To Malvolio, she orders that suitors come to call, he inform them that "I am sick, or not at home", as she wants nothing to do with the foolish men who try to curry her favor. The fact that Olivia uses her power as the lady of the house to compel a servant to lie on her behalf so that she can make her romantic and sexual decisions for herself is an affirmation of her agency and the subversive techniques that she uses to achieve it. ... What makes this detail particularly interesting and important is that most women in Shakespeare's day did not work outside the home, particularly...

• Word Count: 2208
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Graduate