Final answer:
Women in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night demonstrate agency, with characters like Viola and Olivia making decisive actions and defying societal norms of their time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, women in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night do exhibit agency. Several key female characters display the ability and capacity to act or exert power, defying societal norms of the time. For instance, Viola, one of the main characters, disguises herself as a man, manning her fate and influencing events around her. Another character, Olivia, despite her initial vow to mourn her brother's death for seven years, acts based on her feelings and proposes to who she thinks is Sebastian, showing a shift from the usual passive role women played during the era the play was set in. Avoiding their natural weakness, piety, grace, and modesty, these women challenge the typical images of women of their time, proving that southern women derive their power not only from societal constructs but also from their sense of self and decision-making abilities.
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