What are some similarites or differences Olivia and Viola share from Twelfth Night?

I already have





1. Both seem to fall in love with the wrong men


2.Viola is positive, Olivia is negative
What are some similarites or differences Olivia and Viola share from Twelfth Night?
A really good resource for questions like this is the Open Shakespeare site that lets you pull out all the lines of a single character (with or without their cue lines).


It make it much easier to compare lines and reactions to a given situation.


In particular the scene where they first meet highlights their differences. Viola is by far the more eloquent and very dashing (Olivia thinks she is a man). Olivia is deeply attracted to him (her) almost immediately.


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[Enter VIOLA, and Attendants]





* Viola. The honourable lady of the house, which is she?





* Olivia. Speak to me; I shall answer for her.


Your will?





* Viola. Most radiant, exquisite and unmatchable beauty,鈥擨


pray you, tell me if this be the lady of the house, 465


for I never saw her: I would be loath to cast away


my speech, for besides that it is excellently well


penned, I have taken great pains to con it. Good


beauties, let me sustain no scorn; I am very


comptible, even to the least sinister usage. 470





* Olivia. Whence came you, sir?





* Viola. I can say little more than I have studied, and that


question%26#039;s out of my part. Good gentle one, give me


modest assurance if you be the lady of the house,


that I may proceed in my speech. 475





* Olivia. Are you a comedian?





* Viola. No, my profound heart: and yet, by the very fangs


of malice I swear, I am not that I play. Are you


the lady of the house?





* Olivia. If I do not usurp myself, I am. 480





* Viola. Most certain, if you are she, you do usurp


yourself; for what is yours to bestow is not yours


to reserve. But this is from my commission: I will


on with my speech in your praise, and then show you


the heart of my message. 485





* Olivia. Come to what is important in%26#039;t: I forgive you the praise.





* Viola. Alas, I took great pains to study it, and %26#039;tis poetical.





* Olivia. It is the more like to be feigned: I pray you,


keep it in. I heard you were saucy at my gates,


and allowed your approach rather to wonder at you 490


than to hear you. If you be not mad, be gone; if


you have reason, be brief: %26#039;tis not that time of


moon with me to make one in so skipping a dialogue.





* Maria. Will you hoist sail, sir? here lies your way.





* Viola. No, good swabber; I am to hull here a little 495


longer. Some mollification for your giant, sweet


lady. Tell me your mind: I am a messenger.





* Olivia. Sure, you have some hideous matter to deliver, when


the courtesy of it is so fearful. Speak your office.





* Viola. It alone concerns your ear. I bring no overture of 500


war, no taxation of homage: I hold the olive in my


hand; my words are as fun of peace as matter.





* Olivia. Yet you began rudely. What are you? what would you?





* Viola. The rudeness that hath appeared in me have I


learned from my entertainment. What I am, and what I 505


would, are as secret as maidenhead; to your ears,


divinity, to any other%26#039;s, profanation.





* Olivia. Give us the place alone: we will hear this divinity.


[Exeunt MARIA and Attendants]


Now, sir, what is your text? 510





* Viola. Most sweet lady,鈥?





* Olivia. A comfortable doctrine, and much may be said of it.


Where lies your text?





* Viola. In Orsino%26#039;s bosom.





* Olivia. In his bosom! In what chapter of his bosom? 515





* Viola. To answer by the method, in the first of his heart.





* Olivia. O, I have read it: it is heresy. Have you no more to say?





* Viola. Good madam, let me see your face.





* Olivia. Have you any commission from your lord to negotiate


with my face? You are now out of your text: but 520


we will draw the curtain and show you the picture.


Look you, sir, such a one I was this present: is%26#039;t


not well done?





[Unveiling]





* Viola. Excellently done, if God did all. 525





* Olivia. %26#039;Tis in grain, sir; %26#039;twill endure wind and weather.





* Viola. %26#039;Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white


Nature%26#039;s own sweet and cunning hand laid on:


Lady, you are the cruell%26#039;st she alive,


If you will lead these graces to the grave 530


And leave the world no copy.





* Olivia. O, sir, I will not be so hard-hearted; I will give


out divers schedules of my beauty: it shall be


inventoried, and every particle and utensil


labelled to my will: as, item, two lips, 535


indifferent red; item, two grey eyes, with lids to


them; item, one neck, one chin, and so forth. Were


you sent hither to praise me?





* Viola. I see you what you are, you are too proud;


But, if you were the devil, you are fair. 540


My lord and master loves you: O, such love


Could be but recompensed, though you were crown%26#039;d


The nonpareil of beauty!





* Olivia. How does he love me?





* Viola. With adorations, fertile tears, 545


With groans that thunder love, with sighs of fire.





* Olivia. Your lord does know my mind; I cannot love him:


Yet I suppose him virtuous, know him noble,


Of great estate, of fresh and stainless youth;


In voices well divulged, free, learn%26#039;d and valiant; 550


And in dimension and the shape of nature


A gracious person: but yet I cannot love him;


He might have took his answer long ago.





* Viola. If I did love you in my master%26#039;s flame,


With such a suffering, such a deadly life, 555


In your denial I would find no sense;


I would not understand it.





* Olivia. Why, what would you?





* Viola. Make me a willow cabin at your gate,


And call upon my soul within the house; 560


Write loyal cantons of contemned love


And sing them loud even in the dead of night;


Halloo your name to the reverberate hills


And make the babbling gossip of the air


Cry out %26#039;Olivia!%26#039; O, You should not rest 565


Between the elements of air and earth,


But you should pity me!





* Olivia. You might do much.


What is your parentage?





* Viola. Above my fortunes, yet my state is well: 570


I am a gentleman.





* Olivia. Get you to your lord;


I cannot love him: let him send no more;


Unless, perchance, you come to me again,


To tell me how he takes it. Fare you well: 575


I thank you for your pains: spend this for me.





* Viola. I am no fee%26#039;d post, lady; keep your purse:


My master, not myself, lacks recompense.


Love make his heart of flint that you shall love;


And let your fervor, like my master%26#039;s, be 580


Placed in contempt! Farewell, fair cruelty.





[Exit]





* Olivia. %26#039;What is your parentage?%26#039;


%26#039;Above my fortunes, yet my state is well:


I am a gentleman.%26#039; I%26#039;ll be sworn thou art; 585


Thy tongue, thy face, thy limbs, actions and spirit,


Do give thee five-fold blazon: not too fast:


soft, soft!


Unless the master were the man. How now!


Even so quickly may one catch the plague? 590


Methinks I feel this youth%26#039;s perfections


With an invisible and subtle stealth


To creep in at mine eyes. Well, let it be.


What ho, Malvolio!