English Literature - Twelth Night - Twelfth Night - William Shakespeare - Notes

“Twelfth Night” – A Romantic Comedy Play by Shakespeare

Notes

Sources of the Play:

A number of earlier works have been mentioned as sources of the plot in Twelfth Night.  Some Italian dramas present the confusion of twins, and the wooing by proxy where in the lady falls in love with a disguised page. The story of Apolonius and Silla is one of the tales in Barnaby Riche’s “Farewell to the Military Profession”, which seems the closes direct source. Shakespeare may have drawn hints for the characters of Sir Andrew, the foolish gentleman; Maria, the witty servant and Malvolio, the sanctimonious “Puritan”, from the newly popular comedy of humors introduced by Johnson.

Background of the Play:

The background of the origin of the drama “Twelfth Night” seems interesting thought does not have any proofs. Leslie Hudson points out that in the year 1600 Queen Elizabeth was visited by 28 year old Don Virginio Orsino, Duke Bracciano.  On this occasion she wanted a play with rich apparel, great variety and change of music and dancing. Hence, prior to the appointed time, the Queen’s Chamberlain, Baron Hunsdon commissioned Shakespeare to write a play for the occasion. Shakespeare made it ready by the eleventh day and presented for the enjoyment of the Queen and the distinguished Duke, the comedy ‘Twelfth Night’.  As a pretty compliment, Shakespeare namedthe Duke within the play, Orsino. The real Duke had boy and girl twins, which might have suggested the thought of showing twins in ‘Twelfth Night’. Yet, we still lack real proof that Shakespeare’s play was part of the Duke’s entertainment. 

Theme of the Play:

Love and its fulfillment are primary in Shakespeare’s romantic comedies. They are usually with unfamiliar remote, distant setting, Music, Jest and finally, a happy ending.  Twelfth Night  is a typical Shakespearean comedy with all these romantic elements.

Love is the theme of this play.  The play is a study of love on various planes.  Altogether there are eight lovers in the play presenting forth various shades of love.  First of all, there is the sentimental love, in other words, weak and unconstant love of Duke of Orsino. He considers his infatuation towards Olivia as true love. Towards the end of the play, he renounces Olivia without a sigh and quite easily, and without any regret transfers his love to Viola. 

Then, there is hasty and passionate love – love at first sight of Olivia for Viola disguised as Cesario.  She sends a ring to Viola. As soon as Sebastian (Viola’s twin brother) agrees to be married to her, she calls the priest and gets married to him then and there.

The love of Viola is true, sincere and self-sacrificing. Disguised as Cesario, she gets employment as Duke’s page. She falls in love with the Duke Orsino at first sight, but let it grow gradually. She performs her duties honestly. She acts as a messenger to Olivia, on behalf of the Duke whom she loved. She represents Shakespeare’s ideal of love. Her purity, tenderness and self-sacrificing devotion serve as a model to all lovers. 

In addition to the main plot, there are subplots of love which provides humour. Malvolio is sick of self-love.  Sir Andrew’s love for Olivia is ridiculous and foolish.  Sir Toby loves Maria for her wit and marries her.

Structure of the Play/ Plot of the Play:

The plot of Twelfth Night consists of a serious main-plot and a comic under-plot. The two have been interlinked with great skill and effect. The main plot is the love story involving Olivia, Viola, Orsino, and later on Sebastian; the sub-plot is the conspiracy against Malvolio, involving the rest of the characters. 

The action in Act I brings most of the important characters except Sebastian on the stage, and starts the love-triangle between Olivia, Viola and Orsino. Act II and part of Act III continue the second stage, the complication in both plots:  Olivia’s love for Viola complicates the main action; Malvolio is duped by Maria’s letter, and disgraces himself before Olivia; and the duel between Sir Andrew and Viola is arranged. 

The climax of the action is reached in Act III, scene-iv.  Here, Sebastian’s entrance stops the duel and starts the series of confusion between the twins, giving hope to Viola for setting all right. Act IV and part of the last act form the resolution or falling action; Sebastian is wedded to Olivia, Malvolio is humiliated in the cell, and the twins are further confused. The return of Sebastian in the last act brings the conclusion by the double wedding announcements, the revelation of the conspiracy against Malvolio, and the return of the wounded Sir Toby and Sir Andrew.  The play, like all other comedies, ends on a happy note. 

Diction or Language of the Play:

The Twelfth Night is a mixture of prose and poetry. 

(i)            Prose: Most of Twelfth Night is in prose of the various kinds and uses of prose, the following are note-worthy:

a)    The prose style of the comic characters, such as Sir Toby, Feste, Fabian and Malvolio:

b)    The colloquial prose – dialogue of Sebastian and Antonio

c)    The witty brilliant prose of high comedy as in Viola’s first meeting with Olivia;

d)    The prose of formal documents, as in comic characters’ letters to each other.

(ii)           Poetry: Roughly one-third of the play is written in the blank verse measure, unrhymed iambic pentameter of ten syllables. The verse is fixable, it contains many run-on-lines, incomplete lines, and lines with irregular, noniambic feet.  Rhymed couplets occur in the play, usually to stress upon an emotion. 

‘Twelfth Night’ as Romantic Comedy/ Typical Shakespearean Romantic Comedy:

‘Twelfth Night’ is a typical Shakespearean romantic comedy. Music and love, drinking and fun, practical jokes and riot of laughter are a part of any Shakespearean Comedy. The main object of Shakespearean comedy is to present innocent pleasure and delight. All these elements appear in this play also. The setting of the play is romantic, that is, it is remote and unfamiliar.  The scene of action is Allyria, an imaginary country.  The Duke Orsino is a lover of music. 

The whole atmosphere of the play is full of love. The love affairs are not just limited to the main-plot, but are extended to the sub-plot also. The Duke is love sick and is in love with Olivia.  Viola falls in love with the Duke and wants to marry him.  Both Malvolio and Sir Andrew are in love with Olivia; whereas Olivia is in love with Cesario (Viola in disguise). But she mistakes Sebastian for Cesario (Viola in disguise) and gets hurriedly married to him. When Viola’s true identity is disclosed, the Duke accepts her as his wife. Sir Toby is married to Maria. Thus, in the end, every one and the heroine are united with each other happily. 

In Shakespeare’s comedy, women always hold the front of the stage. In this play, it is Viola who is the body and the soul of the play; She is the both hero and the heroine of the play. 

IMPORTANT CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY

1. Viola:

Viola is the heroine of the main plot in the play Twelfth Night.  She is one of the most charming heroines of Shakespeare’s comedies.  Of the three major characters of the play, she is the most appealing. Her situation wins the sympathy of the audience.

Viola belongs to a well known and noble family. She is the twin-sister of Sebastian. Due to a Ship-wreck she gets separated from her brother and enters the kingdom of Illyria.  She changes into a man’s dress and becomes the Duke Orsino’s page.  With her intelligence and skill in music and singing, she wins the Duke’s quick favour. She becomes Duke’s close confidant and companion.  She maintains dignity in resisting Olivia’s advances.  She is dignified towards Sir Toby who bears the challenge for the duel. 

Viola has a charming personality. Almost all the characters in the play acknowledge her charm and good behaviour. Viola shows loyalty as a page to the Duke in her disguised role of Cesario.  She is even willing to prove her loyalty to the Duke by her death.

Viola has a heart capable of deep and pure love. Her love for the Duke is constant, deep and entirely selfless. Her love for her brother is as intense as that of Olivia, but she makes no show of it. In short, Viola is the heart and soul of the play.

2. Olivia:

In the ‘Twelfth Night’ play, the character of Olivia is more complex than that of Viola.  Her personality is more changeable in temper and emotion.  In the play, she is not introduced directly, but by repeated references in the first scenes. The Captain, Maria and Sir Toby furnish the audience with information about her character.

Viola is a beautiful, wealthy and high-ranking countess. She lost her father and brother. She is proud and ridiculous too. She administers the estate herself. She is firm, but kind with her servants. In every respect, she is the most ideal match for the Duke. But she rejects his love.

There are more inconsistencies in Viola’s conduct. Foolishly she vows to mourn her brother’s death for full seven years, but owing to her fickle-mindedness, she breaks the vow. After rejecting the Duke, she falls in love with his page (Viola in disguise as Cesario). She hastily marries Sebastian mistaking him for Cesario (Viola in disguise). She is not affected by discovering that she is married to Sebastian instead of Viola, but easily transfers her love to him.