Alone and facing the possibility that her brother was drowned at sea, Viola immediately learns about Orsino and Olivia's situation. She wants to join Olivia's household in order to work through the feelings she is feeling in relation to her own loss. "O that I served that lady And might not be delivered to the world, Till I had made mine own occasion mellow, What my estate is!".  Olivia, however, is unwilling, in her mournful state, to accept anyone. Viola therefore decides to disguise herself as a man and call herself Cesario in order to gain entrance into Duke Orsino's palace. "Thou shall present me as an eunuch to him: It may be worth thy pains; for I can sing and speak to him in many sorts of music That will allow me very worth his service."

          It is thus that Viola is with the Count when she learns that not only is his love to Olivia denied, but that she would also deny all men for seven years.  Orsino's statement of wonder demonstrates his lack of understanding for Olivia's feelings. " . . . To pay this debt of love but to a brother . . .". Viola, on the other hand is entirely able to relate to the emotional distress Olivia must have been going through. She agrees, at the Duke's urging, to try persuading Olivia of his love for her, however it is obvious that she has feelings for Orsino herself. "I'll do my best to woo your lady: [Aside] yet, a barful strife! Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife."

          Viola's feelings for Orsino are so strong in fact that she will not be denied by Olivia's servants. Her efforts prevail as her determination beats those of Olivia’s other visitors. "Make me a willow cabin at your gate and call upon my soul within the house, write loyal cantons of contemned love and sing them loud even in the dead of night . . .". Olivia is so impressed by this young man's attempts to speak to her that even though she once again rejects Orsino, she wants Viola to return. "Let him send no more unless perchance you come to me again to tell me how he takes it . . ."

Viola is very brave as she is pretending to be a man in a place she hardly knows anything about.

          While Orsino is lovesick over Olivia, Viola is at his side listening to his woes once again showing that she is kind, and caring. During a conversation with Orsino regarding love, Viola attempts to express her love for him through a story about a sister, which she makes up. "She never told her love, but let concealment, like a worm I'th bud, feed on her damsk cheek . . . She sat like patience on a monument . . .". Unfortunately, Orsino is so preoccupied with Olivia that he misses the hidden message.

          Viola's love for Orsino is so extreme that she can't understand why Olivia would turn him down. She is so insulted that she doesn't feel flattered for the fondness Olivia demonstrates for Cesario.

          In the comical and twisted ending, Orsino is upset with Cesario (Viola) and it appears as though she can't accept the idea of not being able to see him anymore. She loves him so much that she is willing to go with him when he has threatened to kill her.

"Farewell, and take her, but direct thy feet where thou and I henceforth may never meet . . . My lord, I do protest ". She gets a great deal of happiness from being around him, so much so that she is willing to pretend to be a man in order to be near him. Even if it means hearing Orsino profess love for another woman. It was only to allay the confusion her brother feels at seeing her as Cesario, that she reveals her true identity.

          Orsino's reaction to Cesario's true identity is surprising. He doesn't react with shock or even disappointment. He says instead, " . . . And since you called me master for so long, here is my hand. You shall from this time be your master's mistress.". Although Viola's actions are not that sensible in the end she marries the man she loves.  I believe that all of her actions show that her love is true and she really is mad about Orsino it’s not an infatuation, it is deep and it seems amazing to what lengths she will go to for him.

Character Study: Olivia:

A noblewoman, Countess of Illyria. She lost her father, then her brother right before the beginning of the play; she seems to be in mourning for her brother for seven years, thus thwarting Orsino's attempts to woo her. She is 2 faced, as she changes her mind, she vowed to avoid all men for 7 years yet when she meets viola cesario she immediately un veils and forgets about what she said. " the element itself, till seven years heat shall not behold her face at ample view; but like a cloistress she will veiled walk." Valentine says this when reporting back from Olivia. When Ceario comes to woo her she says "give us the place alone, we will hear this divinity" showing no signs of mourning.

She becomes infatuated with Viola, (who acts as a messenger for Orsino) and thinks she has fallen in love at first sight "how now, even so quickly may one catch the plague." Olivia tries her best to win Viola, who does her best to let her down easily, because Viola is not a boy like she pretends to be. She also seems very determind to get viola: whenever she sees him she doesn’t let ‘him’ go, and also she sent a ring through Malvolio saying that cesario had forgotten it.

Olivia rushes off and marries Sebastian, thinking that he is Viola as Cesario; which I believe shows that her love is very superficial and not nearly as deep as the love viola has for orsino, as she just jumped at the chance to marry him without noticing any difference.

She is quite flamboyant is romantic matters and just jumps into thins eg. marrying Sebastian.

She seems to have a soft spot for feste, as when he came back after such a long absence he was not punished at all by her, also she didn’t do anything when Feste said that her brothers soul is in hell. " what think you of this fool Malvolio, doth he not mend.

In conclusion I believe that Olivia is an immature and vein character, she is not truly in love it seems like a ‘crush’ she changes her mind a lot, thinks highly of herself, and does not understand the true meaning of love.