Twelfth night was written

Malvolio has been subjected to this trickery because of his 'snobbishness' towards Maria, Sir Toby and Andrew. If he had spoken to them in a more polite manner then they wouldn't of been forced to play the trick on him, despite Malvolio keep telling Sir Toby that he will have power over him one day.

Malvolio is so easily fooled because he is very vain, arrogant and quite pompous, even though he is willing to do almost anything for the people he loves. I think the audience would feel quite embarrassed for him, even though he deserves it. He continues to wear the clothes that the letter instructed him to do and he carry's on with his cheerful manner. On the other hand people might feel sorry for him because the characters who are not involved in the joke result to calling Malvolio insane and he is locked up away from the world.

When Malvolio read the letter he was convinced that it was from Olivia because the writing of Maria's is identical to that of Olivia's. He knows that the letter is for him although he doesn't properly read through it, but because he is so arrogant he wonders that it really could be possible for Olivia to be in love with him.

'M,O,A,I for everyone of these letters are in my name.'

The letter has instructions in which they want him to respond to. It tells him to wear yellow stockings with cross gartered and to be rude to the other servants. In the play it quotes,

'Remember who commanded thy yellow stockings and wished to see you cross gartered; I say, remember.'

'Go to, thou art made if thou desirest to be so if not, let me see thee steward still, the fellow of servants, and not worthy to touch fortunes fingers.'

I think that the audience would find this scene a lot more amusing if he was to drop the letter and fall over trying to pick it up. Although the way in which he reads it could be quite amusing if it is read in the right manner, or one that would really reflect on his personality. For example if he was to day dream about the little details that he wants to get upto with Olivia.

If I had to stage Act 2 Scene 5 I would put Malvolio centre stage with Sir Toby, Signor Fabian and Sir Andrew at the back of the stage hiding behind props, occasionally popping out pulling faces to things that they agree and disagree with. Sir Andrew and Sir Toby could dress in white as if they where ghosts and stand behind Malvolio pretending that he cannot see them. They could lash out at him because he is so much of a fool, he would think nothing of it. Malvolio should walk around using all the stage, traipsing up and down day dreaming about his future life with Olivia.

The trick was successful as Malvolio says,

' I will smile; I will do everything that thout wilt have me.'

This means Malvolio does as he was instructed to do and when Olivia sees his outrageous behaviour she thinks he's insane and locks him away.

I think the audiences sympathies would now go to Malvolio because although he deserved the trick they'll be asking, should it really of gone this far? After all he is in love with the woman.

I think an Elizabethan audience would be less sympathetic than a modern audience because they would only see him as he is and maybe not take his feelings into consideration whereas nowadays people would probably think that it was a good joke but it shouldn't of gone that far.

By Grace Share

10CC