Im currently reading the twelfth night for my homeschool and i have to teach myself, and no matter what i do i *cannot* figure out *why* viola disguises herself. whats the big deal if she walks around as herself?
Why does Viola [twelfth night] disguise herself?
It's very much open to interpretation, so the following is just how I see it.
First, it's a literary device to some extent. Viola's physical disguise is symbolic of her concealing her emotions about Sebastian, etc.
Second, it's suggested that she disguises herself to take advantage of the higher social standing of men -- it does certainly succeed in getting her close to Orsino and Olivia.
Mostly, though, I think it's a comic device. Twelfth night is a comedy, and this sort of thing would have been uproarious on stage, at least during Shakespeare's time. It doesn't necessarily have to make complete sense if you look at it that way.
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