The strands of the play are brought together by the fact that all the characters have congregated on one place (Olivia’s garden). This is a good setting as it allows some plots to still be separate while the characters are still in the same place and it means that characters can come between the plots so they can come together more smoothly. But for a long time the overriding feeling is one of confusion created by the interaction of the characters on stage as they attempt to figure out all the uncertainty. Shakespeare leaves the audience in suspense they are waiting for the happy ending however have to wait while the characters unravel the misunderstandings.
It is the first time that we have seen Orsino and Olivia on stage at the same time (which adds to the significance of the dialogue between them) and it quickly becomes clear that there is no chance of love. She acts very coldly towards him which allows the audience to feel sympathy towards him when before they may have felt as though he was a love sick fool. This sympathy will vary according to the interpretation of the play and how it is performed as his brutality in the treat towards Cersario may be more apparent than his hurt at Olivia’s words.
This meeting also lets the confusion of violas true identity to come to a head as Olivia announces her marriage to Cersario. Confusion reigns as viola protests that it is not the case which only serves to make Orsino angrier at her betrayal. He threatens Olivia mainly in his language by saying “I’ll sacrifice the lamb that I do love to spite a raven’s heart within a dove”. This is a powerful rhyming couplet which will be remembered by the audience. The image of a raven typically associated with death inside a dove a symbol of peace is a contrast to when Olivia first appears on the stage and Orsino’s reaction is “now heaven walks on earth”. While the audience knows that Olivia married Sebastian and not viola the characters are unaware of this and the dramatic irony adds tension to the scene as the audience watch the event unfold.
A powerful part of the scene follows as sir Toby rejects Sir Andrew ands shows his true colours by insulting him “will you help- an asshead and a coxcomb and a knave, a thin faced knave, a gull?” Sir Andrew is also angry because he was lead to believe that he had a chance to woo Olivia but she has now married Sebastian. This is the last time the audience sees these characters and it is far from the anticipated joyful ending. The audience however may feel that these characters that have missed out on love and happiness deserve for their harsh treatment of Malviolio. We learn that Sebastian has beaten both of them in a duel although the characters continue to believe that is was Cersario. Yet more confusion which adds to the entertainment of the audience.
Sebastian appears and the identity problem is resolved at the same time the twins are reunited. This is an emotional reunion for the two characters and the audience would no doubt feel some of the love they are supposed to have for each other. “An apple cleft in two is not more twin that these two creatures. No one can believe the evidence of their own eyes and Orsino compares them to a distorting mirror which makes one image two. The audience do not share the bewilderment of the characters and are left in suspense as the twins question each other.
There is a joyful resolution where Orsino hints at his love for viola although he doesn’t directly admit his feelings. “Boy, thou hast said to me a thousand times thou never shoudst love a woman like to me”. Sebastian suggests that nature has brought the two couple together. However the audience is still thinking about the characters that have bee left out. This may b Shakespeare morale for the play.
The characters on stage recall malvolio who discovers that he has been tricked by Feste Maria and sir Toby. The last the audience hears of him is the threat of revenge which tarnishes the happiness just found. While the audience have felt sympathy for him before now this may turn to dislike as may be it was partly his fault that the joke happened.
The scene ends with festes song the wind and the rain. He is able to make both sense and nonsense from words but a lot of what he says can be interpreted. Orsino calls him "her corrupter of words" but the song is fairly simple and creates the of picture the world being on stage. It has a distancing effect reminding the audience that the play is not real life.
“Twelfth Night” begins in trouble and carries on throughout the play up until the final act and as most of his trouble is caused by love that is the centre of the play however the ending is not entirely joyous as it is mixed with despair. But as Shakespeare didn’t stick rigidly to rules this still may be seen as an satisfying conclusion to the play.
