Shakespeare
M. D’Antonio
Study Guide
Twelfth Night (1601)
Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s most romantic comedies. In these
light-hearted plays, Shakespeare’s method is to initiate several plots
and to introduce several sets of characters who do not know one
another at all in the beginning. As the play progresses, characters begin
to meet, to interact, and the plots begin to cross and become
complicated. At the play’s conclusion, all is resolved, usually to the
accompaniment of wedding marches.
Twelfth Night, which we know to have been performed at Court, contains three sets of characters and
three plots. In your reading, note how far away they begin from one another and when and how they
come together. Try to visualize how each scene would be staged.
The setting is a faraway place called Illyria, where things may happen which might strain one’s credulity
in England.
Misplaced Love Plot
Search Plot
Comic Revenge Plot
Duke Orsino
Viola (Cesario)
Sebastian
Antonio
(Olivia)
(Viola)
(Olivia)
Sir Toby Belch
Sir Andrew Aguecheek
Feste the clown
Maria the servant
Fabian the servant
Malvolio the steward
Act I: Exposition (characters are introduced, motivation, actions set in motion)
Scene One
Scene Two
Scene Three
Scene Four
In what state is Duke Orsino? What does he learn about Olivia? Much of the love material in
the play stems from the medieval concept of courtly love. Remember the way Romeo behaves
in the beginning of Romeo and Juliet.
Summarize Viola’s predicament and her temporary solution to it. What does this solution set
up as a dramatic possibility? What does she think happened to her brother? Remember that
the characters in these romantic comedies are all members of the upper, educated, and wellmannered classes.
Why is Sir Toby angry? What sort of person is he? What sort of person is his friend, Andrew?
They are character foils. How? What is the purpose of this scene?
How does Viola look now? Where is she living? What comically ironic internal event has
happened to her? What is the Duke’s attitude toward her and what does it suggest about her?
What about her has caused the Duke to send her to Olivia?
Scene Five
Complications begin in this important (and long) scene. Feste, a typical
Shakespearean clown, is introduced. What kind of humor does he provide?
What is the purpose of the interchange between the clown and Olivia?
Malvolio is Olivia’s steward; he administers her entire estate. What is his
attitude toward the clown? What might this attitude reveal about two sets
of values? Explain the interchange between Sir Toby and his niece, Olivia.
Olivia and Viola (disguised as Cesario) meet. How does she handle her
mission from Orsino? What is the result? To whom is Olivia speaking in the
speech beginning, “What is your parentage?” Interpret Olivia’s instruction
to Malvolio about a ring. What is the conceit? Remember the conceit in the dialogue between
Olivia and Cesario. It tells us (and Olivia) about Viola’s intelligence and learning.
Act II: Rising action (complication and additional plots set in motion)
Scene One
Scene Two
Scene Three
Scene Four
Scene Five
This scene introduces Viola’s brother, Sebastian, whose clothing is identical to hers as
Cesario. The two actors must look at great deal alike. Make predictions based on these facts.
Is this scene written in prose or poetry? How do you know? What does Sebastian tell us
about his sister and himself? What does Sebastian decide to do? What does his friend
Antonio decide to do?
Malvolio catches up to Cesario. What does Cesario/Viola realize as a result of this
interchange? To what does she attribute the problem?
This scene of a late-night party contains the motivation for the revenge plot against Malvolio
to get underway. Music is also important in this scene. What seems to be the conflict
between Malvolio and the rest of the household? What is Maria’s interpretation of Malvolio’s
character? This is important. What is Maria’s plan to get even with Malvolio? How does it
relate to her sense of his character?
What is Sir Toby’s attitude toward Maria? What is Sir Andrew’s hope about the results of his
visit?
A scene of comic irony-of appearance and illusion-as Orsino and Cesario talk of love. What is
the gist of Orsino’s description of himself as a lover? What does he say about male and female
love? What is your reaction to it? How does Cesario answer him? Where does Viola tell the
Duke who she really is? Note Feste’s reaction to the Duke. Shakespeare’s clowns usually tell
the truth.
Olivia’s garden. Try to visualize this scene as you read it. Where are Toby, Andrew and
Fabian while Malvolio says, “’Tis but fortune; all is fortune…”? To whom is Malvolio speaking
in these lines? What is the “willing suspension of disbelief” in II.5.22-175? How do the lines –
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them” –
relate to Malvolio’s situation, his character, and the trick being played upon him? Has Maria’s
estimation of his character been correct?
Act III: Climax (action continues to complicate until the turning point occurs)
Scene One
Note the wit in Viola’s exchange with Feste. Comedy involving wit and intelligence is called
“high comedy.” Note that Toby and Andrew observe Cesario’s first remarks to Olivia. What is
Andrew’s response? Can you guess what motivation this may provide in future scenes? Some
verbal indirection takes place between Olivia and Cesario until Olivia at last confesses her
love for Cesario. Find the lines where the confession takes place. How many fools have we
met so far?
Scene Two
Scene Three
Scene Four
What does Toby suggest to Andrew that he do in order to turn Olivia’s affections towards
him? Why does Toby suggest this plan? At the end of this scene, Maria tells them that
Malvolio is coming, dressed as the letter instructed.
Antonio and Sebastian meet and part, to meet again. What is the reason Antonio walks the
streets of Illyria in some danger?
All plots come to a climax in this scene. It should be played
quickly, except the Malvolio letter scene. Read carefully to
see how the various plots come together, who knows and
does not know what, and what is comic about each event.
How does Olivia interpret Malvolio’s strange behavior?
What do we learn then about Malvolio’s pretensions to
advancement? Interpret Fabian’s lines, “More matter for a
May morning.” What is Toby’s plan? What is Viola’s mood?
What is the comic irony in the words, “Fabian can scarce
hold him yonder”? What mock roles are Toby and Fabian playing here for Andrew and
Cesario? Why could the entrance of Antonio be constructed as the climax of the play?
Remember that the climax of the play is the point of highest tension and the turning point of
the plot toward its resolution.
Act IV: Descending action (beginning of resolution)
Scene One
Scene Two
Scene Three
When performed, this scene runs on without a break after Act III, Scene Four. For whom
does Feste take Sebastian in this scene? There are four duels (or almost-duels) in rapid
succession in these two scenes. Review who participates in each in what circumstances and
under what erroneous assumptions. Whom does Olivia think she is addressing when she
says, “I prithee, dearest friend”? How does this scene conclude? Is this a romantic comedy or
not?
The last wrench of the “revenge on Malvolio” plot, and a devise to keep the play from falling
too quickly to its conclusion.
Note as you read: Malvolio cannot see Feste/Sir Topas, so Feste merely changes his voice and
position as he switches between being the curate and himself. Concentrate on which “voice”
is speaking each speech. The ploy here, of course, is that the curate insists that Malvolio is
mad, and Malvolio, as we know, knows that he is not.
What is the interpretation of madness dramatized here? This scene may make some members
of the audience more sympathetic towards Malvolio. Did Shakespeare intend this or should
the scene be played solely for laughs?
You will need some “willing suspension of disbelief” here. Why? If the mood of the play so far
as been quick and light, this event gets a laugh from the audience, but an accepting one.
Act V: Denouement (all is resolved)
All of the plots come together, with wedding bells for three couples. The threat from the forces of sobriety and
seriousness has been quelled.
How much time seems to have elapsed during the course of the play? Who are the three loving couples at the
play’s conclusion? There is much illusion in Twelfth Night. Consider how many illusions are replaced by realities
by the last act of the play. Those who take themselves too seriously (who are these characters?) have been
laughed into self-awareness. Or have they? Think back on the themes of fools and foolishness, self-love, masks,
and illusion. Think also on excessiveness. Who is excessive, and what is the result?