There is also plenty of confusion within the play with mistaken identities such as Viola with Olivia in Act1 scene5. In this scene Cesario (Viola) takes a message to Olivia from Orsino telling her that he would like to marry her. Viola reveals that she would like to marry him. Olivia rejects Orsino’s offer and becomes attracted to Cesario. Also there is mistaken identity between Sebastian and Viola because they look so alike. In this scene Sebastian is married to Olivia because she thinks he is Cesario. Antonio accuses viola of being ungrateful etc, but Viola does not understand. Olivia comes out just hours after the wedding and asks why Cesario is leaving when she had just got married to whom she thought was Cesario. Sebastian then appears when it seems hopeless and Viola and Sebastian question each other while the other people are stunned.
There is a lot of use made of practical jokes with the sending of the love letter to Malvolio. Malvolio thinks that it is from Olivia when in fact it is a joke being played on him by Sir Andrew, Sir Toby and Maria. Malvolio falls for the trick and tries to figure out the contents of the letter. Malvolio makes himself believe that it is from Olivia and that she loves him. On the letter it tells him to transform himself from a steward to a gentleman and to wear yellow stockings. He is further convinced that it is Olivia and starts acting like a gentleman. Sir Andrew and Sir Toby are overjoyed with what has happened with Malvolio. In Act 3 Scene 2 Maria tells Sir Toby and Sir Andrew that Malvolio is “in yellow stockings” and that “He does obey every point of the letter that I dropped to betray him.” In Shakespearian times this would be thought of as quite comical. It is quite comical because of the quick and witty language in Act 1 Scene 5 between Feste and Maria. Feste jokes and taunts with Maria about her relationship with Sir Toby. There is also quick language used between Malvolio and Olivia in the same scene, “What manner of a man?” “Of very ill manner.”
After looking further into the play it seems that it cannot be classed comfortably as a comedy. Though the play has the necessary elements to be classed as a typical Shakespearian comedy it has a ‘darker’ side. For example some of the cruelty used against Malvolio. In particular the letter prank in which Maria, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew come up with a very cruel but humorous prank to play on Malvolio in the form of a love letter. It is not the effects of the prank that are cruel but the motives for playing the prank in the first place. The motive for Maria to play the trick on Malvolio is because she dislikes his vanity. Malvolio had not really done anything to deserve what he got, apart from being vane. Even though this is quite cruel it is quite humorous and is commonly known as Black comedy.
The prank is not allowed to end there, it escalates into a potentially quite cruel situation. A perfect example of this would be Act 4 Scene 2 where Feste disguises himself as Sir Topas the curate. Feste torments Malvolio and treats him as if he were mad. Malvolio protests that he is not mad, but Feste (as Sir Topas) continues to torment him and refuses to believe that he is not mad. While Sir Toby wishes it would stop Feste continues tormenting Malvolio, “But as well? Then you are mad indeed, if you be no better in your wits than a fool.” Malvolio then begs Feste for a pen and paper to write a letter to Olivia, Feste carries on tormenting him but agrees to help him. This situation that starts out as a joke rapidly escalates into something quite cruel and no longer funny. Sir Toby and Maria did not intend this joke to go as far as Feste (as Sir Topas) took it. With Feste using the situation to be cruel in the extreme. This humour is entirely different to the sort used in other Shakespearian comedies and that used when Viola/Cesario is mistaken for Sebastian.
There are also many marriages in the play based on very brief relationships between characters, this is not very in keeping with the Shakespearian comedy, where the sincerity of their love is in no doubt. It is not very convincing and seems too easy, which is unlike any other Shakespearian comedy. In other Shakespearian comedies the marriages are based on long-term relationships that are very sincere and if not then are explained by magic, e.g. ‘The Tempest’ or ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
There are many melancholy moments in the play that are later broken by sadness. This is uncharacteristic of any Shakespearian comedy because there is usually nothing very sad in them from start to finish. The drinking scene where Sir Andrew, Sir Toby and Feste are laughing etc is ended on a sad note when Feste sings. At first it is a merry song “O mistress mine, where are you roaming?” “O stay and hear, your true love’s coming” but by the end it has turned into a sad song with the words “Youth’s a stuff will not endure.” This line means that youth will not last and so to enjoy it while you can. In the same scene Sir Andrew makes us pity him just moments after he made us laugh with the line “I was adored once, too.” The reader/audience is made to feel sorry for these lonely and ageing characters such as Sir Andrew and Sir Toby. Also Feste who is meant to be a clown but his word play is more philosophical than amusing. Orsino himself threatens to take Viola/Cesario’s life for taking the love of his life. On first reading this may be seen as a funny misunderstanding but really it is an angry and bitter mess.
The ending of the play could be seen as a happy ending on the surface but it is not really happy at all. Even though there are marriages for certain individuals there are other people left either unhappy or vowing revenge. For example Orsino said he would kill Viola for taking the love of his life. Malvolio is the one laughed at by the other characters because his love for Olivia is revealed, he does not join in the humour of the celebrations. He has no hope of finding respect or happiness in the same household and remains an angry outsider vowing revenge. We do not find out what happens to Antonio, whether he is released and reunited with his friend. This can surely not be deemed as a very happy ending to the play with out all the loose ends tied up.
In conclusion I would say that this play is definitely not a tragedy but it cannot be classed comfortably as a comedy because of the elements of cruelty and sadness. The last song from Feste is too sombre for us to leave the theatre or finish the book laughing; in fact it would be quite the opposite. The play is maybe more entertaining for its mixture of light and dark, happy and sad.
