Twelfth Night contains many themes including love which features frequently in the opening scene of the play. Many of Shakespeare's play's follow the same pattern such as "a comedy of errors" which also hold the same layout. Twelfth Night was made by Shakespeare taking events from GL'Igannati in which a ship wreck also occurs.He also takes another part of his story from Barnaby Riche's Apolonius and Silla, in which someone falls in love with the duke. Twelfth Night follows many other of the traditions set in Shakespeare's comedies, such as the theme of love which is usually prevalent in every Shakespeare comedy as can be seen with Orsino announcing his love for Olivia. .
In the opening of the play Orsino say's "if music be the food of love play on" he is here saying that he wants so much of love until he becomes filled with it. Orsino then goes on to say "when mine eyes did see Olivia first, methought she purged the air of pestilence". Orsino proclaiming his love so early make me believe that Orsino is not actually in love but in fact in love with the idea of being in love as he has only seen Olivia once and "her face at ample view". He has not even seen Olivia's face properly but still is convinced that he is love with her which further proves that he loves the affection he will receive rather than being with Olivia. Another example of Orsino's obsession for love is after Valentine explains that Olivia will go into mourning for seven years. "To pay this debt of love but to a brother, how will she love when the rich golden shaft and kills all affection else". Orsino is not in the slightest bit disappointed that Olivia has not said she loves him back, he in fact takes great happiness in that if he meets her all the love and affection for her brother will transform on to him, this introducing his arrogance also. This concludes the fact that Orsino loves the idea of being in love and the feeling it gives him rather than actually being in love with Olivia.
