Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Vio…
Who are the suitors of Olivia in Twelfth Night?
Named for the twelfth night after Christmas, the end of the Christmas season, Twelfth Night plays with love and power. The Countess Olivia, a woman with her own household, attracts Duke (or Count) Orsino. Two other would-be suitors are her pretentious steward, Malvolio, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek.
What is the plot of Twelfth Night?
Twelfth Night. The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (who is disguised as Cesario) falls in love with Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love with the Countess Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia falls in love with her thinking she is a man.
What is another name for Twelfth Night?
For other uses, see Twelfth Night (disambiguation). Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck.
What happened to Viola in Twelfth Night?
In a nod to the shipwrecked opening of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, the movie includes a scene where the character Viola, separated from her love by an arranged marriage and bound for the American colonies, survives a shipwreck and comes ashore to Virginia.
Who staged the Twelfth Night?
Who played Malvolio in Twelfth Night?
What is the 12th night?
What is the play called at the feast?
What is the subtitle of the play "Twelfth Night"?
What was the actual Elizabethan festival of the 12th night?
Why is the 12th Night a gender issue?
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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.
Who is the villain in Twelfth Night?
MalvolioMalvolio. The "ill-willed" Malvolio, who rains on everybody's parade, is definitely the villain of our play. He's haughty and likes to tattle on everybody. He also somehow manages to imprison the sea captain, who is holding Viola's "maiden weeds" (her dress).
Why does Sir Andrew try to fight with Sebastian?
He is upset that Cesario (Viola) does not recognise him. Antonio is taken away by the officers and Cesario (Viola) runs off. Sebastian appears and Sir Andrew, thinking he has found Cesario, strikes him. Unlike his sister, Sebastian fights back fiercely.
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...
Who is the victim in Twelfth Night?
It's commonly believed among audiences and critics of Shakespeare, that the character of Malvolio in his play Twelfth Night is a devious, domineering villain. Personally, I feel that Malvolio ultimately becomes much more of a victim than an evil character.
Who is the protagonist and antagonist in Twelfth Night?
Viola is the protagonist of the play. She is forced to disguise herself as Cesario and act as a messenger between Duke Orsino and Countess Olivia until her identity is finally revealed. Viola's disguise is her antagonist.
Who does Viola fight in Twelfth Night?
CesarioThe duel between Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Cesario (Viola) is one of the high points of the comedy of this play.
Who injured Sir Andrew in a fight?
Suddenly, Sir Andrew enters, crying loudly for a surgeon; Sir Toby also needs one. They say that they have been wounded by Cesario (Sebastian), and Sir Andrew's head is broken and Sir Toby has a "bloody coxcomb." They point their finger to Cesario (Viola): "Here he is!" Cesario (Viola) protests once more.
Who does Sir Andrew challenge to a duel?
Now Sir Andrew will "hang like an icicle on a Dutchman's beard" unless he redeems himself by some great and glorious deed. Sir Toby agrees. He proposes that Sir Andrew challenge Cesario to a duel.
What is the ending of Twelfth Night?
The “Twelfth Night” is no exception to this rule. Despite problems of confused identities and sexualities, the play ends with marriage for the major characters because they “have learned enough about their own foolishness to accept it wisely, and their reward, as it should be, is marriage.”(Schwartz 5140).
What is the climax in Twelfth Night?
The climax of Twelfth Night occurs when Viola and Sebastian reunite and their true identities become known to everyone. Their reunion sets up the conclusion (or denouement), in which preparations are made for the marriage of Viola to Orsino and Sebastian to Olivia.
Who is the main character in Twelfth Night?
ViolaMalvolioDuke OrsinoOliviaFesteSir Andrew AguecheekTwelfth Night/Characters
Is Malvolio the antagonist of Twelfth Night?
Malvolio, Olivia's steward, is the antagonist in Twelfth Night. He is logically ill-suited for her, since she does not love him, he does not match her social status, and he is much older than her.
Who is the hero in Twelfth Night?
ViolaViola is the protagonist of the play Twelfth Night, written by William Shakespeare.
Who is the main character in Twelfth Night?
ViolaMalvolioDuke OrsinoOliviaFesteSir Andrew AguecheekTwelfth Night/Characters
What is Sir Toby known for?
Sir Toby is actually a sharp, witty person who, even when he is drunk, is capable of making a good pun or of creating an ingenious and humorous plot complication. For example, he appreciates Maria not for her looks or for romantic matters, but because she is capable of contriving such a good joke against Malvolio.
Twelfth Night: Synopsis & Plot Summary - PlayShakespeare.com
Plot Summary. Duke Orsino of Illyria is in love with Olivia, but his advances are rejected. A shipwrecked Viola arrives on his shores, and with the help of a Captain, disguises herself as a boy, calling herself Cesario, and enters Orsino’s service.
Twelfth Night: Full Book Summary | SparkNotes
A short summary of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of Twelfth Night.
Twelfth Night: Entire Play - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
ACT I SCENE I. DUKE ORSINO's palace. Enter DUKE ORSINO, CURIO, and other Lords; Musicians attending DUKE ORSINO If music be the food of love, play on;
Twelfth Night: Character List | SparkNotes
A list of all the characters in Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night characters include: Viola, Orsino and Olivia, Malvolio, Sebastian, Antonio.
Twelfth Night (1996) - IMDb
Twelfth Night: Directed by Trevor Nunn. With Imogen Stubbs, Steven Mackintosh, Nicholas Farrell, Sidney Livingstone. Shakespeare's comedy of gender confusion, in which a girl disguises herself as a man to be near the count she adores, only to be pursued by the woman he loves.
What is Twelfth Night About?
Published in 1623, Twelfth Night is one of William Shakespeare 's later plays and has remained popular for nearly 400 years. Twelfth Night 's plot deals with orphaned twins, shipwrecks, love triangles, and more.
Characters in Twelfth Night
With the exception of smaller characters such as musicians, lords, officers, sailors, and attendants, there are twelve important characters in the play.
Twelfth Night Summary
Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is a difficult play to summarize neatly, as there are subplots, many characters, and conflict upon conflict within the play. Despite this, the Twelfth Night plot can be oversimplified and boiled down to a few crucial moments, known as plot points. The Twelfth Night synopsis is as follows:
Analysis of Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night is a play that has been performed for nearly four centuries, and it takes more than mere entertainment to make a play such as this into a classic. There have been many speculations over the centuries about the meaning of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and there are likely to be many more in the years to come.
Who is Sir Toby's mate?
Sir Toby also earns the ire of Malvolio. But Sir Toby has an ally, and eventually a mate, in Olivia’s sharp-witted waiting-gentlewoman, Maria. Together they bring about the triumph of chaotic spirit, which Sir Toby embodies, and the ruin of the controlling, self-righteous Malvolio.
Who is Viola in the play?
Viola. A young woman of aristocratic birth, and the play’s protagonist. Washed up on the shore of Illyria when her ship is wrecked in a storm, Viola decides to make her own way in the world. She disguises herself as a young man, calling herself "Cesario," and becomes a page to Duke Orsino.
What does Viola do to Olivia?
Viola’s arrival in the masculine guise of Cesario enables Olivia to break free of her self-indulgent melancholy. Olivia seems to have no difficulty transferring her affections from one love interest to the next, however, suggesting that her romantic feelings—like most emotions in the play—do not run deep.
Who is Olivia's uncle?
Sir Toby. Olivia’s uncle. Olivia lets Sir Toby Belch live with her, but she does not approve of his rowdy behavior, practical jokes, heavy drinking, late-night carousing, or friends (specifically the idiotic Sir Andrew). Sir Toby also earns the ire of Malvolio.
Who is Sebastian's sister in Illyria?
Viola’s lost twin brother. When he arrives in Illyria, traveling with Antonio, his close friend and protector, Sebastian discovers that many people think that they know him. Furthermore, the beautiful Lady Olivia, whom he has never met, wants to marry him. Sebastian is not as well rounded a character as his sister. He seems to exist to take on the role that Viola fills while disguised as Cesario—namely, the mate for Olivia.
Who is Olivia's antagonist?
Olivia’s clever, daring young waiting-gentlewoman. Maria is remarkably similar to her antagonist, Malvolio, who harbors aspirations of rising in the world through marriage. But Maria succeeds where Malvolio fails—perhaps because she is a woman, but, more likely, because she is more in tune than Malvolio with the anarchic, topsy-turvy spirit that animates the play.
Is Twelfth Night a comedy?
Despite the ambiguous and shifting gender roles in the play, Twelfth Night remains a romantic comedy in which the characters are destined for marriage. In such a world, homoerotic attraction cannot be fulfilled. Read an in-depth analysis of Antonio. Next section Viola.
Why does Olivia send Malvolio?
Feeling suddenly melancholy, Olivia sends for Malvolio because she wants someone solemn and sad to help with her strategy.
What does Malvolio wear in the letter?
But when Malvolio appears, he behaves very strangely. He wears crossed garters and yellow stockings, smiles foolishly, and continually quotes strange phrases that Olivia does not recognize. Malvolio, we quickly realize, is quoting passages from the letter that he believes Olivia wrote to him. He suddenly exclaims things like “Remember who commended thy yellow stockings . . . And wished to see thee cross-gartered” (III.iv. 44–47 ). Olivia, of course, knows nothing about the letter and thinks Malvolio has gone mad. When the news arrives that Cesario has returned, she assigns Maria and Sir Toby to take care of Malvolio, and goes off to see Cesario.
Who does Sir Andrew run off with?
Once everyone has left, Sir Andrew vows that he will pursue and defeat Cesario. He runs off, with Sir Toby and Fabian following.
What does Olivia ask Maria to bring Malvolio to advise her?
She asks Maria to bring Malvolio to advise her, as his melancholy mood will better match her own. Maria replies that Malvolio seems to have gone mad, for he does nothing but smile.
What do Fabian and Sir Toby tell Cesario?
Baffled, Cesario asks Sir Toby to explain to this assailant that he did not mean to offend anyone. Sir Toby departs. Fabian picks up where Sir Toby left off, telling Cesario that the knight is the most dangerous in all Illyria. Cesario says he does not mind admitting that he's too cowardly to fight. Meanwhile, Sir Toby finds Sir Andrew and tells him that after receiving the (actually undelivered) letter, Cesario is furious and ready to duel. Fearful of what he has set in motion, Sir Andrew curses. As Sir Toby's prank comes to a head, Cesario remarks, in an aside, that he is so terrified he almost wants to confess that he is a woman to save himself.
What does Olivia conclude about Malvolio?
However, he continues grinning and alluding to the letter which he believes she sent. Olivia concludes that Malvolio has fallen into "midsummer madness" (3.4.52). A servant enters, reporting that Cesario has returned. Olivia asks Maria to get Sir Toby to look after Malvolio. Then she goes to receive Cesario.
What does Olivia ask Maria to do?
Olivia asks Maria to get Sir Toby to look after Malvolio. Then she goes to receive Cesario. Once Olivia and Maria are gone, Malvolio celebrates. He is convinced that his behavior has pleased Olivia and that now nothing can come between him and the "full prospect of [his] hopes" (3.4.76-7).
What does Maria mean to Malvolio?
Maria implies to Malvolio that he is acting crazily and reminds him that Olivia wanted him to remain in Sir Toby's care. Quickly losing patience, Malvolio dismisses the others as lower in rank than he, warns that they will hear more from him later, and storms off.
What is the outcome of the Duel?
The outcome of the "duel" provides the first glimmer of the potential reuniting of Viola and Sebastian. Viola's excitement in running off to try to find Sebastian shows her deep devotion to her brother. Once everyone has left, Sir Andrew vows that he will pursue and defeat Cesario.
Why is Antonio angry at Viola?
Viola is herself delighted by Antonio’s angry words because, since he called her Sebastian, there is hope that her brother may in fact be alive.
Who decides to treat Cesario as a madman?
Thinking him insane, she puts him in the care of Sir Toby, who decides to treat him as a madman by having him bound and put in a dark room. Toby also decides to deliver Sir Andrew’s challenge to Cesario in person in order to force the two of them into a duel. Terrified, they prepare to fight. At that moment, Antonio enters, thinks ...
Who staged the Twelfth Night?
20th and 21st century. Influential productions were staged in 1912, by Harley Granville-Barker, and in 1916, at the Old Vic . Poster advertising performances of Twelfth Night by Yale University Dramatic Association, New Haven, Connecticut, 1921.
Who played Malvolio in Twelfth Night?
In March 2017, the Royal National Theatre 's production of Twelfth Night changed some of the roles from male to female, including Feste, Fabian (which became Fabia), and most notably, Malvolio – which became Malvolia – played by Tamsin Greig to largely positive reviews.
What is the 12th night?
Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (who is disguised as Cesario) falls in love with Duke Orsino, ...
What is the play called at the feast?
At our feast we had a play called "Twelve Night, or What You Will", much like " The Comedy of Errors " or " Menaechmi " in Plautus, but most like and near to that in Italian called " Inganni ". A good practice in it to make the steward believe his lady-widow was in love with him, by counterfeiting a letter as from his lady, in general terms telling him what she liked best in him and prescribing his gesture in smiling, his apparel, etc. and then, when he came to practice, making him believe they took him for mad.
What is the subtitle of the play "Twelfth Night"?
Subtitles for plays were fashionable in the Elizabethan era, and though some editors place The Merchant of Venice ' s alternative title, The Jew of Venice, as a subtitle, this is the only Shakespeare play to bear one when first published.
What was the actual Elizabethan festival of the 12th night?
The actual Elizabethan festival of Twelfth Night would involve the antics of a Lord of Misrule, who before leaving his temporary position of authority, would call for entertainment, songs, and mummery; the play has been regarded as preserving this festive and traditional atmosphere of licensed disorder.
Why is the 12th Night a gender issue?
Some modern scholars believe that Twelfth Night, with the added confusion of male actors and Viola's deception, addresses gender issues "with particular immediacy". They also accept that the depiction of gender in Twelfth Night stems from the era's prevalent scientific theory that females are simply imperfect males.
Overview
Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (who is disguised as Cesario) falls in love with the Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love w…
Characters
• Viola – a shipwrecked young woman who disguises herself as a page named Cesario
• Sebastian – Viola's twin brother
• Duke Orsino – Duke of Illyria
• Olivia – a wealthy countess
Synopsis
Viola is shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria and she comes ashore with the help of a Captain. She has lost contact with her twin brother, Sebastian, whom she believes to be drowned, and with the aid of the Captain, she disguises herself as a young man under the name Cesario and enters the service of Duke Orsino. Duke Orsino has convinced himself that he is in love with Olivia, who is mourni…
Setting
Illyria, the exotic setting of Twelfth Night, is important to the play's romantic atmosphere.
Illyria was an ancient region of the Western Balkans whose coast (the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea which is the only part of ancient Illyria which is relevant to the play) covered (from north to south) the coasts of modern-day Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania. It included the city-state of the Republic of Ragusa which has been proposed as the …
Sources
The play is believed to have drawn extensively on the Italian production Gl'ingannati (or The Deceived Ones), collectively written by the Accademia degli Intronati in 1531. It is conjectured that the name of its male lead, Orsino, was suggested by Virginio Orsini, Duke of Bracciano, an Italian nobleman who visited London in the winter of 1600 to 1601.
Another source story, "Of Apollonius and Silla", appeared in Barnabe Riche's collection, Riche his …
Date and text
The full title of the play is Twelfth Night, or What You Will. Subtitles for plays were fashionable in the Elizabethan era, and though some editors place The Merchant of Venice's alternative title, The Jew of Venice, as a subtitle, this is the only Shakespeare play to bear one when first published.
The play was probably finished between 1600 and 1601, a period suggested b…
Themes
Viola is not alone among Shakespeare's cross-dressing heroines; in Shakespeare's theatre, convention dictated that adolescent boys play the roles of female characters, creating humour in the multiplicity of disguise found in a female character who for a while pretended at masculinity. Her cross dressing enables Viola to fulfil usually male roles, such as acting as a messenger betwe…
Performance history
Twelfth Night, or What You Will (to give the play its full title) was probably commissioned for performance as part of the Twelfth Night celebrations held by Queen Elizabeth I at Whitehall Palace on 6 January 1601 to mark the end of the embassy of the Italian diplomat, the Duke of Orsino. It was again performed at Court on Easter Monday in 1618 and on Candlemas night in 1623.
Characters in Twelfth Night
- With the exception of smaller characters such as musicians, lords, officers, sailors, and attendants, there are twelve important characters in the play. 1. Duke Orsino, sometimes called "Count" of Illyria 2. Viola, later disguised as "Cesario" (a made up person) 3. Sebastian- Viola's twin brother 4. Captain, - saves Viola from shipwreck 5. Antonio-...
Twelfth Night Summary
- Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is a difficult play to summarize neatly, as there are subplots, many characters, and conflict upon conflict within the play. Despite this, the Twelfth Night plot can be oversimplified and boiled down to a few crucial moments, known as plot points. The Twelfth Nightsynopsis is as follows: 1. Viola and Sebastian are shipwrecked off the coast of Illyria 2. Vio…
Analysis of Twelfth Night
- Twelfth Night is a play that has been performed for nearly four centuries, and it takes more than mere entertainment to make a play such as this into a classic. There have been many speculations over the centuries about the meaning of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, and there are likely to be many more in the years to come.