Choose two characters in Twelfth Night and identify what their masks are and what those masks are hiding. Are the masks helpful or harmful? Do people today use similar techniques to hide their true feelings or identities?

Disguise, deception, and false appearances are central to the plot of Twelfth Night. William Shakespeare fills the plot with multiple layers of these themes, as characters literally wear disguises—especially those of other genders—or metaphorically "mask" their true feelings or intentions. The importance of being true to oneself is one of Shakespeare's most often-used themes; failure to do so generally has negative consequences. Two contrasting examples of characters that mask themselves in different ways are Viola and Malvolio.
Viola is an elite young woman who understands that her gender places her in a precarious position when she is shipwrecked and alone. Her decision to dress as a man is primarily practical; by assuming a male identity, she can travel safely and find out necessary information will relative ease. Her situation is complicated, however, when romance gets in the way: Olivia falls in love with "Cesario" (Viola's male alias) and Viola herself falls in love with the Duke—who knows Viola only through her male persona—and Viola must use her wits to extricate herself from the situation.
Malvolio is a servant who wishes to be upper-class. A serious but self-important person, he rarely speaks his true emotions but is also easily swayed. When he is tricked into thinking that Olivia cares for him and wants him to dress a certain way, he decides to do so. Because Malvolio does not actually care about fashion or the latest trends, his appearance in the garters and stockings makes him seem ridiculous.
The themes of self-deception and its outward correspondence are as relevant today as they were four centuries ago. Both personal safety and emotional vulnerability are still reasons that people put up false fronts.