The twelfth night summary

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Twelfth night summaryRead more @ http://shakespearequotesandplays.com

The twelfth night summary indulges in this Elizabethan comedy of events revolving around

deceit, gender disguise, separated twins, mistaken identity and unrequited love. Most

characters in the twelfth night also called “or what you will’ are defined by the representations

of their dual personalities. The play is full of several literary devices namely dramatic irony

which enhances the comical effect.

The Twelfth Night Summary Act I

A rich noblewoman, the countess Olivia decides to mourn for seven years over the recent death

of her brother. This doesn’t bode well for Orsino the reigning duke of Illyria who is trying to

woo her. The opening scene begins with one of Shakespeare most famous metaphoric quotes

widely used in drama today, “If music be the food of love, play on!” (act i,i)

Meanwhile we learn that a shipwreck has separated Viola from her twin brother Sebastian. She

finds herself in Illyria and upon realizing that she cannot serve Olivia she disguises herself as a

boy and serves Orsino instead.

The first act introduces the audience to the comical element in the play consisting of sir Toby

Belch Olivia’s cousin, a drunkard and his eccentric friend Sir Andrew Aguecheek whom Toby

constantly manipulates to pursue Olivia’s so that he can get a hand on Aguecheek’s wealth.

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Viola disguised as Cesario gains favor with the duke Orsino and soon becomes his favourite

companion. Orsino instructs Cesario (Viola) to woo the lady Olivia on his behalf. Viola now

totally in love with Orsino reluctantly carries out his instructions to represent him at Olivia’s

residence.

While Olivia is pleased at her jester for insinuating that her brother is now in heaven, her

steward Malvolio who is an arrogant, self indulgent and narcissistic man scolds rebukes him. It

is Olivia who describes his nature with an alliteration saying “O your are sick of self love

Malvolio and taste with a distemper’d appetite” (act i, v)

Cesario (Viola) seeks an audience with Olivia who finds herself attracted to Him. She explains

why she can’t return Orsino’s affections but cleverly asks cesario to return again as she wanted

to know the Duke’s reaction to her refusal. When Cesario leaves, she sends Malvolio after him

on the pretext of returning a ring to him as a sign of her love.

The Twelfth Night Summary Act II

Viola’s brother Sebastian has also survived the shipwreck and believing Viola his sister to be

dead, makes his way to Orsino’s court accompanied by his friend Antonio who is a wanted man

in Illyria. Sebastian laments to Antonio using a pun to describe his feelings saying “She is

drowned already, sir, with salt water, though I seem to drown her remembrance again with

more” (act ii, 1). Although she is drowned in the sea, the sad memory of her death continuously

unfolds in his mind time and again.

Meanwhile Malvolio rudely returns Cesario’s ring which confuses Cesario (Viola) as he did not

recall giving the lady Olivia any ring. Malvolio also informs him that Olivia wishes him to return

as she requires confirmation that Orsino has finally accepted her refusal of love.

Olivia’s ploy strikes Cesario who realizes that Olivia is attracted to him. Cesario is now worried

and hopes future events may clear up the mess. Cesario (Viola) delivers an apt soliloquy on

love. She refers to time as an apostrophe hoping time will unravel the confusion. “O, Time, thou

must unravel this, not I; It is too hard a knot for me to untie. (act 2.2.)

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Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and fester the clown are having a late night drinking session. Despite of

Olivia’s maid Maria warning them, they continue their revelry till Malvolio warns them he will

inform Olivia. Malvolio ends up threatening to make Olivia displeased with Maria if she doesn’t

quiet them down. This enrages Maria who connives with the three men to make a fool of

Malvolio. They would write a fake letter addressed to Malvolio from Olivia making him believe

that Olivia is in love with him.

This gets the Groups attention and they quiet down as all of them hold utter contempt for

Malvolio. They plan to hide in a secluded spot so they can watch Malvolio find the letter and

watch his reactions for their own amusement and his humiliation

Orsino and cesario discuss the pangs of unrequited love. Cesario describes Orsinos character

but he does not realize that cesario is actually Viola and in love with him. Cesario uses one of

the plays most descriptive metaphors for depression describing how unrequited love has left

her in a state of “a green and yellow melancholy, she sat like patience on a monument smiling

at grief’ (actii, iv). Shakespeare uses both a metaphor and a simile where the term ‘a green and

yellow melancholy’ is likened to the bilious state of depression.

Throughout the play Orsino uses poetic imagery to describe love but he does it best in these

liens for women are as roses, whose fair flower, being once displayed, doth fall that very hour”.

(act ii, 4)

Although Orsino learns from Cesario that Olivia doesn’t love him, he does not intend giving up.

This time he sends Cesario to Olivia with a jewel symbolic of his love hoping that would sway

her heart.

In Olivia’s residence. Maria, Sir Toby and group prepare to fool Malvolio. Without even finding

the fake letter, Malvolio contemplates the possibility of Olivia being in love with him. When he

finds the letter, he puts himself on a pedestal making his popular speech “Some are born great,

some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." (act ii, v). the letter goes

on to say that Olivia would like to see him wearing yellow stockings and they should be cross

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gartered too as this would surely attract Olivia. Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony and self

deception is well reflected in the example of Malvolio’s characterization.

Maria explains to the hiding spectators that Olivia hates yellow stockings.

Twelfth Night Summary Act III

Cesario (Viola) meets with Olivia again. Despite of Cesario trying to convince her not to love

him, she will not be deterred. She admits that the ring was a ploy to make him return

Meanwhile a depressed Sir Andrew Aguecheek plans to leave knowing he can never get Olivia.

Sir Toby and Fabian convince him to challenge Cesario to a duel knowing full well that both are

incapable of dueling. Meanwhile Maria is all smiles in letting the men know that Malvolio is

actually wearing yellow cross gartered stocking for Olivia’s supposed benefit. They should come

and watch the comic spectacle

Antonio explains to Sebastian why is he still wanted for theft in Illyria and gives his wallet to

Sebastian saying to meet him in a boarding house called ‘the elephant’

Olivia now smitten by Cesario plans to woo him. However, she sees Malvolio dressed in the

comical way and calls him mad because even as she is rude with him he still misinterprets her

words as love for him. She likens his condition to ‘midsummer madness’ and tells her servants

to take him away. Instead, Sir Toby, Maria and Fabian, Olivia’s servant plans to have fun with

him.

Sir Toby’s devilish scheme of planning a duel between Cesario and Sir Andrew Aguecheek

succeeds and they duel each other. In a comical twist, Antonio arrives on the scene and

thinking cesario to be Sebastian he fights Sir Andrew on his behalf but Antonio is captured by

Officers. When he asks Cesario for his purse, he feels Sebastian’s has tricked him.

The Twelfth Night Summary Act IV

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The comedy now twists and turns in a series of confusing events as Sebastian is mistaken by all

and sundry for Cesario (Viola). Sir Andrew on finding Sebastian hits him thinking him to be

Cesario but Sebastian a well built man retaliates to the horror of Sir Toby who stops him. When

Sir Toby begins to fight with Sebastian, Olivia screams at him to stop. She pleads with Sebastian

to forgive Sir Toby for his misdemeanor and Sebastian is now thoroughly confused

He is totally taken up with the beautiful woman who mistakes him for her lover and he too falls

in love with her. They get married secretly in a chapel.

Meanwhile more comical events unfold with Feste the clown teasing Malvolio in a dark room

where he is being kept under suspicion of being mad. Ultimately fester allows him to write to

Olivia mentioning that he is a sane man.

The Twelfth Night Summary Act V

Confusion and Chaos reigns in the climax of the play as players end up blaming the twins for

each other’s actions. Antonio on meeting Cesario asks him to return his wallet accusing him of

betrayal. The audience learns that Antonio was previously a pirate and a wanted man in Illyria.

He tells Orsino that Cesario was his companion for almost 3 weeks which confuses Orsino.

Olivia arrives on the scene addressing Cesario (Viola) as her husband accusing him of neglect.

Orsino plans on punishing Cesario for betrayal too. Cesario (Viola) is accused of a third betrayal

by Olivia who feels Cesario would rather be punished than escape with his wife.

It is in this scene that Shakespeare baffles his audience at the ambiguity of the duke’s

statement planning to kill Cesario saying “ill sacrifice the lamb that I do love’’ (act v, i). In that

moment Sebastian arrives and everyone is amazed in wonder. The twins then recognize each

other and Viola reveals her true identity to the Duke. The Duke then regards Olivia as a sister

and takes viola instead to be his wife.

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Meanwhile Malvolio shows Olivia her letter only to be confirmed by her that it is actually

Maria’s handwriting and he has been fooled. Malvolio storms out in contempt of everyone.

Feste the clown ends the play with a song.

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The twelfth night summary

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