P9-13 WS questions Flashcards
Describe Illyria.
Illyria is a prosperous land (green and golden), of thatched cottages, neat as
well‐combed children of gracious mansions and the noble palace of the Duke.
“If music be the food of love,” he sighed, gazing through his windows towards the lady’s
house, “play on, give me excess of it…”
A) Who is ‘the lady’
B) Why does he want an excess of music
A) Countess Olivia
B) Because Duke Orsino loves/is infatuated with Olivia but is frustrated in his
courtship of her. He wants an overabundance of love so that he may lose his
appetite for it (and stop “suffering”)
Why will Olivia ‘have nothing to do with Duke Orsino or with any of his sex’?
As she is in mourning for her deceased brother for seven years
Describe the relationship between Olivia, Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew Aguecheek.
Sir Toby Belch is Olivia’s uncle and friend of Sir Andrew Aguecheek who wishes to
marry Olivia.
Why is Viola in Illyria? Is she an only child?
A tempest crashed her vessel and she washed up on Illyria, separated from her (presumed dead) twin brother, Sebastian.
“Far out at the sea, a sudden and fearful tempest sprang up. Huge winds came boiling out of black clouds and tossed, until at last caught between two roaring walls of water, it cracked and split”
How is language used to describe the devastating power of the tempest? (i.e. literary techniques, specific words to depict the tempest”
The use of sibilance to mimic the sounds of the sea reinforces the image of the
tempest and the use of sound devices in ‘roaring’, ‘cracked’ and ‘shrieking’ affirms the
destruction of the tempest.
The simile in ‘vessel, frail as paper’ illustrates just how feeble the boat was in comparison to the tempest.
What does Viola do once she arrives in Illyria? Does she keep her identity? If not, what does she do?
She disguises her as a man called Cesario and enters the Duke’s service as a page.
Why is it ‘a bitter errand’ for Viola to plead Orsino’s love before Olivia?
Because Viola loves and wishes she is the one to receive Orsino’s declaration of love but he loves Olivia.
“She dismissed her maid and leaned forward so that her eyes sparkled like stars within
the night of her veil.”
A) Who is the maid?
B) Why is Olivia willing to allow Viola into her presence?
C) How does Viola offend Olivia?
A) Maria
B) Because viola is persistent and would not live Olivia’s home. Viola’s manly boldness (which is bolder than Orsino) intrigues her.
C) By asking her to remove her veil which makes Olivia want to prove to her that she is in fact a beautiful woman.
Why can’t Olivia love Duke Orsino?
Because she is in mourning and then falls in love with Cesario (Viola in disguise)
“Run after that same peevish messenger,” she told him with a calmness that she herself
marveled at. “He left this ring behind him… tell him I’ll none of it.”
A. Who is ‘him’ and why does Olivia send ‘him’ after Viola?
Olivia asks Malvolio (Olivia’s steward) to return the ring that belongs to herself to
Cesario/Viola so that she would have to return since Olivia “longed for him to come
back”.
B. Why does Olivia describe Viola as ‘peevish’?
As she didn’t want any suitors and Viola was the messenger Orsino sent to woo
A. Olivia asks Malvolio (Olivia’s steward) to return the ring that belongs to herself to
Cesario/Viola so that she would have to return since Olivia “longed for him to come
back”.
B. As she didn’t want any suitors and Viola was the messenger Orsino sent to woo Olivia
