Literary theory or literary criticism can be defined as the set of concepts, views and assumptions that form the bases for interpretation of one or another piece of writing. Literary criticism is employed in discussing and highlighting key ideas of writing. There are two objectives: to generalize knowledge of the subject matter of criticism – “the literature” – and to provide an interpretation. The term "theory" originates from the Greek "theoria". "Theoria" indicated a view or perspective of the Greek stage. (Iep.utm.edu) That is what literary theory offers in general, although some specific theories suggest complete systems for interpreting literature. At present, many overlapping areas contributes to modern critical tendencies. However, older schools of theory influence modern approaches in general. Modern literary theory emerged in Europe in the nineteenth century. (Iep.utm.edu) Different deviations from traditional literary criticism have developed. Critiques explained works of art in terms of biography; historicized contents, interpreted structural parts. Friedrich Nietzsche, a literature critique, made an announcement to follow in critiques’ practice: “facts are not facts until they have been interpreted”. His statement provoked dramatic changes in the field of literary criticism and resulted into intense literary theorizing. (Iep.utm.edu.)
While traditional theories describe words, patterns or collocations outside the text, modern flows require an understanding of certain kind of background information in one or another area. For instance, Postmodernism’s constituents are aesthetic and epistemological approaches. (Iep.utm.edu.) Structuralism comprehends texts in terms of their constituent parts and partially regardless of author’s biographical and cultural background. (Iep.utm.edu.) The essence of Myth criticism, which is going to be employed in this essay, is picking images out of the text and interpreting them as archetypes with the reference to Greek (more often) or other mythologies. Traditional or Academic literary criticism tends to track influence, establish the canon of major writers in the literary periods, and clarify historical context and allusions within the text. (Iep.utm.edu.) Literary biography is also considered an important interpretive method in both academic and modern approaches.
Myth criticism is applied to bring out the cultural myths that lie beneath the theme and problematic of the piece of writing. Myth is far from being unsophisticated reflection of human perception of one or another phenomenon. It is profound in its dramatic representation of unconscious notions and beliefs in different cultures. C. Jung called common images, themes and motives “archetypes”. (Textetc.com) The world's greatest dramas experienced immense influence of ancient mythology. Allusion implementation can be traced through Renaissance literature to modern poetry. The legendary prince of Denmark, Hamlet, is often seen as an archetype of a hero who gives his life as a sacrifice for the highest aim.
Religious, history and social anthropology studies contribute a lot into Myth criticism. The archetypes often originate from historical figures such as kings, knights, war heroes and gods. Some common traits that modern heroes share with their prototypes are traces back to their prime by critics to achieve all-round comprehension of a character. Myth criticism operates universal notions as time, sea, land and sky, control, creator, regeneration and illness. (Textetc.com) The theory of myths identifies the four seasons – spring, summer, autumn and winter – with the four main plots or any romantic writing: comedy, tragedy, and satire. (Textetc.com) To provide an example, “winter type” represents a hero being in prison, madhouses and places of execution. The characters of this phase can be the dispossessed and the destitute haunted by supernatural creatures, dark and detrimental. “King Lear” tragedy by Shakespeare is an example of “winter” period. Opposite to that, “Twelfth Night” can be certainly related to “spring” time. Personal and love relationships Intrigue interweaving sprang into a happy ending saved from philosophical baggage. Even though that interconnection is too general, it can be used to extract additional information from a piece of writing subjected to myth criticism. None of the types of criticism can take single words or images and analyze them regardless context – plot, historical background etc. Words have great emotional and intellectual power if employed in certain ways (Textetc.com) and these ways and patterns created by artist’s imagination are later subjected to criticism. Mythic criticism is subsequent to literature. (Textetc.com) Still, Myth criticism can show where writer’s imagery is coming from, and suggest explanation to the effect it has on readers. (Textetc.com)
Getting back to the notions of time, sea, illness, regeneration and control brings us to archetypal themes represented in “Twelfth Night”. Time is introduced rather vague, since all acts take place in an imagery land. Time is one of the most fundamental archetypes (Textetc.com), and no mentioning of time brings the comedy closer to the myth. “Illiria” was a real land on the Balkan Peninsular when Roman Empire existed. The names “Illiria” and “Elysium” are phonetically similar to one another and evoke recollections of unreal places were gods and heroes live. The text of the comedy is abundant in allusions to mythological creatures:
“Diana's lip
Is not more smooth and rubious” (1.4.33-34).
“Good night, Penthesilea” (2.3.167).
“Now Mercury endue thee with leasing, for thouspeakest well of fools!” (1.5.88-89).
The playwright resorts to the names of gods to render the most powerful fillings of the characters and their most expressive remarks. Gods’ names brings readers back again to the concept of time and place.
Sea as an archetype symbolizes death and regeneration. (Textetc.com) It appears in first stanza:
“O spirit of love! How quick and fresh art thou,That, notwithstanding thy capacityReceiveth as the sea” (1.1.9-11).
The Duke compares his love to enormous and almighty sea that can be as dead as a doornail when it is calm and can move waves ferociously in storms. The comedy starts with aspects of the sea. In Scene II the leitmotif of the comedy comes on the surface. It is an allusion to an ancient Greek myth. The legend tells the story of a young man called Arion, poet and citharist, who was trapped into a deathly situation. The captain and the crew of the ship that Arion hired to get into Corinth abused Arion's confidence and sentenced him to death. Seeing no way out and getting ready to suffer his fate, Arion asked the captain to let him sing his farewell song. The gods heard him singing and saved him from death. When Arion plunged into the ocean, he was rescued by dolphins and brought to the shore to find out that his twin sister was also alive. Thus, Arion is a prototype of Sebastian, saved by chance. Until his meeting with Olivia Sebastian was undergoing “spiritual aridity”, which is associated with Illness archetype in myths criticism. (Textetc.com) His reunion with twin sister and getting married with beloved Olivia can be obviously referred to Regeneration archetype. The character of Antonio, the captain, was developed to substitute the dolphin in the original myth. Antonio is a part of the Regeneration cycle. Whatever time he appears in the comedy his presence as well as his speech is used to settle down a conflict or to protect either Sebastian or Viola. He is given a role of a mediator between the good and the evil.
Finally, another main character called Malvolio can be referred to Control archetype. He is the only one who supports Olivia in her grief thus preventing her from being cheerful again. He is arrogant and selfish enough to believe in the content of the letter addressed to him, as he believes, by Olivia. Malvolio shows irritation and rage when reports Antonio to the Duke. Apart for Malvolio, no one in the comedy can be named an antagonist. Therefore, he meets his punishment, after Clown and Sir Toby Belch have played trick on him. It goes in accordance with the concept of a romantic piece of writing.
Works cited:
Brewton, V. “Literary Theory”. Iep.utm.edu. Web. Accessed 10 June 2016 at <iep.utm.edu>
Holcombe C. J. “Myth Criticism”. Textetc.com. Web. Accessed 10 June 2016 at <http://www.textetc.com/criticism/myth-criticism.html>
Shakespeare W. “Twelfth Night”. Shakespeare.mit.edu. Web. Accessed 10 June 2016 at <http://shakespeare.mit.edu/twelfth_night/ >
