Who am I?

My story starts at sea. A perilous voyage to an unknown land. A shipwreck. The wild waters roar and heave. The brave vessel is dashed all to pieces, and all the helpless souls within her drowned. All save one. A lady, whose soul is greater than the ocean, and her spirit stronger than the sea's embrace. Not for her a watery end, but a new life beginning on a stranger shore. It will be a love story, for she will be my heroine for all time. And her name will be Viola.

"Shakespeare in love", 1998

A beginning is a very delicate time.
Who am I ?
I am Viola, in Illyria...
A lady, a young man, who is hiding behind the mask ?
Me ? My twin brother ? Maybe both of us...


Shakespeare also reminds us in Twelfth night that we, like Viola, may play roles in our own lives.
He also stresses the potential ambiguity of gender, something you can influence, just based on how you act rather than what you are.
Who am I ?
A lady, a young man ?
As you like it, my dear.