Class and Social Status

Twelfth Night and The Great Chain of Being

The Great Chain of Being or scala naturae , a popular philosophical concept during the European Renaissance , described a hierarchy of power beauty and importance in the cosmos a hierarchy that began with God the Omnipotent Being and ended with the animal and the natural world This philosophical concept , though theological in origin , also served to reinforce the social hierarchy of the age . For instance , it placed the King or the Queen above every one else in the human world , as he was considered to

be the representative of God on earth , thereby buttressing the doctrine of Divine Right of Kings . This concept of a hierarchical structure in the universe also informed the literature of the age and found poignant expression in the great tragedies by the famous Elizabethan playwrights , who often portrayed the lamentable fate of an over-reacher or a person who aspired to rise above his or her appointed place in the social . Instances of these might be found in William Shakespeare 's Macbeth or Christopher Marlowe 's Doctor Faustus Shakespeare 's classic comedy , Twelfth Night , also reinforce this concept of a fixed social but by the use of laughter . This intends to investigate the means and ways by which Twelfth Night serve to highlight the truth and validity of the above-mentioned philosophical doctrine as well as the text 's presentation of the issues of class in the Elizabethan society

One salient aspect of this doctrine of The Great Chain of Being is that the Chain is permanent , fixed , immutable . Thus , to rise above one 's allotted position in the chain is not only unthinkable or sinful , but generally impossible . Therefore any attempt in this direction results either in overwhelming tragedy , as in the case of Satan in Milton 's Paradise Lost , or in rib-tickling comedy , as in the case of Malvolio or Sir Andrew Agucheek in Twelfth Night

Malvolio , being a steward in Lady Olivia 's household , his love for the Mistress of the house is over-ambitious and pompous in addition to being a violation of the Great Chain . This is the reason why the famous gulling of Malvolio by Sir Toby , Maria and others evoke laughter . Sir Toby 's reactions to Malvolio 's daydreaming about Lady Olivia clearly reveal his deep-rooted class prejudices

Mal .Maria once told me she (Lady Olivia ) did affect me , and I have heard herself come thus near , that should she fancy , it should be one of my complexion . Besides , she uses me with a more exalted respect than any one else that follows her . What should I think on 't

Sir Toby : Here 's an overweening rogue (2 .5 .23-29

As Malvolio 's daydreaming continues so do the surprised abuses from stunned Sir Toby flabbergasted by the steward 's unearthly aspirations O for a stone-bow to hit him in the eye (2 .5 .46 Fire and brimstone (2 .5 .49 Bolts and shackles (2 .5 .56 . Sir Andrew Agucheek , another witness...