BOY AND GIRL TWINS IN FICTION

Twelfth Night - Shakespeare

In the Shakespeare play ‘Twelfth Night’, the story focuses on a female twin (Viola) who survived a shipwreck and disguises herself as a man (called Cesario) so she could work. She believed her father and twin brother died in the wreck. Disguised as a man, a female character (Olivia) falls in love with her. Later on in the play, the twin brother of Viola (Sebastian) arrives at the scene where Olivia (thinking it’s Cesario) proposes to him.

Viola is than discovered when she and her brother are seen in the same room, where she then had to confess that he is her twin brother and she is a girl.

There are many versions of this play, with different style clothing. But the link between all these versions, is that the twins had to dress pretty much the same. Maybe to make them seem more like twins.

Actors probably aren’t related

Viola in the play could of been influenced by her twin brother in how she dressed.

She wanted to disguise herself as a boy, so she had to hide her personality by playing a role.

She’s The Man – American Movie

This movie was influenced by Shakespeare’s play, but holds a more modern twist: A girl (again called Viola) decided to take her brothers place at a school, just so she can join the boys soccer team.

As a girl, she portrays herself as being both a tomboy and someone who is very girly: sports gear and cap Vs strap top and mini skirt. Both of these styles are classed as being ‘cool’.

When she’s however, she no longer has this cool style; she dresses rather nerdy and well covered.

Her being completely covered may be because of her disguising herself. She doesn’t want to hint that she is a girl. Also the personality shown through the clothing contrasts against her female self.

You’re Beautiful – Korean Drama

Again probably influenced by Twelfth Night, this Korean drama is about a girl (Go Mi Nyu) who has to disguise herself as her twin brother (Go Mi Nam) to join a boy band for him, as he is in hospital because of surgery. She does this as it is her brothers dream to find their mother.

Mi Nyu was planning on becoming a nun before she was asked to pretend to be her brother. This suggests that her character follows the stereotype for nuns of being kind and helpful.

She is transformed from being an innocent nun in white and blue to a typical Korean pop star, wearing punk style clothing.Dressed as a boy, she wears layers of tattered clothing (ripped jeans), studded belts and chains. It’s the complete opposite to the neatly dressed nun.