The theme of counter point engulfs the play the Twelfth Night. The story begins and ends on the axis of counterpoints. This theme is apparent throughout the cast and story line.
In Illyria, a nobleman named Orsino lies depressed longing for the love of a noblewoman Lady Olivia. Orsino cannot have her because she is in mourning for her dead brother and father and refuses to be married during her mourning period of seven years. This is the first great obstacle in the story, which is presented, in terms of counter point. The other does not return the love of one.
In the meantime, off the coast, a storm has caused a terrible shipwreck. A young, woman of noble parentage named Viola is swept onto the Illyrian shore. Finding herself alone in, Illyria, she assumes that her twin brother, Sebastian, has been drowned in the wreck. This will later become a major pin of the counter point in the play but as it is this becomes a lose end to be tied up. .
Faced with the believed death of her brother and her newfound poverty she tries to figure out what sort of work she can do. A friendly sea captain tells her about Orsino's love of Olivia, and Viola says that she would like to work in Olivia's home. However Lady Olivia refuses to meet with anyone; therefore Viola decides to disguise herself as a man. Viola then takes on the name of Cesario, and goes to work in the household of Count Orsino as a fool. The counter point here is that she a woman places herself in a position where she is believed to be a man.
Cesario quickly becomes a close friend and favorite muse of Orsino. Quickly and he makes Cesario his page. Soon after becoming friends Cesario then finds herself falling in love with Orsino. Orsino however believes Viola to be a man and therefore has no attraction to Viola at all. Then when Orsino sends Cesario to deliver Orsino's love messages to the Olivia, Olivia herself falls Cesario. The level of counterpoint at this point in the story is at a high.