a celestial balance in the livers, hearts, and brains of people. I will explain the three meanings of all three organs. The first one is the liver. By OED, the liver is formly often mentioned with allusion to its importance as a vital organ of the body (coupled with the brain and heart). It also says with the allusion to the ancient notion that it was the seat of love and of violent passion generally. Next is the brain. The OED says the brain is considered as the centre of sensation, the organ of thought, memory, or imagination. Last, we have the heart. According to the OED, the heart is the seat of one’s inmost thoughts, and secret feelings. It is also says it is one’s inmost being and the depths of the soul. Orsino says he will fill Olivia’s sexual desire, thoughts, and feelings.