Twelfth Night

Shakespeare'sTwelfth Night

Brief Summary: 

‘Twelfth Night’ is a play about how love and desire can break social rules, including class, religion, and gender. Several characters believe they want one thing, but love makes them realize they actually want something else. Duke Orsino thinks he loves Olivia, but falls for Viola, who is disguised as Cesario. Olivia, in mourning for her brother, falls for Cesario, unaware it is Viola in disguise. Sebastian, Viola's twin, is mistaken for Cesario, which leads to even more confusion.

Viola is the driving force of the story, and her actions bring change to other characters. Orsino and Olivia are stuck in their own thoughts until Viola shakes things up. Throughout the play, mistaken identities and love triangles create chaos. In the end, when Viola and Sebastian are reunited, everything becomes clear. Olivia marries Sebastian, Orsino marries Viola, and order is restored. The play ends happily, but Feste, the fool, reminds us that life is not always simple or joyful, hinting at the darker aspects beneath the surface of the comedy.

Characters and Traits

              

Character	Details	Traits
Viola	Disguises herself as a young man named Cesario.	Resourceful, intelligent, loyal, and compassionate
Sebastian	Viola’s twin brother who is presumed dead.	Brave, loyal, and caring
Duke Orsino	In love with Olivia but grows fond of Cesario (Viola in disguise).	Romantic, melancholic, and somewhat self-absorbed
Olivia	Mourning her brother's death, she falls in love with Cesario.	Wealthy, beautiful, and determined
Malvolio	Steward to Olivia who is tricked into believing Olivia loves him.	Pompous, puritanical, and ambitious
Sir Toby Belch	Olivia’s uncle who enjoys drinking and revelry.	Rowdy, mischievous, and witty
Maria	Olivia’s maid who helps in the prank against Malvolio.	Clever, loyal, and mischievous
Sir Andrew Aguecheek	A friend of Sir Toby who unsuccessfully woos Olivia.	Foolish, cowardly, and gullible
Feste	Olivia’s fool who provides wisdom and commentary.	Witty, insightful, and musical
Antonio	A sea captain who rescues and befriends Sebastian.	Brave, loyal, and caring

   

Setting: The play is set in the fictional land of Illyria.

Genre: Romantic Comedy 

Ending Style:

• The play concludes with multiple revelations and marriages:

• Viola's true identity is revealed, and she is reunited with her brother, Sebastian.

• Orsino, who has fallen in love with Cesario (Viola in disguise), proposes to Viola.

• Olivia, who has mistakenly married Sebastian thinking he was Cesario, remains married to him.

• The subplot with Malvolio ends with his vow for revenge after realising he has been made a fool by Maria, Sir Toby, and others.

Narrative Technique:

• Disguise and Mistaken Identity: Central to the plot is Viola’s disguise as Cesario, leading to a complex web of mistaken identities.

• Dramatic Irony: The audience is aware of Viola’s true identity, creating dramatic irony as characters interact with her.

• Subplots: The play incorporates various subplots, such as Malvolio’s deception and Sir Toby’s antics, which complement the main storyline.

 Irony:

• Situational Irony: Olivia falls in love with Cesario, who is actually Viola in disguise.

• Dramatic Irony: The audience knows that Cesario is Viola, but the other characters do not.

• Verbal Irony: Characters, especially Feste, often use witty and ironic language to convey truths.

Important Events in "Twelfth Night"

1. Viola and Sebastian’s Shipwreck: Viola and her twin brother Sebastian are shipwrecked off the coast of Illyria. Each believes the other has drowned.

   

2. Viola Disguises as Cesario: Viola disguises herself as a young man named Cesario to serve Duke Orsino. She is unaware that Sebastian has survived.

3. Orsino Loves Olivia: Duke Orsino is in love with Countess Olivia, who is mourning her brother’s death and refuses to entertain any suitors, including Orsino.

4. Olivia Falls for Cesario: Orsino sends Cesario (Viola in disguise) to court Olivia on his behalf. However, Olivia falls in love with Cesario, unaware that he is actually Viola.

5. Viola Loves Orsino: Viola, while serving Orsino as Cesario, begins to fall in love with him, creating a love triangle.

6. Sebastian Arrives in Illyria: Sebastian, Viola’s twin brother, arrives in Illyria with Antonio, who saved him after the shipwreck.

7. Olivia Marries Sebastian: Mistaking Sebastian for Cesario, Olivia proposes marriage, and Sebastian agrees. Olivia believes she has married Cesario.

8. Revelation of Identities: In Act V, Sebastian and Cesario (Viola) are seen together, revealing that Cesario is actually Viola. This untangles the confusion.

9. Happy Marriages: Viola reveals her true identity, and Orsino, realizing his love for Viola, proposes to her. Olivia remains married to Sebastian. The play ends with the characters paired off and happy.

10. Feste’s Final Song: The play ends with Feste, the fool, singing a bittersweet song, hinting at the fleeting nature of happiness.

Important Quotes from "Twelfth Night"

1. Viola (as Cesario): "If music be the food of love, play on."

Context: Duke Orsino, in Act 1, Scene 1, opens the play with this line, expressing his lovesickness for Olivia.

2. Viola (as Cesario): "I am all the daughters of my father's house, And all the brothers too."

Context: In Act 2, Scene 4, Viola, still in disguise as Cesario, hints at her true identity while speaking to Orsino about love.

3. Malvolio: "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."

Context: In Act 2, Scene 5, Malvolio reads this line from the fake letter that Maria, Sir Toby, and others have written to trick him into believing Olivia loves him.

4. Feste: "Better a witty fool, than a foolish wit."

Context: In Act 1, Scene 5, Feste, the fool, says this line, showcasing his sharp wit and the play's theme of wisdom in folly.

5. Olivia: "Love sought is good, but given unsought is better."

Context: In Act 3, Scene 1, Olivia expresses her feelings for Cesario (Viola) and the idea that unsolicited love is more genuine.

6. Viola (as Cesario): "She never told her love, But let concealment, like a worm i' the bud, Feed on her damask cheek."

Context: In Act 2, Scene 4, Viola (as Cesario) describes the pain of unspoken love to Orsino, indirectly speaking about her own feelings for him.

7. Feste: "Journeys end in lovers meeting."

Context: In Act 2, Scene 3, Feste sings this line in a song, foreshadowing the eventual unions at the play's end.

8. Duke Orsino: "For such as we are made of, such we be."

Context: In Act 2, Scene 4, Orsino muses on the nature of men and women, and love's impact on them.

9. Sir Toby Belch: "Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?"

Context: In Act 2, Scene 3, Sir Toby chides Malvolio for his puritanical views, defending his own indulgent lifestyle.

10. Viola (as Cesario): "O time, thou must untangle this, not I; It is too hard a knot for me to untie!"

Context: In Act 2, Scene 2, Viola acknowledges the complicated situation of mistaken identities and unrequited love, leaving it to time to resolve.

Soliloquies in "Twelfth Night"

1. Viola (as Cesario)(Act 2, Scene 2) :  "I left no ring with her: what means this lady?

   

2. Malvolio (Act 2, Scene 5) : "M.O.A.I. This simulation is not as the former:and yet, to crush this a little, it would bow to me, for every one of these letters are in my name. 

3. Viola (as Cesario) (Act 1, Scene 4):  "Yet, a barful strife! Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife."