Account of the Plot Against Malvolio The plot against Malvolio begins when Sir Andrew, Sir Toby and Feste the clown return to Olivia's house drunk. At the beginning of Act Two, scene Three the trio are making a tremendous amount of noise dancing on and around the kitchen table, shouting and singing at the top of their lungs. This commotion causes Maria - a maid of Olivia's - to come down and warn them to be quiet, saying 'what a caterwauling do you keep here!' (Act Two Scene Three, Line 66). She tells them she has seen Malvolio - the head servant of Olivia's house - coming down to the kitchen where the three drunken men are. When Malvolio comes into the kitchen he asks the men if they have any respect at all. 'Is there no respect of place, persons, nor time in you?' (Act Two Scene Three, line 84-85). In a raised voice he reprimands the three men on behalf of Olivia who at the time was trying to sleep. As Malvolio leaves it is apparent that nobody in the room likes him at all. He is so disgusted with the treatment he received from Malvolio he decides 'to challenge him the field, and then to break promise with him and make a fool of him.' (Act Two Scene Three, line 117-118). Maria persuades him to 'be patient for tonight.' (Act Two Scene Three, line 121), as she has a better idea, an idea that will get Malvolio back for all the nasty things he has said to them in the past. Maria's handwriting is almost identical to that of Olivia's. So Maria comes up with the idea of a letter, a letter from Olivia to Malvolio. In the letter to Malvolio, Maria will pretend that Olivia is in love with Malvolio. And if Malvolio is in love with Olivia he will have to prove his love by carrying out simple tasks. Maria drops hints for Malvolio. 'M O A I doth sway my life' (Act Two Scene Five line 98), and 'I may command where I adore;' (Act Two Scene Five line 95),
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York; Washington Square Press, 1993.
Shakespeare, William, and John Wilders. "Act 1, Scene 7." Macbeth. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Page 2. Print.
equal (Act II, Scene 6, Line 4) which is a very intelligent thing to say.
John Proctor when they meet in a scene in act one. Although it as been
(Act 1 Scene 4), Thane of Cawdor for his service. It was during this scene,
“[Othello]…Excellent wretch, perdition catch my soul, But I do love thee, and when I love thee not, Chaos is come aga...
this is said at the beginning of act 3 scene and is saying that if
In the early scenes of the play, before Malvolio believes that Olivia is in love with him, he appears to be a prudish person and uses his actions to subvert the enjoyment of others . While Toby a...
Malvolio’s dislikeable rigidity nature is shown immediately in his first entrance in the play, in his rude humiliation of Feste, “I marvel your ladyship takes delight in such a barren rascal … unless you laugh and minister occasion to him, he is gagged” (McEachern, 2007). The disapproval towards his rigid humorless attitude immediately follows with Olivia reprimanding her steward’s habit for making a big deal out of everything, “O you are sick of self-love, Malvolio, and taste with a distempered appetite” (McEachern, 2007). Malvolio further manifests his rigid and fun despising personality as he, depicted as a killjoy, spoils the revelry of Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Feste late in the night “My masters, are you mad? Or what are you? Have you no wit, manner, nor honestly, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night” (McEachern, 2007). It is exactly this fun despising side, depicted as Malvolio’s “stubborn and uncourteous parts” that earns him the enmity of the revelers. As he thinks, with excellences, that it is his grounds of faith that look on him love him.” Because of Malvolio’s dispositio...
Ariel: I prithee, remember I have done thee worthy service, told thee no lies, made no mistakings, served without grudge or grumbling. Thou did promise to bate me a full year (Act I, Scene II, 245-249)
Act 1 Scene 2 Page 279 Line 40: "So foul and fair a day I have not seen"
Shakespeare, William. "The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice." The Signet Classic Shakespeare. Ed. Alvin Kernan. New York: Penguin Putnam, 1998.
Throughout 'The Spanish Tragedy', by Thomas Kyd, there is a constant theme of justice and revenge. Justice is the supreme law of the land; without justice, a country would fall into disrepute and those who are readily concerned with the status of society would have no grounds to stand upon. Therefore, those in power venerate justice. Revenge, however, upsets the delicate balance that holds Spanish society together. Hieronimo does his best to maintain a civil attitude towards incrimination and justice, but his plans for revenge lay waste to the very law he professes to adore. A series of carefully plotted steps, coupled with thoughts of revenge, reveals the descent of Hieronimo into madness and thereby fueling his rejection of justice.