What is your personal opinion of Malvolio and the way he is treated?
What is your personal opinion of Malvolio and the way he is treated? Malvolio is an extremely complicated and difficult character to study because of his mixed, complex personality. At times in the play he seems very reliable and loyal but sometimes he seems foolish and weak, and in many scenes in the play the audience are encouraged to laugh at him, his actions or his words. He is not portrayed as a lovable character, which makes the play funnier. Also, the way that Malvolio seems humourless actually makes him humorous. Just Malvolio's name can give you some idea of his personality, it means in Latin "evil-wishing!" Malvolio's first appearance is in Act I Scene 5. His humourless character can be seen straight away in this scene because he is not amused by Feste's attempts to cheer up a saddened Olivia. He talks about Feste in a rude way, as if he is higher than the fool: "I marvel your lady takes delight in such a barren rascal. I saw him put down the other day with an ordinary fool, that has no more brain than a stone. Look you now, he's out of his guard already!"(Lines 81-84) Olivia is not happy with this attempt to be unkind and offensive to Feste and is quick to respond in Feste's defense: "O you are sick of self-love, Malvolio and taste with a distempered appetite." (Lines 89-90) Later on in the scene Malvolio tells Olivia that Viola/Cesario wishes to see
The main theme of the play is mistaken identities. The three main characters are Orsino, a Duke, Olivia, a countess, and Viola, a woman who dresses as a man so she can be a servant to Orsino
Twelfth Night: Critical Evaluation of Literature by Paula O'Brien The play I read is called "Twelfth Night", and was written by William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare is known for his brilliant playwriting skills, "Twelfth Night" is no exception. "Twelfth Night" was branded as a comedy when it was written in the 1600s, I am writing this essay to see if "Twelfth Night" can still be classed as a comedy in the twenty-first century, or if the humour is too old fashioned for modern tastes. The main theme of the play is mistaken identities. The three main characters are Orsino, a Duke, Olivia, a countess, and Viola, a woman who dresses as a man so she can be a servant to Orsino. During the play Viola's twin brother, Sebastian turns up and everyone thinks he is Viola, as she is dressing as a man. Viola is in love with Orsino but Orsino is in love with Olivia and Olivia is in love with Viola, this creates a love triangle. Also in the play there are servants and two knights who produce a lot of humour. In conjunction to the love triangle there are three additional plot lines in the play, they involve Malvolio, a servant, finding a love letter, a duel between Viola and Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Olivia proposing to Sebastian, as she thinks he is Viola. I will discuss these to see if they have any humour among them. Malvolio is a servant who thinks he is more superior than he
How is Malvolio a comic character? Act 3 Scene 4 Twelfth Night.
How is Malvolio a comic character? Act 3 Scene 4 Malvolio is a comic character throughout Twelfth Night, especially in Act 3 Scene 4. The scene revolves around him acting on the love letter he finds, which he believes to be from Olivia. Malvolio secretly wishes to be more than just a steward to his mistress. When he finds the letter Maria leaves behind to trick him, he falls into the trap and makes a fool of himself. In this scene, his comic character comes through in the forms of slapstick humour, puns, dramatic irony, comedy of manners and ridicule. Malvolio does what the love letter tells him that he must do in order to prove his love to Olivia, and this includes wearing yellow-stockings in cross-gartered fashion. "Not black in my mind, though yellow in my legs." In reality Olivia actually hates the colour yellow and cross-garters. Yet he shows off his stockings to Olivia thinking the opposite. According to the letter, he also has to smile a lot. Malvolio smiles and laughs when there is nothing to smile at. Olivia: "God comfort thee! Why dost thou smile so, and kiss thy hand so oft?" It is inappropriate for Malvolio to be smiling all the time because the household is still in mourning over Olivia's brother. Malvolio kisses Olivia's hand very often because since he thinks she is in love with him, he expects physical contact to be acceptable. This is slapstick, a
Discuss the Various Forms of Love in Twelfth Night
Discuss the Various Forms of Love in Twelfth Night Love is arguably the most popular theme for writers and readers alike throughout the entire history of literature. It provides the fundamental framework around which spawn the many other conspiracies and sub-stories that make up an entertaining read. Twelfth Night is no exception to this theory, with love being the focal point, right the way through. Every person in the play undergoes his or her own encounter with love in some form, with each character's experience differing from the next. A multitude of different manners of love are explored in this work, with all having their own consequences and provoking a variety of reactions in the reader. The play is mainly concentrated on the difference between selfish and selfless love. Probably the best example of the former is Malvolio, Olivia's respectable yet conceited steward. In his very first appearance in the play he is accused of being 'sick of self-love' after condemning Feste's attempts to cheer up Olivia. He does not enjoy light-heartedness and is constantly criticising Sir Toby's 'misdemeanours' and Feste's humour with disapproval, cold and cutting. Throughout the play his language is pompous and superior, even when addressing Olivia. He does not speak in the same manner as the other servants and his expression is more like that of an aristocrat. He seems
Twelfth Night Act1 Scene 1 analysis
In Act1 Scene1, Count Orsino of Illyria is introduced; he constantly moans that he is lovesick, and wishes that "if music be the food of love," he could kill his unrequited love through an overdose of music. The way that he describes his feelings make him seem like a sensitive person. He shows these feelings for Olivia - The Countess. ''O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first, methought she purg'd the air of pestilence'' Orsino said this to Curio in Act 1, when they were talking about Olivia and how he desires to marry Olivia. When Orsino said that Olivia had ''purg'd the air of pestilence'' he means that she has purified the air around her. This phrase is a metaphor. Orsino shows disappointment when Olivia refuses his love but he doesn't give up that easily. This shows us that Orsino is a courageous character who shows his feelings openly. Right from the beginning of the play Orsino describes his love for Olivia and this makes the audience want more because they want to know what happens with their relationship. Shakespeare uses many language techniques to bring the play alive: * "O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou" In this quote, Orsino is saying how his love for Olivia is keen and hungry, and that he won't give up showing his love. * "The hart" In this quote Curio uses a pun or play-on language. This quote means that
What exactly is the purpose of Feste in 'Twelfth Night'?
English Shakespeare Essay What exactly is the purpose of Feste in 'Twelfth Night'? Although the role of Feste 'the clown' originally seems to be quite inconsequential in the play, he actually becomes vital to the play to hold and link it together. I am going to look at all his roles and purposes in the play, using evidence to support my opinions. Feste's original comedy role, although not being his main purpose, is still important in the play. He is the comic truth of the comedy. The irony of the play is, although he is portrayed as a fool, he often seems to be the wisest person in the play as he exposes the true fools. He sees the comedy behind many situations, proving other people to be the true fools, rather than him. Voila even comments on this behaviour: 'This fellow's wise enough to play the fool' (3:1:50) However, not every character in the play sees this. Feste's wisdom is also seen many times around Olivia. At one point Feste asks her what she is mourning about. 'The more fool, Madonna, to mourn for your brother's soul being in heaven' (1:5:58) Therefore, proving Olivia to be a true fool, to mourn a person whose soul is in heaven. This is also the first point we see Feste for more than just a fool, but as a wise man playing a fool and the comic truth. Adding a comedy in another way, Feste dresses up as Sir Topas, the curate, to prove someone else a fool;
Assess the importance of 'The Garden Scene' to the development of Twelfth Night. How successfully have you seen this translated into the production?
Shakespeare Assignment Tim Carrol's - 2002 production at the Globe Theatre And Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' Assess the importance of 'The Garden Scene' to the development of Twelfth Night. How successfully have you seen this translated into the production? The Garden Scene is one of the most important scenes in the development of Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night', whenever the play is presented, but different directors may choose to portray the scene in different ways. The scene does not directly affect the main plot of the play, but is very significant in the primary sub-plot. Malvolio, the conceited steward of Olivia, is conned by Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby Belch and Maria, Olivia's lady in waiting. A letter is written by Maria and left for Malvolio to find, suggesting that Olivia loves him. In this scene, Malvolio finds and reads the letter, secretly observed by Sir Toby Belch, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and Fabian. This scene could be regarded as one of the most comic scenes of the play; the audience is shown Malvolio overcome with happiness at the idea of Olivia's love, and the other characters views of his reaction. However, it becomes obvious that Malvolio has other reasons for wanting to marry Olivia. A marriage to her would significantly increase his social status 'to be Count Malvolio.' Malvolio's delight with the letter was shown very clearly in the stage production.
TWELFTH NIGHT COURSEWORK ACT 5 In the last act of the play the plot entanglements and confusions are not only sorted out
TWELFTH NIGHT COURSEWORK ACT 5 In the last act of the play the plot entanglements and confusions are not only sorted out but also reach their climax. To do this all the plots that have been occurring throughout the play are brought together in one final conclusion. The various plot entanglements are sorted out in what is generally thought to be a happy ending, for instance: - Viola, who is under the mistaken identity of Cesario, finally reveals her true identity because Sebastian has appeared therefore everyone else thinks they are seeing two Cesario's. By Viola doing this, she can finally reveal to Orsino that she loves him. Orsino too realizes his love for Viola and so Orsino and Viola are, at last, joined together. However, because Viola has done this, Olivia now realizes that she has, in fact, married Sebastian rather than Viola or Cesario as she first thought. This, at first causes a problem, but then Olivia and Sebastian realize that they really do love each other. Viola then explains that her women's clothes are with the captain that brought her ashore and helped her after the shipwreck. The captain has been imprisoned by Malvolio though. Olivia decides to get Malvolio to set him free, but she remembers that Malvolio, too, is imprisoned for madness. It is at this point that Feste appears with Malvolio's love letter to Olivia. Feste then proceeds to read it
What makes 'Twelfth Night' a Comedy?
What makes 'Twelfth Night' a Comedy? William Shakespeare wrote three types of play; tragedy, comedy and history. It is well known that "Twelfth Night" is a comedy, but why? It's not a tragedy because nobody dies during it. It's not a history because at the time it was not written in the past. It is neither of these so it has to be a comedy-but there has to be more to it; and there is... Right from the beginning of the play, humour is obvious to the audience. If not in a direct way then through the gift of music. In Act One, Orsino calls for music to feed his hunger for love. "If music be the food of love, play on;" He tries to use the music to make him feel better, to rid him of his depression because he is melancholy. Music is seen all over the world to portray any emotion someone is feeling at any given time. Happiness, though, is probably the most common emotion shown through music. Orsino loves music and in act one it is apparent to the audience that this is his obsession. In the countess Olivia's household, works Feste, a jester. He makes jokes and makes people laugh. "Well, go thy way; if Sir Toby would leave drinking, thou wert as witty a piece of Eve's flesh as any in Illyria." He has a gift for twisting the words spoken by superiors and fellow workers. You can't assume that because feste is called a Fool, he is foolish. There is often a lot of truth in what he
How does Shakespeare create and use comedy in the play Twelfth Night?
How does Shakespeare create and use comedy in the play Twelfth Night? Twelfth Night is a play written by William Shakespeare to be performed on stage. It was written at around 1600 and about half way through Shakespeare's career as a playwright. The first recorded production was given at the Hall of the Inner Temple, London in 1602. The play is known has 'Twelfth Night' because it was originally performed on the twelfth night of Christmas. The play was not officially named, but has a subtitle of 'Or What you Will' meaning whatever you want to call it. The play has many of the elements common to Elizabethan romantic comedy, including the devices of mistaken identity, separated twins, and gender-crossing disguise, and its plot revolves around overcoming obstacles to "true" love. The play uses many concepts of comedy and there are two main plots in the play, the main love plot and a comic sub-plot. The romantic main plot is based around confusion and mistaken identity. There is a love triangle at the centre of all the chaos. The three characters involved in the triangle are Orsino, Viola and Olivia. Viola loves Orsino, Orsino loves Olivia and Olivia loves Viola. Although all three of these characters claim to be in love only Viola is actually in love. Both Orsino and Olivia are in love with the idea and concept of love. Orsino claims to love Olivia but barely knows her