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.
What are the main events in Twelfth Night?
- Orsino 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)
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
Is Twelfth Night a tragedy?
Shakespeare’s comedies have always had a distinct subtext of tragedy as shown in Twelfth Night. It teeters on the brink of tragedian literature similar to his tragedies, such as Hamlet, through the ambiguity of the main characters and unfinished resolutions.
How does 12th night end?
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 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.
What is the theme of Twelfth Night?
Even though it is a comedy, based on a day of partying, Twelfth Night still deals with some serious themes. Romantic love, family love and even the love of love are all presented , as is the question of appearance and reality.
What is a major conflict in Twelfth Night?
major conflict Viola is in love with Orsino, who is in love with Olivia, who is in love with Viola’s male disguise, Cesario . This love triangle is complicated by the fact that neither Orsino nor Olivia knows that Viola is really a woman.
Who is Viola in love with?
Viola falls in love with Duke Orsino but is unable to tell him how she feels. Viola reveals that she is in fact a girl and marries the Duke.
Why did Shakespeare write Twelfth Night?
Scholars think Shakespeare wrote Twelfth Night sometime in 1601. It is thought that the monarch at the time, Queen Elizabeth I, commissioned the play to be written so it could be performed as part of her festivities to celebrate the Christian holiday of Twelfth Night .
Is Malvolio a tragic hero?
Some critics have seen him, through his exposure and humiliation, as a tragic character . ... Instead of being a tragic hero, he threatens to become the anti-hero in a tragedy, as he exits promising revenge.
Is Malvolio in love with Olivia?
In the play, Malvolio is defined as a kind of Puritan. ... Beforehand, Malvolio had been wishing to marry Olivia . The letter convinces Malvolio that Olivia loves him, and leads Malvolio to think that Olivia wishes him to smile, wear yellow stockings and cross garters.
Why is Twelfth Night a happy ending?
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).
Who does not get a happy ending in Twelfth Night?
By the end, Malvolio is one of two outright unhappy characters in the play (the other is Antonio, who sacrifices himself for Sebastian, a character he has almost romantic levels of affection for).
Who is the antagonist in Twelfth Night?
Malvolio is the main antagonist of the early 1600s play Twelfth Night, written by William Shakespeare. He is the vain, pompous and arrogant servant of the Countess Olivia, who he is infatued with.
What time period was Twelfth Night set?
The Overall Setting of Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night is set in in Illyria , a real place from classical antiquity, that existed as far back as the tenth century B.C.E. During Shakespeare’s time, the area, off the Adriatic Sea, was controlled by the Venetian republic. Today, Illyria makes up modern-day Croatia.
