Erisha Bardalez 5\12\2022

Literature 4 Arts
Essay

In the play Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare the exception of

Feste, all the inhabitants of Illyria strike us as being very foolish. The
nature of the folly that grips Olivia, Orsino and Malvolio the characters
in the play will be explored along with the means by which Feste tried to
show each of the characters the folly of their behavior and how Feste
contributes to the prevailing comic tone of the play. Techniques are seen
throughout the play; one dramatic technique is Irony that is used to
highlight the comedy in the play.

Feste is a secondary character who plays the role of a fool/clown in

Illyria. He had encounters with Olivia, Malvolio and Orsino. It is normal
to mourn the death of a loved one but for couple of years can be a bit
much, Feste showed Olivia the folly of her behavior when conversing
with her asking her what she was mourning about which of course the
countess was mourning the death of her brother which she vowed to do
for 7 years. The point Feste was trying to make was why would you
mourn someone who has already passed and is in heaven.
(Shakespeare,2020,pg 47 states “Madonna, why mourns’t thou?” Olivia-
“ fool my brother”... “The more fool madonna, mourning for your
brother's soul….Olivia-take away the fool”) (Act 1 scene 5)Olivia was
caught in her own folly. Malvolio being so uptight and all mighty
blocked fun for others called Feste a barren rascal which Feste was
employed as a clown which he was obliged to speak whatever he
maltreated Malvolio with his own words making him the fool dressed up
as Sir Topaz when following Maria, Sir Andrew and Toby to trick
Malvolio. (Shakespeare, 2020,pg states “Satan”!! Act 5 Scene I) was the
words uttered out of Feste’s mouth towards Malvolio which he was
bewildered thinking it was the real Sir Topaz decreasing his confidence
and exposed h is folly, being caught up because of being foolish and
Feste enjoying. Orsino understood love different than others, the
foolishness of Orsino behavior is seen when the Duke proclaimed
(Shakespeare,2020,pg 29 states “if music be the food of love, play
on…give me excess…that…the appetite may sicken and so die”) (Act I
scene 1) but then says his love can never be fulfilled. Feste foolishness is
by that of desire for truth which the desire cannot be pleased.

Feste contributes to the prevailing comic tone of the play by his foolish
acts and tricky language skill to make mockery, tell jokes, entertain, and
sing songs that basically clowns himself. He is the wisest out of all the
characters but is overlooked. This is seen when Feste told Orsino that he
is unstable and mood is changeable so changeable that he should
consider matching clothes. When Feste mocked Maria about bad
marriage that there should be many good hanging (Shakespeare,2020,pg.
45 states “Many good hanging prevents a bad marriage”) Feste was the
only one who recognized that Ceasrio was actually a female. Also
dressing as sir Topaz to fool Malvolio (Shakespeare, 2020, pg 135 states
“Tell me how thy ladies does..” Act 1 Scene 5)

Dramatic techniques are seen entirely in Twelfth Night. The irony is

situational irony in which Olivia fell in love with Viola/Cesario after
Duke Orsino sent he/her to woo the countess but fell for Cesarion the
supposedly handsome young boy. Also when Viola received the ring
when visiting Olivia she realized what she's in and said
(Sakespeare,2020,pg 41 states“My master loves her dearly… I am a
woman.. It is too hard of a knot for me to tie” Act II scene II).
In conclusion Feste humor is used to tell the truth of other characters
despite it being a joke. His significance is quite important as people find
the truth hard to deal with and not accepting of it which Feste always
brought the truth to light. Feste’s contribution to the play is that of a
comic tone and showed each of the characters the foolishness of their
behavior.