Twelfth Night (18 page)

[
Exit
]

Exeunt
[
all, except Feste
]

[
Exit
]

F = First Folio text of 1623, the only authority for the play

F2 = a correction introduced in the Second Folio text of 1632

F3 = a correction introduced in the Third Folio text of 1663

Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor

SD = stage direction

SH = speech heading (i.e. speaker’s name)

List of parts
= Ed

The play opens with music, a significant motif associated particularly with poetic expressions of love such as Orsino’s opening speech. He describes the moment when his “eyes did see Olivia first,” introducing the themes of sight and perception. Valentine reports that Olivia refuses to hear Orsino’s suit, as she is in seven years’ mourning for her brother. She is “veilèd,” “like a cloistress,” introducing the motif of dress and associated themes of disguise, concealment, and identity. Orsino reasons that if Olivia feels so much for a brother, she will feel even more for a lover.

Viola, shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria, fears that her brother has been drowned. The Captain reassures her and tells her about Orsino’s love for Olivia and how Olivia “will admit no kind of suit.” While acknowledging that appearances can deceive, as “nature with a beauteous wall / Doth oft close in pollution,” Viola decides to trust the Captain. She asks him to help her disguise herself as a young man.

Lines 1–92:
Sir Toby Belch defends his intemperate behavior but Maria tells him he should “confine” himself “within the modest limits of order,” introducing a recurrent image which involves either literal confinement in clothes or rooms, or more metaphorical confinements of manners and social roles. Sir Toby’s punning on “confine” and Maria’s responses set the comic tone for the exchanges among this set of characters, and reveal Maria’s sharp wit. Maria
scolds Sir Toby for his “quaffing and drinking” and for bringing Sir Andrew Aguecheek to the house to woo Olivia, as “he’s a … fool.” Sir Andrew arrives and instantly proves her point; his foolishness makes him a figure of fun throughout the play.

Lines 93–125:
Sir Andrew announces that he intends to leave because Olivia refuses to see him and he believes she’ll accept Orsino’s suit. Sir Toby encourages him not to go, arguing that Olivia will not “match above her degree, neither in estate, years, nor wit,” raising the question of social status. Sir Andrew agrees to stay “a month longer” and confesses how much he enjoys “masques and revels.” Sir Toby encourages him to “caper,” arguing that it is in their nature to do so being “born under Taurus,” thus raising another theme—fate and the influence of the stars.

Viola, now disguised as “Cesario,” has become a favored page of Orsino, who singles him/her out to speak privately. In conventionally poetic language Orsino describes how he has “unclasped” the “book” of his “secret soul” to Cesario/Viola, and sends him/her to court Olivia on his behalf. Cesario argues that he will not be admitted, but Orsino is confident that his youth will aid him and gives an ironically sensual description of the boy which reinforces the complicated nature of gender and sexual attraction explored throughout the play. He describes Cesario as so young he is almost feminine, with “smooth and rubious” lips and a “small pipe” for a voice, adding that Cesario’s “constellation” makes him right for the task. Although she agrees to go, Viola reveals in an aside another reason for her reluctance: she is in love with Orsino herself.

Lines 1–155:
Maria questions Feste about where he has been, saying that Olivia is displeased by his absence and will turn him away, but he refuses to say. Olivia arrives and Feste engages in “good fooling,”
using the riddles and wordplay of his trade to please her and prevent her from throwing him out. Despite his role as “clown,” he is intelligent and perceptive: his fooling often contains reason and truth, as he says to Olivia “I wear not motley in my brain,” a reminder of the difference between appearance and identity. He wins Olivia round by suggesting that she is foolish to mourn for a brother whose soul is in heaven. Olivia comments that Feste improves but Malvolio cannot understand why she “takes delight in such a barren rascal” and she accuses him of having “a distempered appetite.” Maria reports that there is “a fair young man” at the gate wishing to speak to Olivia, who sends Malvolio with instructions that, if the youth is from Orsino, she is “sick, or not at home.” Sir Toby comes in, drunk, and Olivia instructs Feste to look after him; he comments that “the fool shall look to the madman,” one of many references to madness in the play, often as a parallel to love. Malvolio reports that the young man insists on speaking with Olivia, who relents but veils her face.

Lines 156–295:
The encounter between the two women, one veiled and the other disguised, visually reinforces the themes of concealment and identity, as does Viola’s claim that “I am not that I play.” Viola, as Cesario, begins to deliver Orsino’s speech, commenting on how “well penned” it is, thus emphasizing its contrived, conventional nature in comparison with her own passionate extemporized speeches later in the scene. She/he defeats Maria’s attempts to throw her out and secures a private interview with Olivia, persuading her to show her face, praising her beauty but condemning her pride. She/he tells her that Orsino loves her “With groans that thunder love, with sighs of fire.” Olivia acknowledges Orsino’s good qualities: he is “virtuous,” “noble,” and “gracious,” but she “cannot love him.” Olivia becomes more interested in the messenger, questioning him about his parentage, and encouraging him to come again. After Cesario leaves, it becomes clear that Olivia has fallen in love with “him,” creating a humorous situation of mistaken identity/gender and perhaps commenting on the shallow or arbitrary nature of romantic love. She sends Malvolio after the youth with a ring, pretending it was an unwanted gift from Orsino.

Antonio has cared for Sebastian since rescuing him from “the breach of the sea,” but Sebastian decides he must now leave and refuses to allow Antonio to accompany him because the “stars shine darkly” and are an evil influence over his fate. He reveals his true identity and talks of his twin sister, Viola, who he believes is drowned. He describes her, placing particular emphasis on the likeness between them, thus establishing the potential for further complications and confused identities. Sebastian intends to go to “Count Orsino’s Court” and, despite having enemies there, Antonio decides to accompany him.

Malvolio returns the ring to Cesario/Viola but she/he does not tell him the truth about it, realizing that Olivia has fallen in love with Cesario. She/he expresses sympathy, claiming that Olivia had “better love a dream,” and reiterating the illusory nature of her present identity. She emphasizes the unnatural state of affairs by describing her female–male identity as a “poor monster” and summarizing the problem: as a man, her love for Orsino is hopeless, but as a woman, Olivia’s love for her is “thriftless.”

Sir Toby and Sir Andrew are drinking late. Feste arrives and his quick-wittedness contrasts with Sir Andrew’s genuine foolishness. Feste sings a wistful song that reflects some of the themes and events of the play. They begin singing a “catch” together when Maria interrupts to tell them to be quiet or Olivia will send Malvolio to turn them out. Sir Toby responds with raucous popular songs when Malvolio appears and rebukes them for being drunk and noisy. He pompously tells Sir Toby that despite being Olivia’s kinsman he will be thrown out if he does not behave. Sir Toby reminds Malvolio he is only a steward. Feste leaves and Malvolio accuses Maria of encouraging them by allowing them alcohol. After he has gone, Sir Andrew
threatens to fight a duel with him but Maria claims she has a better plan: Malvolio is “an affectioned ass” who aspires to high status and she will use this “vice” against him. She plans to drop in his way a letter she has forged in Olivia’s handwriting that will convince him his mistress is in love with him.

Orsino, still indulging in his unrequited love, calls for music from Feste, who spends his time in both households. Orsino discusses love with Cesario/Viola, in a conversation that is fraught with ambiguity and dramatic irony, as Viola is forced to discuss love as though she were a man. She/he acknowledges that she/he is in love when prompted, but cannot say with whom. The conversation is charged with erotic undertones, which again raises questions about gender, identity, and the nature of attraction. Feste sings a melancholy love song and Orsino orders Cesario to plead once more with Olivia on his behalf. When Cesario suggests that Orsino should accept that Olivia does not love him, as a woman would have to whom Orsino was unable to love, he declares that there is a difference between men’s and women’s love. “[N]o woman’s sides,” he claims, “Can bide the beating of so strong a passion.” Cesario relates how his “father had a daughter loved a man,” who concealed her love and, as a result, “pined” with a “green and yellow melancholy.” When Orsino asks if she “died … of her love,” he receives the ambiguous answer: “I am all the daughters of my father’s house, / And all the brothers too.”

Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Fabian conceal themselves in a “box-tree” to watch Malvolio’s response to the forged letter. Malvolio enters, imagining his future life as Count Malvolio, especially the power he would have over Sir Toby. The indignation of his concealed audience creates comedy, as does the dramatic irony of the situation. Malvolio finds the letter Maria has carefully prepared to trick him and recognizes “Olivia’s” handwriting. He painstakingly and vainly deduces
that it is for/about him and that Olivia is in love with him. The letter urges him to wear yellow stockings and cross-garters, to spurn Sir Toby, and to smile continually in Olivia’s presence as a sign of his love, all of which he resolves to do as he exits. The others come forward and Maria arrives, explaining that Olivia hates yellow stockings and cross-garters and is in no mood to be smiled at constantly. They go to watch the effects of the plan.

Cesario/Viola arrives and, after a quick-witted exchange with Feste, gives him money. Sir Andrew admires Cesario’s courtly language toward Olivia, who orders all the others to leave. Cesario continues to plead for Orsino but Olivia confesses it is Cesario she loves. She/he responds with pity, swearing that “no woman” will ever be mistress of her heart.