Twelfth Night

William Shakespeare
The Title
• “Before used to be “What you Will”
• Title removed
– John Marston premiered in play also “What You
Will”
• Second title chosen
– Twelfth Night after Christmas.
– 6th January- feast of Epiphany.
 Setting to the Play
• Very romantic and exotic
• Called Illyria
• Ancient region
– Found near Italy
– Today: Albania, Croatia,
Montenegro, Regusa
The Story Line
 The Beginning
• Orsino, duke of Illyria
• In love with Countess Olivia
• Olivia
– Sworn to avoid men’s company for 7 years- To
mourn for dead brother
• Rejects Orsino
 Group of sailors- shipwreck
• One of them Viola (survived)
– Mourns for loss of twin brother.
– Wanted to serve Olivia, but impossible
– Instead dresses as man, Cesario, to serve Orsino
 Orsino
• likes Cesario (believes is a man)
• But tells Cesario to woo Olivia on his behalf
– Viola Goes. But Unwillingly.
• She likes Orsino
• When she goes, Olivia falls in love with Cesario ,
Sends Malvolio with ring for Cesario.
Sir Toby, Maria and Sir Andrew’s
Plan

• Sir Toby- trying to fleece Sir Andrew of his

money
• All plotting to expose Malvolio’s self –love
– Use a false letter- trick into thinking Olivia likes
him
• In letter written to wear yellow stockings and cross-
garters
• Olivia- laughed when saw this
• Malvolio, shut himself in dark
 Viola And Sebastian
• Viola’s Twin Brother
– Sebastion
• Survived in shipwreck (went to Illyria)
• Sea captain, friend, wanted for piracy against Orsino
• Resemble each other
– leads to the jealous Sir Andrew
• Challenged Cerario to duel
• Antonio defended Cesario[thinks is friend of Sebation]
– Is Arrested
 The Truth
• Olivia met Sebation
– Became betrothed
• The Truth
– Cesario
• Accused of deserting Antonio and Olivio- when real Sebation
arrived to apologise for fighting Sir Toby.
– At that time Viola and Sebastian were together
• Olivia discovers the truth
• Orsino’s fool- Feste
– Brings letter from Malvolio and release conspirators,
confess having written the letter
– Malvolio, departed, promised revenge
 Ending
• Maria and Sir Toby
– Get married- in celebration of the success of
their device against steward
• Orsino
– Welcomes Olivia and Sebation
– Realises attraction to Cesario
• Promised that once dressed as a woman, they will
get married
 Character
s
Orsino Olivia
Sebastion

Cesario
[Viola] Malvolio Sir Toby Maria Feste

Sir
Andrew
 Viola
 After a ship-wreck that separates her from
her twin brother, Viola washes up on shore
in Illyria.
She decides to cross-dress as a boy and
takes a job at Duke Orsino's court. As the
page, "Cesario“.
She falls in love with the duke.
 Olivia
 She was mourning her dead brother.
She didn’t want to see any man because of
this reason.
She forgot about mourning when she saw
Cesario.
She later married Sebastian.
Sir Toby Belch
He was Olivia’s uncle.
He was fat and noisy.
He loved to drink.
He used to try to woo Maria (Olivia’s maid).
Later in the end of the play, he managed to
marry her.
He was in a plot to expose Malvolio’s self love.
 Sir Andrew
Aguecheek
He was a young knight.
He was rich and stupid.
He tried to woo Olivia.
He was Sir Toby’s drinking buddy.
He had a mop of fair hair and stammered
and twitched his cheek.
 Maria
 She was Olivia’s maid.
She cared for her mistress. She was her best
friend.
She was very witty and observant.
She was behind the plot to expose
Malvolio’s self love.
She later married Sir Toby.
 Feste
 He was Olivia’s Court Jester.
He was funny and a good mimic.
He used to sing and tell jokes, to entertain
Olivia.
 Malvolio
He was Olivia’s steward .
He was narrow minded humourless.
Not only was he humourless but also ,
much to Sir Toby’s annoyance, a kill joy.
He was also trying to woo Olivia.
 Sebastian
He was Viola’s twin brother.
He thought that Viola was dead and she
thought that he too was dead.
He resembled his sister very much.
His friend was Antonio.
In the end of the play, he married Olivia.
 The End...

By: Cristina Sutton

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