Discuss the dramatic significance of Feste in Twelfth Night.

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Discuss the dramatic significance of Feste in Twelfth Night.

Feste is presented as the fool or jester as hired by Olivia to entertain. He is an ‘allowed fool’. However many of the other characters are the ‘real fools’ such as sir Toby belch-an ironic surname due to his tendency to drink heavily or Malvolio who Feste convinces is mad when he masquerades as Sir Topaz. Feste almost reverses the roles talking down to Olivia and making her out to be the fool “do you not hear fellows? Take away the lady”.Other characters can not talk to Olivia in the same way as Feste, as she is someone looked up to and respected. This could be due to the Twelfth night celebrations being able to speak his mind-being the fool. Feste is actually a clever and witty character and he shows and presents this through his use of language, quick wit, word play and punning. In scene 5 Feste begins with a pun “he that is well hanged in this world needs to fear no colours” The Elizabethans enjoyed such punning jokes in which the word was pronounced giving two meanings. Maria and Feste are like a comedy duo participating in quick fire exchanges, scoring points off each other and in act 1 scene 5 he hints at her relationship with sir Toby Belch.

Shakespeare’s characters love to disguise themselves, this theme is often illustrated and important to the plot of his comedies, but in this case, the disguise takes an ironic turn. Feste, in dressing as a wise man reveals his true nature instead of concealing it. This scene is meant to be played for comedic value; the audience gets a glimpse of the true nature of the clown. This is a key element in the play as other people are in disguise for example viola masks as Cesario. The title of this Shakespeare play is ‘Twelfth Night or what you will’. This is an immediate indication that people are pretending to be people they are not and acting as they wish. Feste fits in to this category of doing as he pleases. He masquerades as Sir topaz here to offer comedy at this point this is important because he is proving someone else a fool other than himself and he is able to do this. Feste quotes that “nothing that is so is so” this is one of the mottos of the play and catches the essence of Twelfth Night that appearances are often deceptive.  

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Feste is always playing with words and occasionally seems to talk nonsense like inventing and imaginary philosopher  “Quinapalus, the old hermit of Prague”. There is often a lot of truth in what he says, Feste reminds Olivia that he has all the wits about him “I wear not motley in my brain”. This is a major theme of the play don’t judge by outward appearances as looks can be deceiving this can be seen with viola disguising herself as Cesario. Shakespeare is suggesting that Feste is actually no fool at all on stage as he brings comedy and dramatic irony, ...

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