ENG 3U1
TWELFTH NIGHT: SCENE QUESTIONS
ACT I SCENE i
1. Where does the play open?
2. The Duke has a very famous speech in the beginning of the play about love. How is
the Duke feeling about love as the play opens? Analyze the quote.
3. What news does Valentine bring the Duke? How does the Duke take this news?
ACT I SCENE ii
1. What country has Viola arrived in?
2. What does Viola think has happened to her brother? How does the captain give her
some hope about Sebastian?
3. What do Viola and Olivia seem to have in common? Explain.
4. What plan does Viola propose to the captain? Why?
ACT I SCENE iii
1. Describe your first impressions of Sir Toby. Provide evidence to support your
analysis.
2. Provide one clue from this scene that suggests the following:
a. Maria likes Sir Toby.
b. Sir Andrew lacks intelligence.
ACT I SCENE iv
1. What identity does Viola assume? Why does she not reveal who she really is?
2. How do we know that the Duke has really taken to Viola, his new page boy?
3. What does the Duke ask Viola to do for him?
4. Why does the Duke argue that Viola is better suited for the task than an older
servant? Where is there humour in this?
5. How does Viola feel about performing the task for the Duke? What surprising
revelation does Viola make? What does this say about her character?
ACT I SCENE v
1. Why do you think Shakespeare included the clown at the beginning of
Scene 5? What does he add to the scene or does he distract from it?
2. How does Olivia describe Orsino? Based on her description, why do
you think she still refuses to be wooed by him? What does her
rejection of him say about her character?
3. Once alone, what does Olivia admit has caught her off-guardÉ
3. What object does Viola leave behind that Olivia sends Malvolio to
bring back to her?
ENG 3U1
ACT II SCENE i
1. This scene provides additional dramatic irony in the play. What does this mean and
how is it so?
2. Analyze how might the introduction of Sebastian be important to later events in the
play?
3. Where does Sebastian intend to go? Why can't Antonio go with him?
ACT II SCENE ii
1. What surprising information about the ring does Viola reveal to the
audience in Act II?
3) Why do you suppose Olivia lies about the ring? And why does Viola
not tell Malvolio the truth?
3. Interpret Viola’s Lines:
Disguise I see thou art a wickedness
Wherein the pregnant enemy does much.
How easy is it for the proper false
In women’s waxen hearts to set their forms!
Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we,
For such as we are made of, such we be
ACT II SCENE iii
1. What is the irony in Sir Andrew’s line, “Here comes the fool”?
2. Why is the clown’s song appropriate in the context of the play?
3. What warning does Maria give the men?
4. What does Malvolio want with the three? How does he act towards them?
5. What scheme does Maria devise once Malvolio exits? What is the ultimate purpose
of the plan?
7. Why do you think Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria dislike Malvolio so much?
ACT II SCENE iv
1. What warning does the Duke give "Cesario" regarding love? What is the significance
of this?
2. What opinion on older women and marriage does the Duke hold? How might this
reflect Shakespeare's own opinions?
3. What does the Duke send "Cesario" back to tell Olivia? What does this reveal about
the nature of the Duke's love?
4. What opinions on women and love does the Duke express to "Cesario"?
5. How does "Cesario" respond to these opinions? What is the dramatic irony in their
conversation?
ACT II SCENE v
1. What does Malvolio discover and why does he believe this is for him?
2. What things does Maria put in the letter to help make Malvolio look like a fool to
Olivia?
ENG 3U1
3. Based on what you know of Malvolio`s character, does he deserve this treatment?
Explain why or why not.
ACT III SCENE i
1. What is Viola`s analysis of Feste the clown? Provide evidence.
2. What does Olivia reveal to "Cesario" and how does "Cesario" respond?
Analyze the dramatic significance of this exchange between Olivia and "Cesario".
ACT III SCENE ii
1. Why does Sir Andrew tell Sir Toby he is going to leave? How is he persuaded to stay?
3. What do Sir Toby and Fabian send Sir Andrew off to do to put a stop to Olivia`s
affections for "Cesario"?
4. What is revealed about Sir Toby's 'friendship' with Sir Andrew?
ACT III SCENE iii
1. Why does Antonio risk going to Illyria to find Sebastian?
2. Why is Antonio in danger in Illyria?
3. Where does Antonio tell Sebastian to meet him?
4. Why does Antonio give Sebastian his purse?
ACT III SCENE iv
1. Analyze the dramatic irony in the scene between Olivia and Malvolio. How does
Malvolio interpret Olivia`s surprise at his behaviour? respond to 5. Why does Olivia
want to see Malvolio?
2. How do Sir Toby, Maria, and Fabian treat Malvolio? Why? Provide evidence to
support.
6. What fictional information does Sir Toby deliver to both Sir Andrew and "Cesario"?
How do each respond?
7. What happens when Antonio enters and Sir Andrew and Viola are drawn on one
another? Why is this?
8. How does Viola react to Antonio's questions? What does Viola begin to think once
Antonio is taken away?
9. What does Sir Toby think of Viola's treatment of Antonio? What does Sir Andrew
decide because of this?
10. What "bet" does Sir Toby make at the end of the scene?
ACT IV SCENE i
1. What is the misunderstanding between Feste and Sebastian at the beginning of Act
4?
2. What happens when Sir Andrew "catches up" with Sebastian?
3. Why is Sebastian surprised by Sir Toby`s entrance?
4. What happens when Olivia sees Sir Toby and Sebastian? What is the dramatic effect
of this and Sebastian`s response Explain providing details from the scene.
ENG 3U1
ACT IV SCENE ii
1. What is the purpose of Feste`s disguise as Sir Topas? Describe this `character`.
2. How does Feste attempt to convince Malvolio he is going mad? Provide evidence
from the play.
3. How would you describe Malvolio's frame of mind at this time?
ACT IV SCENE iii
1. What does Sebastian think of Olivia and his situation? How does his madness
contrast with that of Malvolio`s?
2. What proposition does Olivia offer and how does Sebastian respond? Explain how his
response is justified.
ACT V SCENE i
1. Why does Orsino bribe Feste?
2. When Antonio tells the Duke that he rescued "Cesario" from the sea how does the
Duke respond?
3. What does the Duke say to "Cesario" when Olivia calls "Cesario" her husband?
4. How would you stage the lengthy interaction between Viola and Sebastian? Why
does Viola stay in disguise all that time?
5. How does Olivia react when she learns who she's really married to?
6. How does the Duke react when he realizes "Cesario" is really a woman?
7. What is the significance to Orsino and Viola leaving so that he can“see thee in thy
woman’s weeds”?
8. What does Malvolio say in his letter to Olivia?
9. How does Olivia figure out what has really happened to Malvolio and how does she
respond?
10. What happens with Sir Toby and Maria? Why?
11. The play ends with Feste’s song. Is it a happy or sad one? Why? How does it fit into
the end of the play?