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Question:

What topic should I choose for my presentation on Act 1 of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night?

For English Literature I am doing a joint powerpoint presentation with two friends, but we have chosen work independently, creating a few slides each on the topic we chose.
One of my friends has chosen "Love" and the other has chosen "feminism". The plan originally was that I make my section of the slideshow about "humour", but I don't like that idea any more because the humour in the first act is very obvious and there is little to comment on to a class that already undertands it all!

So have you any ideas about a theme or idea I could base my part of the presentation on? The presentation is ONLY ABOUT THE FIRST ACT so there isn't much to work with.

The presentation can include things like quotes, comments on characters and themes, and pictures, and it has to have potential for me to talk to my class about it as well.


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

A good theme that runs throughout the whole play is "Appearance vs. reality". Comparing what things appear to be and what they really are. The most obvious example of this is the fact that Viola is dressed like a man. Another example is Olivia and her veil. Olivia swears that she will mourn her brother for seven years, but is she really mourning him or just putting on a show? There are quite a few quotes supporting disguises and appearance throughout the entire conversation between Olivia and Viola in the first act. Another thing to consider is Feste- he is a clown or jester but he is not as foolish as you would expect. Sir Andrew on the other hand is supposed to be a person of high class- yet he is arguably the most idiotic character in the play.