To pursue the thread of Viola's destiny; — she is engaged in the service of the Duke, whom she finds "fancy-sick" for the love of Olivia. We are left to infer for so it is hinted in the first scene that this Duke — who, with his accomplishments and his personal attractions, his taste for music, his chivalrous tenderness, and his unrequited love, is really a very fascinating and poetical personage, though a little passionate and fantastic — had already made some impression on Viola's imagination; and, when she comes to play the confidante, and to be loaded with favours and kindness in her assumed character, that she should be touched by a passion made up of pity, admiration, gratitude, and tenderness, does not, I think, in any way detract from the genuine sweetness and delicacy of her character, for " she never told her love.

Did it ever fail to charm or to interest, to seize on the coldest fancy, to touch the most insensible heart? Viola then is the chosen favourite of the enamoured Duke, and becomes his messenger to Olivia, and the interpreter of his sufferings to that inaccessible beauty.

Twelfth Night: Biography: William Shakespeare

In her character of a youthful page, she attracts the favour of Olivia, and excites the jealousy of her lord. The situation is critical and delicate; but how exquisitely is the character of Viola fitted to her part, carrying her through the ordeal with all the inward and spiritual grace of modesty! What beautiful propriety in the distinction drawn between Rosalind and Viola! The wild sweetness, the frolic humour which sports free and unblamed amid the shades of Ardennes, would ill become Viola, whose playfulness is assumed as part of her disguise as a court-page, and is guarded by the strictest delicacy.

She has not, like Rosalind, a saucy enjoyment in her own incognito; her disguise does not sit so easily upon her; her heart does not beat freely under it.

Twelfth Night: context links

As in the old ballad, where "Sweet William" is detected weeping in secret over her "man's array," so in Viola, a sweet consciousness of her feminine nature is forever breaking through her masquerade: The feminine cowardice of Viola, which will not allow her even to affect a courage becoming her attire — her horror at the idea of drawing a sword, is very natural and characteristic; and produces a most humorous effect, even at the very moment it charms and interests us. Contrasted with the deep, silent, patient love of Viola for the Duke, we have the lady-like wilfulness of Olivia; and her sudden passion, or rather fancy, for the disguised page, takes so beautiful a colouring of poetry and sentiment, that we do not think her forward.

The steward of the household is the conceited Malvolio. Olivia's handmaiden, Maria tries to quieten them but they take no notice. Malvolio catches them and blames Maria for allowing them to behave so badly in Olivia's house.

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Maria and the others plan to gets their own back by forging a love letter from Olivia to Malvolio. More confusion ensues with jealousy, mistaken Identity and fights and duels. Sebastian and Olivia fall in love and marry.

Shakespeare Summarized: Twelfth Night

Orsino realises that it is Viola that he loves and she agrees to marry him. Sir Toby Belch and Maria also decide to marry!


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Twelfth Night ends and everyone, except Malvolio, is happy and Shakespeare speaks of the madness of love. Information provided about the Twelfth Night play William Shakespeare never published any of his plays and therefore none of the original manuscripts have survived.

Introduction to Shakespeare's Viola from Twelfth Night

Eighteen unauthorised versions of his plays were, however, published during his lifetime in quarto editions by unscrupulous publishers there were no copyright laws protecting Shakespeare and his works during the Elizabethan era. Some dates are therefore approximate other dates are substantiated by historical events, records of performances and the dates plays appeared in print.


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Date first performed The first recorded production of Twelfth night February 2 In the Elizabethan era there was a huge demand for new entertainment and Twelfth Night would have been produced immediately following the completion of the play. As William Shakespeare clearly did not want his work published details of the play would have therefore been noted, and often pirated without his consent, following a performance. Most important characters The most important characters in Twelfth Night are: Details of this famous and other quotes follow, complete with information regarding the Act and the Scene, allowing a quick reference to the section of the play that these quotations can be found in.

Please click here for the full text of the script of the play.