Factual error: About 20 minutes in when they are at some ball/dance thing, Shakespeare's talking with a musician holding a lute. You can see fret markers on the fretboard of his lute, but these were not used on instruments until the late 1800's, early 1900's, definitely not in Shakespeare's time. (00:27:20)
Factual error: When Will shouts "Follow that boat!" a motorboat speeding by is visible in the lake.
Factual error: Throughout the story, the threat is that Viola is going to be shipped off to Virginia with Lord Wessex. Virginia did not exist until 1607, a good 20 years after this story was set.
Answer: In real life, Viola, of course, would be recognized as a female in disguise. However, in literature, film, opera, etc, it often is necessary to employ what is known as a "suspension of disbelief." That is, the author expects the reader or audience to know something is impossible, unlikely, or completely unreal, but they have to accept a certain premise in order to allow the plot to unfold. We go along with the idea that no one realizes Viola is actually a woman, so that we can enjoy the overall story.
raywest ★