Twelfth Night Flashcards
When was Twelfth Night written?
c. 1600 or 1601
What is Twelfth Night?
The last evening of Christmas celebrations. Twelfth Night was known as a “feast of misrule.” For the day, kings and nobles were to be treated as peasants, and peasants as kings and nobles.
What is Viola’s alias?
Cesario
Who is the Duke of Illyria?
Orsino
Who is Orsino?
The Duke of Illyria
Who is Viola’s twin brother?
Sebastian
Who is Malvolio?
The stuck-up steward at Olivia’s house. Maria, Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Feste trick him into believing Olivia is in love with him.
Who are Viola’s and Sebastian’s respective allies from the shipwreck?
Viola is helped and befriended by the Captain of the ship, and Sebastian is aided by Antonio, a sailor from Illyria.
Where does Twelfth Night take place?
Illyria
Why won’t Olivia hear Orsino’s suits?
She is in mourning for her brother.
What is the name of Olivia’s uncle?
Sir Toby Belch
Who is Sir Andrew Aguecheek?
A hapless suitor of Olivia’s
What is the name of Olivia’s serving woman?
Maria
What is the name of the fool?
Feste
Why does Orsino think Cesario will be able to convince Olivia of his love?
Because Cesario is effeminate in appearance
What is Viola’s objection to wooing Olivia?
She is in love with Orsino
What is Malvolio’s main flaw?
Too much self-love; he’s pompous
What causes domestic strife at Olivia’s house?
Sir Toby Belch is often drunk and loud
What token, by way of Malvolio, does Olivia give to Cesario?
A ring (symbol of sex and marriage). Upon receiving the ring, Viola realizes the complex love triangle that has developed.
What is Maria’s main physical characteristic?
She is short
How does Maria propose they trick Malvolio?
She boasts that she can imitate Olivia’s handwriting perfectly. She proposed they write a love letter telling him Olivia is in love with him and asking him to do ridiculous things.
This is another kind of twinning.
Why does Malvolio want to marry Olivia?
He wants to rise in rank and be rich
What are the four ways “Olivia’s” letter requests Malvolio shows his affection?
- Being surly with the servants
- Wearing yellow stockings,
- Crossing his garters at the knee
- Smiling all the time.
What kind of stockings does Malvolio wear to please Olivia?
Yellow and cross-gartered
Who says “I am not what I am”?
Viola (as Cesario) explaining why she cannot return Olivia’s love
What does Sir Toby convince Sir Andrew to do to win Olivia’s affection?
Challenge Cesario to a duel
Why does Antonio have to stay in hiding?
He once fought in battle (very successfully) against Orsino. He is a wanted man - and he does get arrested.
What affect does Malvolio following the instructions of the letter have on Olivia?
She is annoyed at first, and then becomes concerned that he might be going mad.
Why does Sir Toby want Sir Andrew to stay in town (and hence why does he go to all the trouble of his duel machinations)?
He wants to continue leeching off of Sir Andrew’s money
What is Cesario’s reaction to Sir Andrew’s challenge?
That he is too cowardly for a fight, and didn’t mean to offend anyone.
Who interrupts Sir Andrew and Cesario as they are about to duel?
Antonio, who mistakes Cesario for Sebastian
When does Olivia marry Sebastian?
After she comes across him dueling Sir Andrew. Mistaking him for Cesario, Olivia intervenes. Unlike Viola, Sebastian has no objections to Olivia’s affections.
Who is Sir Topas?
Sir Topas is the “great scholar” Feste imitates while the servants have Malvolio locked away.
What second trick do Maria et al. play on Malvolio?
They lock him in a dark room and gaslight him hardcore.
How does Malvolio try to extricate himself from the situation in the dark room?
He writes a letter, which he then begs Feste to deliver to Olivia.
It works; she says that the letter does not sound like it was written by a mad person.
What is “most wonderful”?
That Sebastian and Viola are twins; everyone else is shocked at the seemingly miraculous similarities between the two. Said by Olivia.
