Twelfth Night

Introduction

Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s strongest plays. Yet, it is also a comedy, which brings in its own strange rules. Be patient with this play and it will reward you.

Sections

  

 

Twelfth Night: Act I, Scenes 1,2,3

Introduction

As the play begins, we are in the dead land, pinned between two feuding houses.

Act I, sc. 1

Answer the following questions fully.

1. Complete the phrase: "If music be the food of love,____________" What does this mean? Would you say that this is a normal phrase or a head-swelled ego phrase? Explain.

 

 

 

2. What pun is in the very first page?

 

3. Who is Orsino pursuing?

 

4. What has recently happened to Olivia? How long will she mourn?

 

5. Does this turn Orisino off or turn him on? Explain.

 

Act I, Sc. 2

Answer the following questions fully.

 

1. What country are we in?

 

2. What has just happened?

 

3. Knowing the audience Shakespeare often had, why would he repeat the information about Orsino and Olivia in scene ii?

 

4. What does she ask her Captain to do for her?
   

 

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, Continued

 

Act I, Sc. 3

Answer the following questions fully.

  1. 11. Who is Toby related to?

    2.  

  2. What is Toby's problem? Who has he brought around to pay for his excesses?

    3.  

  3. What is the pun on the word "natural.”?

    4.  

  4. What does Andrew thing the word "accost" means?

    5.  

  5. What is a caper?

    6.  

  6. Why does Toby want to keep Andrew around awhile?

Thought

Viola makes an odd decision in changing genders. Why might that make sense?

Twelfth Night: Act I, scenes 4,5

Introduction

Viola worms her way into the feud and thinks get weird.

Act I, Sc. 4

Answer the following questions fully.

1. Who is Cesario? How could a servant has Cesario been?

 

2. What mission is the Duke sending Cesario on?

 

3. Why will Olivia "attend it better" from Viola?

 

4. What is the problem that Viola is in?

Act I, sc. 5

Answer the following questions fully.

1. Why is Maria mad at the fool?

 

2. What are some of the jests the fool tries on Olivia to lighten her spirits? Does it work?

 

3. How does he prove her the fool?

 

4. What is Malvolio like?

 

5. What is a drunk like?

 

6. How is Viola "Not what she seems."?

 

 

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, Continued

 

Cont.

7. How did Viola get a hearing?

 

8. What joke does Olivia make on her beauty?

 

9. How would Viola love Olivia, were it her choice?

 

10. What is Olivia's developing problem? What does she give him?

 

Twelfth Night: Act II, scene 1,2,3,4

Introduction

Confusion and mad plots began to reign over the small country.

Act II, 1

Answer the following questions.

1. What has happened to Sebastian?

 

2. What sort of attraction does Antonio hold for Sebastian?

Act II, Sc. 2

Answer the following questions.

1. Time is somewhat relative in this play. When should this scene occur? Why doesn't it (a very practical reason).

 

2. Why is Olivia giving Viola a ring?

 

3. Complete the phrase "Such as we are made of _______________"

What does it mean?

Act II, sc. 3

Answer the following questions fully.

1. What time is it about, when Toby and Andrew are drinking?

 

2. Why do they like the fool? What is the fool paid to do?

 

 

3. What sort of song does the fool sing for them? Why does that song get them sad?

 

4. Finish the line "Youths a stuff_____________"

 

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, Continued

Continued

5. What are the three men doing when they sing a "catch"

 

6. What is Malvolio's attitude when he arrives?

 

 

7. What does Toby mean by the "Cakes and ale" line?

 

8. What is Maria going to do to get the men out of trouble?

 

9. What is her plan?

 

10. What sense of Sir Andrew do you get from the line "I was loved once, too."?

Act II, sc. 4

Answer the following questions.

1. What does the constantly running music tell you about the Duke?

 

2. What is the joke in the line "of your complexions"

 

3. How does Orsino define male love? How did Olivia describe it two scenes ago?

 

 

4. What is Feste's song like? What does the Duke do immediately after the song?

 

 

 

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, Continued

 

Continued

5. What does the Duke send Viola to do? How does Viola answer him?

 

6. According to the Duke, can any woman love as much as he can? What does that say about him?

What sad thought does Viola tell Orsino? What does that almost give her the courage to do? What does she say that almost reveals it?

 

Twelfth Night: Act II, sc. 5 and Act III, scenes 1 & 2

Introduction

Malvolio gets to dream a little dream.

Act II, Sc. 5

Answer the following questions.

1. Who is Fabian (besides a 50's movie star)?

 

2. What does Malvolio want? (Please Quote)

 

3. Where are Toby, Andrew et al while Malvolio is talking to himself. When they speak, what does the audience see?

 

4. What is malvolio imagining himself doing?

 

5. What two weaknesses does the Line "Some rich jewel" and "quenching my familiar smile" show about Malvolio

 

6. How is the hooking of Malvolio like the catching of a fish?

 

7. What does M.O.A.I. signify?

 

8. What does the phrase "crush this a little..it would bow to me." mean?

 

9. Complete the phrase "Some are born great _________________________

_______________________" How does Malvolio take this

 

10. What other instructions does the letter give to Malvolio

 

 

11. Should there be any special emphasis on the line "I am happy."

 

12. How will Olivia react to this?

 

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, Continued

 

Act III, sc. 1

1. Why does the fool rather his sister did not have a name?

 

2. What does Viola say to compliment the fool?

 

3. Why does the line "I pity you." have some extra meaning.

 

4. What does Olivia reveal to Viola

 

5. What are some of the word games Viola plays with Olivia?

 

 

6. Please do a brief full summary of this scene (on back)

 

Act III, sc. 2

Answer the following questions.

1. How does Toby try to convince Andrew of Olivia's love for him?

 

2. What does Toby mean when he says "You are now sailed in the north of my ladies opinions?"

 

 

3. What is Andrew going to do?

 

4. Where does Maria call them to?

Twelfth Night: Act III; scenes 3,4

Introduction

Now, we get the twins going.

Act III, sc. 3

Answer the following questions thoughtfully.

1. According to Antonio, why did he bring Sebastian along?

 

2. Why is Antonio in danger in the town?

 

3. Where will they be staying?

4. What does Antonio give Seb. his purse?

Act III, sc 4

Answer the following questions thoughtfully.

1. What is wrong with Olivia at the beginning of this scene? Why does she want Malvolio?

2. What does Malvolio look like?

 

3. What line does Malvolio misinterpret? How might an actor ham that line up.

 

4. Who does she put in charge of Malvolio? What will they do? (Think)

 

5. Why does Malvolio think Sir Toby was called for?

 

6. What things in Olivia's banishment does Malvolio get hope from?

 

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, Continued

 

Continued
  • Why is Jove the particular God to be thanked (think)

    • 8. How is Malvolio acting around Toby?

    9. What does "I am not of your element" mean?

     

    10. What possible meaning is there to "More matter for a May morning" (notes)

    11. What does the letter say?

    12. What is a clodpoll?

    13. What is Toby's plan?

     

    14. What does Viola observe about Olivia's and Orsino's love?

     

    15. What does Toby make Andrew out to be?

     

    16. What is Viola's reaction?

     

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    , Continued

     

    Continued

    17. What would Andrew rather give than fight?

     

     

    18. How does Toby's plan get upset?

     

    19. Who gets arrested? What is he surprised at what Cesario doesn't do?

     

    20. What does Viola guess?

     

    21. What does Andrew decide to go and do?

    Twelfth Night: Act IV

    Introduction

    What was fun now turns messy.

    Act IV, sc 1

    Act IV, sc. 2

    Answer the following questions thoroughly.

    5. What does Feste dress up as? Is he thrilled to do it?

     

    6. How should the actor make a difference between thir Sir Topas lines and the Clown's lines?

     

    7. What is Sir Topas like?

     

    8. What is Malvolio's attitude in the prison?

    9. Is Toby getting tired of this game? Why do you suppose?

    10. What happens to the fool towards the end of this scene?

     

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    , Continued

     

    Act IV, sc. 3

    Answer the following questions fully.

    1. Who is Sebastian looking for? Where is he?

     

    2. What does Olivia want?

    Twelfth Night: Act V

    Introduction

    Everything lurches towards a conclusion.

    Act V

    Answer the following questions thoughtfully.

    1. How is Feste "better for his foes and worse for his friends."

     

    2. What is the clown begging for?

     

    3. What has Antonio done?

     

    4. What is the pun on Viola's "a thousand deaths"

    5. Why is Viola confused?

    6. Why are Andrew and Toby so beat up?

    7. What does it mean for 'eyes to be set at eight and ten."

  • When Sebastian enters, Viola does not see him immediately. What might she be doing when she enters?

    • 9. What does everyone else do while the brother and sister are rejoined?

     

    10. Who is getting married?

     

    11. How does Viola react to Malvolio's letter?

     

     

     

    Continued on next page

    , Continued

     

    Continued

    12. How does the fool attempt to read it?

     

    13. How does Malvolio exit?

    14. In the last act, how is the inverted world of the festival set straight?

    Thought Questions

    Answer the following thoughtfully.

    Is this a happy ending? explain.

     

     

     

     

     

    Are all the marriages positive? Explain.

     

     

     

    Noting the title and the plays air of "festival", what is the importance of Feste's last song?

    Twelfth Night: Review

    Introduction

    Twelfth Night is a play that is difficult to look back on because so much is happening.

    Questions

    Answer the following questions. Pick three.

    1. Imagine how the major characters will fare five years from the end of the play.

     

    2. Comment on the following quote: "Money lasts longer than love."

    3. Shakespeare wrote the following lines about love:

    "...Love is not love that alters when it alteration finds,

    Or bends with the remover to remove.

    Oh no. It is an ever-fixed mark

    That looks on tempest and is never shaken..."

    Assuming that Shakespeare was serious and meant what he wrote when he wrote this sonnet, what must Shakespeare have thought of the mating habits and marriages in Twelfth Night?