"Twelfth Night" and Contemporary Reasons Against Marriage

The relationship that the fool, Feste, in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" has with love is very dark and disapproving.  These concerns that he has are surprisingly similar to the views that many people have in contemporary society regarding marriage.  Feste has somewhat of an odd attraction with Olivia, seeing as how he is her jester, but he will not take her as his wife.  He believes that only fools get married, and he expresses this in Act 3, scene 1, lines 29-32:


No, indeed, sir; the Lady Olivia has no folly.  She will keep
no fool, sir, till she be married, and fools are as
like husbands as pilchards are to herrings; the
husband’s the bigger: I am indeed not her fool,
but her corrupter of words.


Feste believes that men are even more foolish to get married because of what Orsino said to Cersario in Act 2, scene 4, lines 91-101.  Here, Orsino is saying that a woman can't love like a man because their love is materialistic and fleeting.  It is interesting to note that while the other characters' "suffering" is induced by love, the fool remains independent.  However, Feste still has feelings that he displays through hidden meanings in his songs, especially in Act 2, scene 3, lines  45-51:


What is love? Tis not hereafter;
Present mirth hath present laughter:
What’s to come is still unsure.
In delay there lies no plenty;
Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty:
Youth’s a stuff will not endure.


While Feste is making fun of Sir Toby and Sir Andrew in this song, he is also singing about how Olivia should just enjoy the fun they're having together in the present instead of dwelling on what their future might be like or what it's expected to be.  Feste believes that she isn't a fool right now, but she will be when she eventually gets married.  In Act 1, scene 5, line 17, he says, "Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage," which is to make fun of marriage, saying that death is a good way to avoid having to be legally bound to another human.


Today, marriage also seems to be a foolish thing to do with over 50% of marriages ending in divorce.  One reason could be that the roles associated with "husband" and "wife" have shifted drastically; men aren't the only ones working outside of the home anymore and their masculinity may be threatened by this fact.  Financially, marriage can also be a burden.  In 2008, the U.S. News and World Report stated that how marriage can result in higher taxes because it can push them into a higher tax bracket than they would be if they were just single filers.  Also, marriage is limited to heterosexual couples, keeping homosexual couples ostracized.


There are many similarities between Feste's reserves against marriage as well as contemporary society's views against marriage, but there are a few fundamental differences due to the time periods.  While marriage is still assumed to be the next course of action for many couples today, it is not the single acceptable course of action for couples.  Just because you're married doesn't mean that you need to get pregnant as soon as possible, or have kids at all.  Also, divorce is not nearly as stigmatized as it used to be.  Even just 20-30 years ago, divorce was practically unheard of in communities.  Both time periods have their pros and cons regarding marriage, but Feste's view on marriage is one that many people hold in contemporary society.