William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is a comedy about a brother and sister pair that are shipwrecked off the coast of Illyria
Illyria
Illyria is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Peter Mills, based on William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, written in 2002. Illyria is a traditional adaption of Twelfth Night, but features a more contemporary score.
Orsino
Duke Orsino is a fictional character from William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night, believed to have been written around 1600 or 1601.
What is the plot summary of Twelfth Night?
Oct 09, 2021 · If Shylock in The Merchant of Venice is a thinly-veiled Puritan (see the earlier article in this series), so is Malvolio in Twelfth Night. Maria, in act two of Twelfth Night, describes Malvolio explicitly as “a kind of puritan,” and the critic Leslie Hotson has argued that Malvolio was modeled on the Puritan William Knollys, First Earl of Banbury, who was an object of ridicule in …
Who are the main characters in Twelfth Night?
May 27, 2021 · What is Twelfth Night about in a nutshell? Lesson Summary William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is a comedy about a brother and sister pair that are shipwrecked off the coast of Illyria and are separated. Viola, the sister, must assume the identity of a man to earn a living in the home of Duke Orsino, who is in love with the Lady Olivia. ...
What makes 'Twelfth Night' a comedy?
Question: What is Twelfth Night about in a nutshell? By Benjamin Noah January 18, 2022 Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare is a comedy about a pair of brothers shipwrecked and separated from the coast of Illyria. Viola, the sister, must assume the identity of a man to earn a living in the house of Duke Orsino, who is in love with Lady Olivia.
What inspired Shakespeare to write Twelfth Night?
What is Twelfth Night about in a nutshell? William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is a comedy about a brother and sister pair that are shipwrecked off the coast of Illyria and are separated. Viola, the sister, must assume the identity of a man to earn a living in the home of Duke Orsino, who is in love with the Lady Olivia.
What is the main theme of the play Twelfth Night?
In connection with the themes of deception, disguise, and performance, Twelfth Night raises questions about the nature of gender and sexual identity. That Viola has disguised herself as a man, and that her disguise fools Olivia into falling in love with her, is genuinely funny.
What are the main events in Twelfth Night?
Key momentsOrsino declares his love for Olivia (Act 1, Scene 1) ... A shipwreck (Act 1, Scene 2) ... Disorder in Olivia's household (Act 1, Scene 3) ... Viola is employed by Orsino (Act 1, Scene 4) ... Olivia and Cesario meet for the first time (Act 1, Scene 5) ... Malvolio and Sir Toby cross swords (Act 2, Scene 3)More items...
What were three 3 main conflicts in Twelfth Night?
Examples of Literary Conflict in Twelfth NightMAN vs. MAN. Sir Andrew is very jealous of Cesario because he holds the attentions of the Countess Olivia, even though Cesario is really Viola in disguise. ... MAN vs. SELF. ... MAN vs. NATURE.
Why does Olivia reject Duke's proposal?
Olivia refuses the Duke's proposal because she is has unwittingly fallen in love with Cesario, who is really Viola in disguise.
What is the storyline of Twelfth Night?
Twelfth Night is a fast-paced romantic comedy with several interwoven plots of romance, mistaken identities and practical jokes. Separated from her twin brother Sebastian in a shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a boy, calls herself Cesario, and becomes a servant to the Duke Orsino.
Why is Shakespeare called Twelfth Night?
Shakespeare titled his play Twelfth Night because it was written as a celebration of the twelfth night of Christmas. This was the last night of the Christmas season, sometimes called the Eve of Epiphany. Twelfth Night was, therefore, the end of the “party period” surrounding the birth of Christ.
Why does Orsino love Viola?
Orsino finds he is in love with Viola at the end of the play because he has genuinely gotten to know her in her disguise as the male Cesario. He admires her for her loyalty and help to him (she has been in love with him for a long time) as a servant and knows these traits are real in her.
Is Viola de Lesseps a real person?
While Shakespeare in Love’s version of how Romeo and Juliet came to be is an imagined one—the movie’s plot has the penniless Will falling for the fictional Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow), a wealthy merchant’s daughter who subsequently becomes his muse— many of the characters in the film did exist in real life.
Why does Olivia invite Sebastian home with her?
Sebastian is surprised to meet Olivia and is surprised by her invitation to come inside her home because she mistakes him for Cesario (who is actually Viola in disguise). Viola and Sebastian are twins, so when Viola is dressed up like a man, she looks like her twin brother!
How did Maria Toby cheat Malvolio?
Maria, Sir Toby, and Sir Andrew deceive Malvolio into believing that Olivia is in love with him by forging love letters from Olivia to Malvolio. Maria comes up with the idea of tricking uptight Malvolio after he threatens to tell Olivia about Sir Toby and Sir Andrew’s drunken fun.
What happens to Malvolio?
When he finds the forged letter from Olivia (actually penned by Maria) that seems to offer hope to his ambitions, Malvolio undergoes his first transformation—from a stiff and wooden embodiment of priggish propriety into an personification of the power of self–delusion.
Who is Cesario in the 12th Night Board Game?
Twelfth Night Board Game, 1820. Despite his former rejection, Orsino sends his new page Cesario (Viola in disguise) to court Olivia for him. Cesario/Viola fell in love at first sight with her master Orsino, so she goes to court Olivia unwillingly.
Who is Olivia's uncle in Act 2?
Act II. Meanwhile, members of Olivia's household plot to expose the self-love and aspirations of the steward, Malvolio. These include Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby Belch , her servant, Maria, and Sir Toby's friend, Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Sir Andrew also happens to be seeking the hand of Olivia.
Why did Maria and Sir Toby get married?
Maria and Sir Toby have already married in celebration of the success of their plot against the steward. The play ends as Orsino approves the union between Olivia and Sebastian. Realising his own attraction to 'Cesario', Orsino promises that once Viola is dressed as a woman again, they will be married as well.
What does Sir Andrew do to Olivia?
Sir Andrew also happens to be seeking the hand of Olivia. Together, they use a letter to trick Malvolio into believing Olivia loves him. The letter demands that Malvolio appear in yellow stockings, cross-gartered, and smiling to show his love for Olivia.
What is Act III about?
Act III. Sir Andrew's affections for Olivia lead him to be jealous of Cesario, and he decides to declare a duel between them. Thanks to a prank by Sir Toby, both Andrew and Cesario believe that their opponents intend to fight to the death. They both shirk the fight.
Who is Viola married to?
Viola, separated from her twin Sebastian, dresses as a boy and works for the Duke Orsino, whom she falls in love with. Orsino is in love with the Countess Olivia, and sends Viola to court her for him, but Olivia falls for Viola instead. Sebastian arrives, causing a flood of mistaken identity, and marries Olivia. Viola then reveals she is a girl and marries Orsino.
Who challenged Sebastian to be Cesario?
He is recognised by Orsino's men and arrested. Later, Sebastian comes along and is challenged by Sir Andrew, who thinks he is Cesario. Sebastian, trained in combat, wins the fight. But Olivia intervenes and invites Sebastian into the house, also thinking him to be Cesario (this is clearly a common mistake).
What is the main theme of Twelfth Night?
Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy, and romantic love is the play's main focus. Despite the fact that the play offers a happy ending, in which the various lovers find one another and achieve wedded bliss, Shakespeare shows that love can cause pain.
What is the significance of Twelfth Night?
The title of Twelfth Night refers to the twelfth night of Christmas, also referred to as the eve of Epiphany, a day that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus and is often celebrated with a temporary suspension of rules and social orders.
What is the resolution in Twelfth Night?
Orsino believes her and turns on 'Cesario', who pleads that s/he loves him. When Sebastian appears, the twins are re-united, the confusion is resolved and Orsino and Viola are free to proclaim their love for one another.
What is the first line of Twelfth Night?
The opening lines of Twelfth Night, in which a moping Orsino, attended by his servants and musicians, says, “If music be the food of love, play on,” establish how love has conquered Orsino (I.i.1). His speech on this subject is rather complicated, as he employs a metaphor to try to establish some control over love.
What is the tone of Twelfth Night?
Tone. The tone of Twelfth Night is irreverent and bemused, mocking the self-seriousness and pretensions of the most self-deluded characters in the play. The play's antic energy, bolstered by songs, jokes, drinking, and dancing, incorporates the topsy-turvy, irreverent spirit of the Epiphany celebration.
Why is Viola the protagonist in Twelfth Night?
Viola is the protagonists because she is at the center of the story. She connects all the main characters in the story.
Is Illyria a real place?
The setting of Twelfth Night is in Illyria, an ancient region of land on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Although Twelfth Night is entirely fictional, Illyria was actually a real place in classical antiquity.