Examining the relationship between speech, public space and authority for the character of Viola in Twelfth NightOne of the most celebrated and authoritative women of the 16th century was Elizabeth I. Although authority was in the hands of women at that time, a dominant woman was unnatural in society itself. The presence of such a powerful female figure creates an interesting situation for playwrights and playwrights in terms of portraying the condition of women at that time. Using the psychological concept of liminality; I will examine the relationship between Viola's speech, society's authority and her public space which is composed of two main parts: her private life as Viola and her public life as Cesario and how this relationship has a great impact on the development of his character. liminality can be defined as a psychological state in which a person vacillates between two worlds. The character's life can be called both destructive and creative. His identity is uncertain due to a conflict. As for Viola, the possible death of her brother and her disguise place her on the margins of her public and private life. This concept exploits one of the Elizabethan stereotypes which is the uncertainty of sexual identity. To carry this concept forward, Shakespearean theater overrides these views by having a male actor play a female role. Meanwhile, it presents Viola in order to convey female abilities and instincts through her physical transformation into a male in a compelling society. The liminality in the performance of Twelfth Night lies in the sexual ambiguity on stage. It allows a boy actor to play the role of viola and disguise himself as a boy who is courting another boy who plays a female role. The audience sees nothing but a p... half of a sheet... that wants to return to its correct position. Her disguise, however, prevents her from doing so. As the duke's servant, Viola has the freedom to talk about love, but as Viola she cannot expose this love to him. Viola's situation is precarious due to the liminality she experienced during the show. She could live freely away from the authority of the society behind her transformation, but the liminality she faced caused her problems expressing her true feelings. She is halfway between her femininity and the masculinity adopted by her twin brother. But as soon as her disguise is discarded, she returns to her situation by voluntarily accepting the role that society imposes on her: that of wife. Works Cited"William Shakespeare, William. "Twelfth Night." Norton's Anthology of English Literature. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt New York: WW Norton & Co., 2010.