This essay explores how the character Viola in William Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night, or What You Will is constructed through musical imagery. The theory used is New Historicism, and the essay investigates Viola in relation to the historical and cultural context of the early modern period from the point of view of music as part of the cultural poetics. The analysis finds that when investigating Viola in the light of musical imagery, Viola’s character is more strongly connected to music than previous research has indicated. The study argues that Viola is both a musician and a singer, and at the same time, she is an instrument in a double sense, resembling an instrument but also functioning as such for other characters. This essay concludes that Viola’s character is built through musical imagery, and in a play where music is significant, her character serves as the embodiment of the play itself.