Twelfth Night Love

In William Shakespeare’s illustrious and comedic play, Twelfth Night, there is a continuous theme of love which plays a very prominent role in the characters’ lives throughout. One of the main concepts within this theme, however, is that love can be deceiving and lead to misunderstandings and even possible repercussions. This is portrayed in the main plotline, but it is also very blatant in the subplot in regards to Malvolio, Olivia’s steward, and the unequivocally cruel trick performed on him. Malvolio’s character can be described as rather serious and strict. Nevertheless, his otherwise stern persona changes drastically when Maria, Sir Toby, and Sir Andrew conspire to write a letter that will trick the steward into think that Olivia has romantic

A trick that is played on Malvolio is what ultimately leads to his consequences in the end. Prior to the fooling of the steward at the hands of Maria, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, he is essentially misleading himself without realization. He strolls through the gardens, caught in delusional reveries about life as the husband of Olivia, fundamentally dreaming up fantasies in his mind that are unrealistic. Because of this, when Malvolio primarily notices the letter, sealed with Olivia’s official stamp and addressed carefully by the steady hand of Maria, he instantaneously believes this to be straight from the hands of his unrequited love. Malvolio is too caught up in his own musings that he leads himself straight into their cruel trick, which is principally what triggers the tipping point in his downfall. Upon examining the letter, he finds slight connections that would surely be unfathomable to most other characters. Maria writes in Olivia’s handwriting, “M.O.A.I. doth sway my heart,” (II.v.110) to which Malvolio says aloud, “M.O.A.I. [...] it would bow to me, for every one of those letters are in my name,” (II.v.143 – 45). With barely any evidence at all, aside from four letters that happen to be within the