JAMB - Literature In English (2000 - No. 7)

From the novel; Twelfth Night
From the novel; Twelfth Night
From the novel; Twelfth Night

Valentine:
....But, like a cloistress, she will veiled walk,
And water once a day her chamber round
With eve-offending brine; all this to season...

The imagery above describes

Viola's deep sorrow for her drowned brother
Olivia's deep sorrow over the loss of her brother's love
Viola's grief over a love she cannot show
Olivia's intense grief over the death of her brother

Explanation

In this passage from Twelfth Night, Valentine describes Olivia's mourning ritual for her deceased brother. She isolates herself, refuses to interact with the world and indulges in daily rituals of mourning, including the "eve-offending brine" (tears). 

Comments (0)

Advertisement