Twelfth night play by william shakespeare

                        Twelfth night

Be not afraid of greatness. Some are. born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them."

 Writer introduction:

         William Shakespeare (bapt. 26[a] April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship.

Major character:

- Duck Orsino

- Olivia 

- Viola (cesario)

- Sebastian

- captain 

- Uncle Toby

- Maria

- Malvokio

- Antonio

Context and Background:

    Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare that is believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck.

Plot:

Duke Orsino of Illyria is in love with Olivia, but his advances are rejected. A shipwrecked Viola arrives on his shores, and with the help of a Captain, disguises herself as a boy, calling herself Cesario, and enters Orsino’s service. Orsino takes to Cesario, and sends ‘him’ to woo Olivia for him. Viola, however, is already falling in love with Orsino.

Cesario arrives to woo Olivia, and Olivia falls in love with ‘him’. She rejects Orsino’s approach, but asks Cesario to return. Orsino discusses the nature of love with Cesario, and sends ‘him’ again to Olivia, who confesses her love for Cesario, much to ‘his’ dismay. Meanwhile, Viola’s twin brother Sebastian, also a casualty of the shipwreck, arrives in Illyria with the help of Antonio, a sea-captain and former enemy of Orsino. Sebastian looks around the town, and Antonio gives him his purse to use, deciding to stay at the inn for safety.

encouraging Sir Andrew, his drinking-companion and source of funds, to woo Olivia. While carousing with Olivia’s fool Feste late one night, they quarrel with Malvolio, and with the help of Olivia’s maid Maria, they decide to trick him. Maria writes a letter to Malvolio, forging Olivia’s handwriting, to make Malvolio think Olivia loves him. The letter asks Malvolio to dress and behave in eccentric ways.

Toby, Andrew, and Fabian observe Malvolio opening the letter and absorbing its contents. He approaches Olivia according to the letter’s instructions, and she thinks him mad. Toby arranges for him to be confined in a dark room. Later, he gets Feste to disguise himself as a priest, Sir Topas, to taunt Malvolio. Malvolio writes a letter of complaint to Olivia.

Meanwhile, Andrew prepares to leave the house, having seen Cesario apparently being more successful with Olivia, but Toby persuades him to stay, and to challenge Cesario to a duel. Sir Toby separately informs Andrew and Cesario that the other is a ferocious fighter, and they approach each other with trepidation. They are about to fight when Antonio arrives, intending to defend Cesario, whom he has mistaken for Sebastian. Antonio is arrested by officers who recognize him as Orsino’s enemy. He asks for his purse from Cesario, who of course professes no knowledge of it.

Feste is sent to bring Cesario to Olivia, but encounters Sebastian instead. They meet Andrew, who strikes Sebastian, thinking him to be Cesario, and Andrew is beaten for his pains. Olivia arrives to stop a fight between Sebastian and Toby. Sebastian is immediately taken with her. Thinking him to be Cesario, she is delighted that he has finally responded to her advances, and they go off to be married.

Orsino is told by Cesario of Antonio’s arrival, but when Antonio is brought before him and asserts that he has been with Cesario for some time, Orsino thinks him mad. Olivia arrives, and again rejects Orsino’s advances. As he and Cesario prepare to leave, Olivia insists on Cesario staying, and calls him her husband. When Cesario denies it, she presents the priest as confirmation. Orsino is enraged, thinking Cesario has betrayed him. Toby and Andrew pass by, having just been severely beaten by Sebastian. Sebastian then arrives, and the twins delightedly recognize each other. Everyone is amazed, Viola’s true identity is revealed, and she and Orsino decide to be married.

Feste delivers Malvolio’s letter to Olivia, and he is brought from his cell. Fabian reveals the nature of the trick played upon him, and Malvolio leaves vowing revenge on them all. They all prepare for celebration, leaving Feste to bid the audience farewell.

Theme:

- Love as a Cause of Suffering

- The Uncertainty of Gender

- The Folly of Ambition

- Love and Desire

- Disguise and Deception

- Gender and Sexuality

 My viewpoint:

      The overall point of view of Twelfth Night is dramatic, but it follows certain characters more than others, encouraging the audience to sympathize with their particular perspective and sensibility.its focus on complicated issues of gender, class, and same-sex attraction make it relevant to our current cultural moment.

Thank you 😊.