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Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare/ Author Introduction / Historical Context / About the Work / Themes / Characters/ Summary & Analysis

 Twelfth Night

by 

William Shakespeare




Brief Biography of William Shakespeare

Shakespeare's father was a glove-maker, and Shakespeare received no more than a grammar school education. He married Anne Hathaway in 1582, but left his family behind around 1590 and moved to London, where he became an actor and playwright. He was an immediate success: Shakespeare soon became the most popular playwright of the day as well as a part-owner of the Globe Theater. His theater troupe was adopted by King James as the King's Men in 1603. Shakespeare retired as a rich and prominent man to Stratford-upon-Avon in 1613, and died three years later.

Other Books Related to Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night has been referred to as a "transvestite comedy" and can be grouped with other Shakespeare plays in which characters cross-dress—namely, the comedy As You Like It, but also Merchant of Venice, which includes a court scene in which the primary female character, Portia, dresses up as a young man. With its confused twins, Twelfth Night also resembles Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors, which is based on the Menaechmi, by the Roman comedian Plautus. Twelfth Night itself is based on an Italian comedy called Iganni—or, the "unknown ones."
Key Facts about Twelfth Night
  • Full Title: Twelfth Night, or What You Will
  • When Written: c. 1601
  • Where Written: England
  • When Published: 1623
  • Literary Period: The Renaissance
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Setting: Illyria (an ancient area on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, between contemporary Croatia, Albania, and Montenegro)
  • Climax: The weddings of Viola and Orsino, and Sebastian and Olivia

Themes:

  1. Love: This is one of the central themes of the play. Various forms of love are explored: romantic love (Olivia's attraction to Cesario/Viola), unrequited love (Orsino's love for Olivia), and self-love (Malvolio’s vanity). The play examines the complexities of love, including how it can be irrational, confusing, and transformative.

  2. Gender and Disguise: Gender roles are subverted in Twelfth Night. Viola, disguised as Cesario, navigates the world as a man, and her interactions with other characters raise questions about identity and the fluidity of gender. The play explores how identity can be both performative and fluid, allowing characters to experience the world in different ways.

  3. Identity and Self-Discovery: Many characters in the play undergo a journey of self-discovery, especially Viola, who learns about her own feelings and desires. Disguises and mistaken identities lead to revelations about who the characters are and what they truly want.

  4. Foolishness and Humor: The play uses humor and the character of the Fool, Feste, to highlight the absurdity of certain social norms and behaviors. Malvolio's self-importance and the prank played on him reveal the foolishness of overinflated egos, while Feste’s witty remarks and songs demonstrate the importance of self-awareness.

  5. Social Class and Inequality: Social status and class are also prominent themes. Characters like Malvolio aspire to move up the social ladder, while others like Feste highlight the power dynamics in society. The play uses humor to critique societal structures, and some characters question the importance of rank and wealth.

  6. Revenge and Redemption: While Twelfth Night is largely a comedy, there are elements of revenge, especially in the subplot involving Malvolio. However, these themes are ultimately tempered by the play’s comedic tone, and by the end, there’s a sense of reconciliation and forgiveness.

  7. Festivity and Disorder: The play takes place during the Christmas season, a time traditionally associated with revelry and overturning the social order. The themes of disorder, mistaken identities, and chaotic love affairs reflect the festive spirit and the temporary suspension of normal rules and expectations.

 Characters :

Main Characters:

  1. Viola: The protagonist of the play, Viola is shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria and disguises herself as Cesario, a young man. Throughout the play, she navigates complex emotions as she falls in love with Duke Orsino while also becoming the object of Olivia's affection.

  2. Orsino: The Duke of Illyria, Orsino is in love with the beautiful Olivia. His feelings, however, are characterized by a rather exaggerated and unrequited form of love. He sends Viola (disguised as Cesario) to court Olivia on his behalf, but his affections shift toward Viola by the end.

  3. Olivia: A wealthy countess, Olivia is mourning the death of her brother and has vowed to avoid love for seven years. However, she falls in love with Cesario (Viola in disguise), leading to a humorous and chaotic love triangle.

  4. Sebastian: Viola's twin brother, who was separated from her during the shipwreck. He is also mistaken for Cesario by Olivia, leading to further confusion and mistaken identity.

  5. Malvolio: The steward of Olivia's household, Malvolio is a pompous and self-important character who believes he is deserving of Olivia’s love. His ambition and desire to rise above his station make him the target of a prank, which results in his public humiliation.

  6. Feste: The fool or jester in Olivia’s household, Feste is witty and often speaks in riddles, offering sharp insights into the characters’ behaviors. He is one of the most self-aware characters, making playful and sardonic comments about the events of the play.

  7. Antonio: A sea captain who saved Sebastian’s life. He is deeply loyal to Sebastian and becomes entangled in the confusion when he mistakenly believes that Viola (disguised as Cesario) is her twin brother. Antonio is also shown to have a strong affection for Sebastian, which adds another layer of complexity to the play’s exploration of love and devotion.

Supporting Characters:

  1. Sir Toby Belch: Olivia’s drunken uncle, Sir Toby is a fun-loving and mischievous character who encourages the prank on Malvolio and instigates much of the play’s chaos. He is a lover of revelry and is friends with Sir Andrew Aguecheek.

  2. Maria: Olivia’s clever and witty maid, Maria helps Sir Toby and others in their schemes, including the practical joke on Malvolio. She eventually marries Sir Toby.

  3. Sir Andrew Aguecheek: A foolish and wealthy knight who attempts to woo Olivia, though he is clearly no match for Orsino or Cesario. He is used by Sir Toby Belch as a pawn in his schemes to cause trouble for Malvolio.

  4. Curio: A servant to Duke Orsino, Curio appears in the play as a minor character, often involved in assisting the Duke with his plans or offering counsel.

  5. Valet: A servant of Olivia, who has a few small roles throughout the play, aiding in some of the confusion and misunderstandings.

Summary & Analysis

In the kingdom of Illyria, the Duke Orsino laments over his unrequited love for the Lady Olivia, who is in mourning for her brother and has refused to see anyone for seven years.

Meanwhile, a ship has been wrecked by a storm off the coast, casting the young noblewoman Viola onto shore. Finding herself alone with the Captain, Viola assumes that her twin brother, Sebastian, with whom she was traveling, is dead. Grieving, she learns from the Captain—who, by chance, was born in Illyria—about the region, and decides that she would like to conceal her identity and offer her services to this Lady. However, after the Captain informs Viola that Olivia refuses to see anyone. Viola resolves to conceal her identity—she dresses up as a pageboy, Cesario, and go work for Orsino. The Captain agrees to help.


Viola advances quickly in Orsino's household. However, she soon finds herself falling in love with Orsino—a love which she cannot pursue, since Orsino believes her to be (the male) Cesario. At the same time, when Orsino sends Cesario to Olivia's house to woo her in his stead, Olivia becomes passionately attracted to "Cesario." Only Viola understands the love-triangle that her disguise has brought about: she loves Orsino, Orsino loves Olivia, and Olivia loves her. None of these loves can be fulfilled.

While the plot between Orsino, Viola, and Olivia unfolds, scenes at Olivia's house introduce a second group of characters: Olivia's uncle, the drunkard Sir Toby; his equally vulgar friend and suitor of Olivia, Sir Andrew Aguecheek; Olivia's charming lady-in-waiting, Maria; the clown, Feste; and Malvolio, Olivia's self-important steward, who constantly scolds and irritates the rest of them. Maria devises a prank to get even with Malvolio. She forges a letter, supposedly from Olivia, addressed to a secret beloved "M. O. A. I."; the letter instructs its anonymous addressee to wear yellow stockings and crossed garters, to act haughty, smile constantly, and refuse to explain himself in order to show that he returns Olivia's affections. Malvolio finds the letter and assumes that he himself must be "M. A. O. I." Following "Olivia's" instructions, he behaves so oddly that she worries that he has gone mad.

Viola's twin brother Sebastian soon arrives up in Illyria: he was saved from the shipwreck by a local, Antonio, but thinks his sister is dead. Antonio has grown so attached to Sebastian that he follows him into Orsino's territories despite the fact that Orsino is an old enemy.

When Sir Andrew starts to notice that Olivia is in love with Cesario, Sir Toby encourages him to challenge Cesario to a duel. They are just about to fight when Antonio shows up and asks to defend Cesario, whom he mistakes for Sebastian. (Viola, in her disguise, looks exactly like her twin brother.) When Orsino's police show up and haul Antonio off, Cesario slips away. But then Sebastian happens to arrive on the scene. Sir Andrew and Sir Toby resume fighting—mistaking him for Cesario. Sebastian is baffled, but defends himself. Olivia shows up during the scuffle and, mistaking Sebastian for Cesario, calls Toby and Andrew off at once. She immediately asks Sebastian to marry her. Sebastian is mystified. But, seeing that Olivia is beautiful and wealthy, he accepts her offer.

Meanwhile, Olivia's belief that Malvolio is mad, has allowed Maria, Toby, and the others to lock him up in a dark cell for "treatment." They enjoy tormenting and mocking him. However, Sir Toby starts to get worried, since he knows how angry Olivia already is with him for attacking Sebastian (or, as she thinks, Cesario). Therefore, they let Malvolio send a letter to Olivia, arguing his case and demanding to be released.

Cesario and Orsino visit Olivia's house. Olivia welcomes Cesario as her husband, thinking that he is Sebastian. Orsino is shocked and enraged, but when Sebastian himself arrives on the scene, everything falls into place. Viola and Sebastian are reunited. Now aware that Cesario is in fact the woman, Viola, Orsino declares that he is in love with her and asks her to marry him. It is reported that Sir Toby and Maria have also married privately. Finally, Olivia remembers Malvolio and summons him out of the dark room. Furious, he accosts her. When she tells him he should not take things so seriously, he threatens that he will have revenge against them all and storms off. The happy couples await their marriage ceremony.



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