Feste Quotes Flashcards
Introduction of Feste: Act 1 scene 5:
‘‘Let her…….’’
'’Let her hang me.’’
Act 1 scene 5:
‘‘those that are……, let them use their…….’’
'’those that are fools, let them use their talents.’’
Act 1 scene 5:
‘‘Many a……..prevents a…….’’
'’Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage;’’
Act 1 scene 5:
‘‘For what says……..’Better a…..than a……’’
'’For what says Quinapalus ‘Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.’’
Act 1 scene 5:
‘‘Take away…….’’
‘‘take………..!’’
'’Take away the lady.’’
‘‘take her away!’’
Act 1 scene 5:
‘‘as i wear not…… in my…..’’
'’as i wear not motley in my brain.’’
cucullus non facitmonachum; that’s as much to say, as I wear not motley in my brain.”
(Act 1, Scene 5)
The Latin phrase translates as ‘the cowl makes not a monk’. This is an Early Modern equivalent to the phrase ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’.
Feste is saying that just because he is employed as a fool it does not mean that he is stupid. He may wear the motley of a jester but he is worldly-wise.
Act 1 scene 5:
‘‘The more fool,……, to mourn for your………, being in……Take away the……,……’’
'’The more fool, madonna, to mourn for your brothers soul, being in heaven. Take away the fool, gentlemen’’
The more fool, madonna, to mourn for your brother’s soul being in heaven.”
(Act 1, Scene 5)
This is an example of Feste’s awareness. He sees the foolishness of Olivia’s stubborn mourning for her brother when, we can argue, he is in a better place.
His role as a fool allows him to say to her what other characters cannot, because he exists outside of social boundaries.
Act 2 scene 3:
(sings) ‘‘your……..coming, That can…..both…..and…..’’
(sings)
‘‘your true love’s coming, That can sing both high and low.’’
Act 2 scene 4:
(sings)
‘‘come…..,come…..,…….’’
‘‘I am….. by a fair……..’’
‘‘A thousand………sighs to….’’
(sings)
‘‘come away, come away, death’’
‘‘I am slain by a fair cruel maid.’’
‘‘A thousand thousand sighs to save.’’
Youth’s a stuff will not endure.”
(Act 2, Scene 3)
Although Feste’s dialogue is peppered throughout with wit, there is a melancholy tone to much of it. His songs repeatedly refer to winter, ageing and death.
This may reflect his role as an outsider; although the outcome of the play has an impact on every other character, he is untouched by it. His life will not change.
Act 2 scene 4:
‘‘and…..will be…..,one time or……..’’
'’and pleasure will be paid, one time or another’’
Act 2 scene 4:
‘‘for thy……is…very…..’’
'’for thy mind is a very opal’’
Act 3 scene 1:
‘‘words are…..so……’’
'’words are grown so false’’
Act 3 scene 1:
‘‘I am….. not her……, but her…..of……’’
'’I am indeed not her fool, but her corrupter of words’’
Act 3 scene 1:
‘‘send…..a…..!’’
'’send thee a beard!’’
Act 3 scene 1:
‘‘This fellow is……to play……..’’
'’This fellow is wise enough to play the fool’’
Act 3 scene 1:
‘‘This is a……’’
‘‘As full of….. as a………’’
'’This is a practice’’
As full of labour as a wise mans art’’
Act 3 scene 1:
‘‘Foolery, sir, does…..about the….. like the…., it shines……’’
Omniscient awareness
“Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun, it shines everywhere”
(Act 3, Scene 1)
Again we see Feste’s omniscient awareness. He knows that although he is the one who carries the title of Fool, there are many more foolish characters than him populating the play.
The audience may relate to this as we see the behaviour of the other characters and see how easily they are fooled by tricks and disguises. Feste serves as our representative in the play.
Act 4 scene 1:
‘‘nor your….. is not…….; nor this is not…., neither. Nothing……so, is….’’
'’nor your name is not Master Cesario; nor this is not my nose, neither. Nothing that is so, is so.’’
Act 4 scene 2: (sir topas disguise)
‘‘Well, I’ll put it…..and I will…….in’t’’
'’Well, I’ll put it on and I will dissemble myself in’t’’
Act 4 scene 2:
‘‘Why, it hath…….transparent as….’’
'’Why, it hath bay windows transparent as barricadoes’’
Act 4 scene 2:
‘‘I say there is no……but….’’
'’I say there is no darkness but ignorance’’
Act 4 scene 2:
(sings)
‘‘She…..another -‘’
'’She loves another -‘’
Act 4 scene 2:
‘‘But as well Then you are….., indeed. if you be no better……..than a….’’
'’But as well? Then you are mad, indeed, if you be no
better in your wits than a fool (IV.ii.)
Here, Feste is speaking to Malvolio, who has been locked away in prison for his erratic behavior, which has been construed as madness. Malvolio insists that he is in fact sane and that he possesses as much wit as the next man, including Feste. Hearing Malvolio, Feste pounces on the opportunity to strike back and avenge Malvolio’s previous insults. Until this point, Malvolio has been openly dismissive of Feste because he plays the role of fool or jester, and even goes so far as to suggest that wise men who delight in the company of fools are no better than the fools’ “zanies,” or students. Feste can now rub it in, contending that if Malvolio has as much wit as a “fool” like him, then he really must be mad. In a sense, Feste is now using Malvolio’s logic against him. Again, this line speaks to the various interpretations of what it means to be a fool in Twelfth Night, suggesting that the distinction between wisdom, foolishness, and madness is quite fluid.
Act 4 scene 2:
(In priests voice)
‘‘Malvolio,……, thy wits the………!’’
'’Malvolio, Malvolio, thy wits the heavens restore!’’
