Many of Shakespeare’s comedies are set in
Italy
, and most of the characters in Twelfth Night have Italian names, suggesting the play is set in the vicinity of Italy. Viola and Sebastian refer to their homeland as Messaline.
What era was the Twelfth Night written in?
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 year does Twelfth Night take place?
The time period in which Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is set is indeterminate, although the play reflects the time period in which it was written, about 1600, and one of the sources that Shakespeare might have used for Twelfth Night is a play which is set a short time after the Sack of Rome in
1527
.
Does Twelfth Night take place in one day?
In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, one day has elapsed from the first scene in the play to Act II; scene iii. In Act II; Scene iii it is late at night and Sir Toby and Sir Andrew are drinking in Olivia’s house. … Therefore, all of the action in
Twelfth Night takes place in two days and one night
.
How old is Viola in 12th night?
Viola’s
exact age is never mentioned in
the Shakespeare play Twelfth Night; however, she is most often played by a young woman and is portrayed to be…
Is Twelfth Night a tragedy?
Shakespeare’s plays have often been categorised into three types: comedy, tragedy and history. The structure of Twelfth Night, or What You Will seems like a comedy at first, but once you delve more into the narrative there is the
revelation that it is also very much a tragedy
.
Why is aguecheek staying at Olivia’s home?
Sir Andrew is wealthy
, and Toby wants to set himself up so he can stay on at Olivia’s house indefinitely. Unfortunately, Olivia has been quite taken with the young page Cesario, who is actually Viola in disguise.
What does 12th night signify?
The title of Twelfth Night refers to
the twelfth night of Christmas
, also referred to as the eve of Epiphany, a day that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus and is often celebrated with a temporary suspension of rules and social orders.
What was Twelfth Night inspired by?
The original source appears to have been the
story Apollonius and Silla in Barnabe Riche’s Riche His Farewell to Military Profession (1581)
, based in turn on a number of Continental versions that included an Italian comedy called Gl’ingannati (1531; “The Deceived”), published anonymously, and a story in Matteo Bandello …
Why is Twelfth Night A comedy?
Twelfth Night can be considered a
model Shakespearean comedy in
that it employs nearly every feature of the genre: a wedding, mistaken identities, misunderstandings, physical comedy, and a happy ending. … Shakespearean comedies often take place in societies where the social order is out of whack.
Why is Twelfth Night set in Illyria?
The setting of Twelfth Night is in Illyria, an ancient region of land on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. … It is possible that William Shakespeare chose Illyria as the setting for Twelfth Night for this reason, and because
Illyria has a mild climate and was remote and exotic
.
How many days is Twelfth Night?
Date. In many Western ecclesiastical traditions, Christmas Day is considered the “First Day of Christmas” and the
Twelve Days
are 25 December – 5 January, inclusive, making Twelfth Night on 5 January, which is Epiphany Eve.
How does Twelfth 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.
Is Orsino really in love with Olivia?
Orsino is the first character to appear on stage. He is the Duke of Illyria and
is hopelessly in love with Olivia
. His opening line If music be the food of love play on introduces the main themes of the play and has become one of the most famous lines of Shakespeare.
Why did Viola dress like a boy in Twelfth Night?
In Twelfth Night, Viola dresses as
the male Cesario in order to gain entry into Orsino’s court
. In Elizabethan England, women were not allowed to act professionally, and female parts were all performed by men, so Viola would have actually been played by a male actor, dressing as a woman dressing as a man.
Does Malvolio love Olivia?
Maria composes a love letter in Olivia’s handwriting, and leaves it so Malvolio will find it. 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.
