Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare (l. c. 1564-1616), written between 1600 and 1601 and first performed on 2 February 1602. As suggested by the title's allusion to Twelfth Night – the night before the Epiphany celebrations – it is considered one of Shakespeare's most festive plays, dealing with themes of love, merriment, and gender.
Sources & Themes
Probably written sometime between 1600 and 1601, Twelfth Night was first performed at the Middle Temple of London on 2 February 1602 at Candlemas. The play, as scholar David Bevington observes, is perhaps the most festive of Shakespeare's comedies, conveying feelings of "Saturnalian release and the carnival pursuit of love and mirth" (184). Indeed, the play's very title conjures up images of festivity, as Twelfth Night – 6 January, the Feast of Epiphany – traditionally marks the end of the Christmas celebrations. During the Elizabethan period, the twelve days of Christmas were full of revelry, as noble households would sponsor banquets, masked balls, performances of plays, and many other activities. Much as had been the case with the holiday's pagan precursor, the Roman Saturnalia, Twelfth Night saw many of the "stern rigors of a rule-bound society" temporarily give way to a spirit of "gift giving, sensual indulgence, and satirical hostility to those who would curb merriment" (Bevington, 184). This sentiment is embodied by Sir Toby Belch's famous line: "Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?"
Aside from the holiday itself, Shakespeare drew inspiration from several sources. One of the most significant was the tale 'Apollonius and Silla' from a 1581 collection of stories by Barnabe Riche. Riche's story has much in common with the plot of Twelfth Night – from a shipwrecked woman disguising herself as a man to a case of mistaken identity caused by a twin brother. However, while Riche's original story is a cautionary tale warning against giving in to reckless infatuation, Shakespeare keeps his play more light-hearted, minimizing the harm done to the characters while retaining the theme of the irrationality of love. Shakespeare also drew heavily from the 1531 Italian play Gl'ingannati ("The Deceived Ones"), from which he found the blueprints for many of the characters in the comedic subplot including that of Malvolio, who is introduced in the Italian play as 'Malevolti' ('evil-faced'). The plot point dealing with the counterfeit letter, however, seems to be Shakespeare's original idea.
Of the themes explored in Twelfth Night, one of the more obvious is that of love and its irrationality. Both Duke Orsino and Lady Olivia begin the play too bogged down by love to engage with life's pleasures; Orsino, pining for Olivia's affections, refuses to go hunting, while Olivia, grieving for her dead brother, shuts herself off from the world. It is only through the charming and determined Viola that they are taught to experience love in a way that connects them to the world. Gender is another important theme, most clearly expressed in Viola's decision to disguise herself as a man named Cesario (to add another layer to this theme, it is worth remembering that the first actor to play Viola would have been a boy). Elements of same-sex love are also present: Olivia falls in love (albeit unknowingly) with the female Viola, while Antonio's attachment to Sebastian has often been viewed through a romantic lens. While gender roles and homosexuality were not understood in Shakespeare's time in the same way they are today, these themes are certainly worth considering when studying the play.
Act I
The play opens in the land of Illyria at the court of Duke Orsino, who is lying around listening to music. The duke is lovesick, pining for the hand of a noblewoman, Lady Olivia, who will not have him; indeed, Olivia will not entertain any marriage offers at all because she is deep in mourning over the recent death of her brother and has shut herself off from the world. Sighing, Orsino listens to the music, his reactions reflecting the constantly changing mood of a heart in love:
If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken and so die.
That strain again! It had a dying fall;
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odor. Enough, no more.
'Tis not so sweet now as it was before.
(1.1.1-8).
As Orsino mopes, a violent storm causes a shipwreck off the Illyrian coast. One of the survivors is Viola, a young woman from Messaline, who washes ashore alongside a kindly sea captain and some sailors. Viola had been travelling with her twin brother Sebastian, who is nowhere to be found. She fears that he has drowned, but she is reassured by the captain, who claims that he saw Sebastian clinging to a broken mast and suggests he may have survived. While this gives Viola cause to hope, she is nevertheless stranded in a strange land and asks the captain for information about Illyria. He tells her about Duke Orsino, and Viola decides to make her way to his court and seek employment as a page. To do so, she will have to disguise herself as a man, which the captain agrees to help her do. Before long, Viola has presented herself at Orsino's court, disguised as a young man named 'Cesario'. After only three days, she has become the duke's favorite page and is entrusted with his most important mission – delivering his love messages to Lady Olivia. The duke believes that his words will be better received coming from such a beautiful youth as 'Cesario'. Viola agrees to carry his messages, though by now she has fallen in love with Orsino herself.
Meanwhile, at the household of Lady Olivia, we are introduced to her uncle, a fat and festive old man named Sir Toby Belch. He has just come back from a night of heavy drinking and is greeted by a serving woman, Maria, who tells him that Lady Olivia is quite upset at his behavior and warns him that "quaffing and drinking will undo you" (1.3.14). Sir Toby brushes off her concerns and introduces her to his drinking companion, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a bumbling knight that he has brought to Illyria to win the hand of Olivia. Sir Andrew quickly makes a fool of himself, failing to charm Maria; after she exits, he tells Sir Toby that he is discouraged that Lady Olivia will ever marry him and that he will leave tomorrow. Sir Toby – who has secretly been spending Sir Andrew's money – convinces him to stay, flattering him that Olivia would never marry above her 'degree' and that he still stands a good chance. The two then go on to compare notes about their dancing.
Another member of Olivia's household is her clown, Feste, who is sneaking back after a long period of absence. He is confronted by Maria, who scolds him for being absent and warns him that he may be hanged for his insolence. Feste, showcasing his bawdy wit, retorts that "a good hanging prevents a bad marriage" (1.5.19). Lady Olivia arrives, accompanied by her rigid steward Malvolio, and orders her servants to take the fool away. Feste changes the subject; noting that Olivia is veiled and dressed in black mourning garb, he asks why she is grieving to which she replies it is for her brother. When Feste laments that his soul is in hell, Olivia protests that she knows he is in heaven. "The more fool, madonna," Feste slyly replies, "to mourn for your brother's soul, being in heaven" (1.5.67-68). Olivia is charmed by the clown's response and decides not to punish him, much to the displeasure of Malvolio, who wonders how anyone could be delighted with "such a barren rascal" (1.5.81-82).
It is at this moment that Viola – still disguised as Cesario – arrives, bearing Orsino's love message. She begins to recite the words the duke has written but is interrupted by Olivia, who says that she has heard it all before. Unwilling to give up, Viola changes tactics and tells Olivia what she would do if she were as lovestruck as Orsino:
Make me a willow cabin at your gate
And call upon my soul within the house;
Write loyal cantons of contemned love
And sing them loud even in the dead of night;
Hallow your name to the reverberate hills,
And make the babbling gossip of the air
Cry out 'Olivia!'
(1.5.263-269).
Her words are too effective; Olivia becomes smitten, not with Duke Orsino, but with this eloquent young page before her. The lady says that she still does not love Orsino but asks Viola to return and tell her how the duke has taken her rejection. No sooner has Viola left, than Lady Olivia sends Malvolio after her with a ring, as a token of her attraction.
Acts II & III
At the start of Act II, it is revealed that Sebastian – Viola's twin brother – has also survived the shipwreck. He has been taken in and cared for by a sailor named Antonio, who has grown quite fond of him. Sebastian assumes that Viola is dead and decides that there is nothing left for him to do but to venture to the court of Duke Orsino. He sets out, but Antonio cannot bear to let him go alone and decides to follow, even though he has enemies at Orsino's court. Meanwhile, Malvolio catches up to Viola and gives her Lady Olivia's ring. Viola is quick to understand that Olivia has fallen in love with her after believing her to be a man, and laments, "Poor lady, she were better love a dream" (2.2.26).
Back at Olivia's house, Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Feste stay up late, drinking and singing songs. Maria comes by and tells them to be quiet, lest Olivia throw them out of the house, but the group ignores her and keeps singing. Before long, Malvolio enters and scolds them for treating Olivia's house like an "ale-house" (2.3.89). He warns Sir Toby that if he does not mend his ways, he will be sent away, even if he is Olivia's kinsman. This annoys Sir Toby, who famously defends his merrymaking by retorting, "Dost thou think because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?" (2.3.114-115). Malvolio then turns on Maria, who has been quiet this whole time, berating her for keeping company with these scoundrels before stomping off. This enrages Maria, who has had enough of Malvolio's self-righteous ways. She concocts a plan to get back at him: she will mimic Olivia's handwriting to write a love letter, thereby tricking Malvolio into thinking that Olivia is in love with him.
The next day, Maria leaves the letter along the garden walk where Malvolio will find it, as Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Fabian – another of Olivia's servants – hide behind a tree. Malvolio enters, musing on a daydream in which he is married to Olivia and master of the house, and is lecturing 'cousin' Toby on his bad behavior. He sees the letter and reads it aloud; just as Maria intended, he believes it is from Olivia and that she is confessing her love for him. The letter tells Malvolio to smile often and dress himself in yellow stockings and wear his garters crossed, for such a costume is pleasing to her. Believing that his wildest fantasy is about to come true, Malvolio proclaims: "I will be strange, stout, in yellow stockings / and cross-gartered, even with the swiftness of putting on" (2.5.167-169). After he leaves, Maria laughingly tells her compatriots that Olivia loathes the color yellow and hates the cross-gartered fashion.
Viola – still disguised as Cesario – returns to Olivia's house with more love messages from Orsino. Olivia cannot resist confessing her love for the youth, but Viola politely refuses her, admitting, "I am not what I am" (3.1.141). Olivia is distraught by the rejection but is determined to keep wooing the youth. After Viola leaves, Olivia summons Malvolio, believing that his usual sullen mood would match her own. She is shocked, therefore, when Malvolio enters with a huge smile plastered on his face, cross-gartered and in yellow stockings. He prances about and alludes to the letter he believes the lady has written, leading Olivia to think he has lost his mind. Sir Toby, Maria, and Fabian enter, pretending to be worried about Malvolio, and Olivia consigns him to their care.
Sir Andrew, meanwhile, has noticed the affection Olivia has shown to 'Cesario' and has become discouraged, and once again threatens to leave. Sir Toby – who is still leeching off Sir Andrew's money – convinces him stay by telling him he can win Olivia's heart by challenging 'Cesario' to a duel. Sir Andrew agrees, and they find Viola in an orchard. Sir Toby approaches her, telling her that Sir Andrew has challenged her and that he is "a devil in private brawl" (3.4.237-238). Viola, who has never held a sword before, is terrified, but so is Sir Andrew, who tries to offer his horse as a bribe if 'Cesario' will not fight him. The two frightened combatants face each other and are about to fight when Antonio enters. Having followed Sebastian all the way here, he mistakes Viola for her twin and steps in to stop the duel. The commotion attracts the duke's officers, who recognize Antonio as an enemy of the duke and arrest him. As he is being taken away, Antonio implores Viola to give him back the money he lent her but, of course, she does not know what he is talking about.
Acts IV & V
Near Lady Olivia's house, Feste encounters Sebastian who he accosts, believing him to be Cesario. As Sebastian tries to explain to the clown that he has no idea what he is talking about, Sir Andrew arrives and – also confusing Sebastian for the page – strikes him. Sebastian, who is clearly less averse to fighting than his sister, beats Sir Andrew with the hilt of his dagger, crying, "Are all the people mad?" (4.1.26). At this moment, Olivia appears and once again proclaims her love for Cesario. Sebastian is greatly confused but is nevertheless delighted by the lady's romantic entreaties and agrees to go with her. Later, at Olivia's house, Sebastian assures himself that neither he nor the lady are mad but still expresses his wonder at this turn of events. Olivia then asks him for a betrothal, to which he consents.
Sir Toby and Maria, meanwhile, have locked Malvolio in a small, dark chamber. They send Feste in to mess with him, disguised as a priest named Sir Topas. As Sir Topas, Feste tries to convince the steward that he is insane – when Malvolio says that he cannot see because the room is too dark, Feste responds that the room is full of bright windows and light. Malvolio begs for a chance to prove his sanity, leading Feste to pose a pseudo-intellectual question about Pythagoras' opinion on the soul, refusing to let Malvolio out until he shares Pythagoras' opinion. While Sir Toby and Maria are amused at Malvolio's misery, they worry that the prank is going too far and might get them in trouble with Lady Olivia. They send Feste back to Malvolio, this time without disguise. The hapless steward begs the clown for paper and ink so he might write Olivia a letter proving his sanity, and Feste agrees to help him.
As Act V begins, Duke Orsino has resolved to go to Olivia's house himself and arrives alongside Viola – still dressed as 'Cesario' – and his servants. His officers soon enter, dragging along Antonio. Orsino, recognizing him as an honorable foe from his past, asks him what led him to enter Illyrian territory, to which Antonio recounts how he rescued and befriended Sebastian; still believing Viola to be her brother, he lashes out at her for pretending to not know him. Before Viola can respond, Olivia enters, wondering where 'Cesario' has been: has he already forgotten he has promised to marry her? Orsino is shocked, believing that his page has betrayed him by wooing Olivia behind his back. Heartbroken, he tells Olivia he ought to kill 'Cesario' for his treachery, to which Viola cries out that she would die a thousand deaths to give Orsino rest for she loves him. As if everyone was not already confused enough, Sir Andrew runs on, accusing 'Cesario' of having beaten him and Sir Toby bloody.
It is at this moment that Sebastian enters, apologizing to Olivia for having beaten up her kinsman. Everyone is shocked to see Viola and Sebastian beside one another, with Antonio pointing out that "an apple cleft in two is not more twin than these two creatures" (5.1.223-224). The twins turn toward each other and joyfully embrace. Viola, having been revealed to be a woman, reaffirms her love for Orsino, who forgets all about Olivia and asks to see Viola in her female garb. After this reunion, Malvolio's letter is remembered, and the poor steward is brought in. The plot against him is revealed when the servant Fabian, driven by guilt, recounts how and why the prank had been played. Malvolio storms off, swearing revenge. Orsino then announces that preparations will be made for the double marriage between him and Viola, and Sebastian and Olivia. Everyone exits except Feste who sings one last merry song about growing up.
