Response to ACT 1

After reading Act 1 in class, I’m a little confused; but I understand everything that we read. What confused me was the character “Viola”. Why did she decide to dress up as a boy, so that he could go work for the Duke? She survived a shipwreck, and washed up on the shores of Lyria. Wouldn’t a regular person try to get back to wherever they came from? That doesn’t make sense. Also, I don’t understand why the Duke is wasting her time with Olivia. She obviously doesn’t want him, and the Duke is just repeatedly asking for her to go out with him. If it were Olivia, I would have up and moved along time ago. Seriously, the Duke needs to move on. Well, those are the only things I am confused with. I get the whole part of Act 1.

Act 1 starts out with the Duke in the garden talking about how love is music. Then, one of the Duke’s loyal men tells him bad new about Olivia. She is psychologically disfigured, due to the death of her brother. Olivia, will not show her face to the sun or anyone for seven years. She will also not see men for seven years too. The duke is discouraged, but sees hope, because he thinks if Olivia falls for him; think of how much love she will give him. Weird! Anyway, the scene switched, and Viola is introduced to the play. She has a twin brother; apparently they are in the wealthy class. Viola was washed up upon the shores of Lyria, due to a shipwreck. Viola decides to lay low, in hopes of receiving news that her twin brother survived the shipwreck as well. She wants to work for the Duke, and so decides to dress up as a boy. The scene is switched, and Olivia is introduced to the play; her lady helper is introduced too, and her drunk uncle, and her drunk uncle’s friend (Sir Anthony). Also, why does Olivia give her uncle hospitality? If I were Olivia, I would have thrown him out, or disown him. I wouldn’t care if it made me look bad. Anyway, Olivia and Viola (dressed as a boy) meet. Viola is there to deliver a sweet love message from the Duke to Olivia. Olivia rejects Duke again, but has the “hoots” for Viola. This book is seriously messed up. But I like the movie, “She’s the Man”.