Malvolio Character Analysis

Malvolio is presented by Shakespeare as a serious puritan. The audience find his seriousness amusing when it is placed in contrast with the comedy provided by other characters such as Belch. Although Malvolio is only a servant, he is described to be pretentious and overly confident. Maria, who is another character of a similar status in society, uses other characters – Belch, Aguecheek and Fabian – to plot to ridicule Malvolio in front of everyone, especially Olivia. This ridicule is effective because the audience will laugh at a fool and Malvolio becomes a fool for Olivia’s love. Shakespeare tries to encourage the audience to laugh at Malvolio's puritanical ways as well as his wish to raise his status and he uses comedy features such as dramatic irony, physical comedy, word play and satire to aid Malvolio’s characterisation. However, Malvolio does ultimately invite our sympathy.

The audience are first introduced to the contrast of seriousness and pleasure in Act 2, Scene 3 through the dialogue between Malvolio and Belch. The two characters are complete opposites of each other and ultimately their two personality’s clash which is amusing. Even though Belch is of a higher status in society, Malvolio still finds it is in his nature to tell him off for doing wrong even though Malvolio is a servant. Eventually, Belch snaps at Malvolio for being a puritan and “interrupting the early morning revels” - “Dost thou think because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?” Belch’s words highlight the two different lifestyles of the characters. Malvolio is pure and strict whereas Belch lives the pleasure lifestyle. The audience would laugh at Malvolio for thinking that Belch is beneath him and also at his pompous attitude. As a...

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... are left out which again would invite the sympathy of a modern audience. The treatment of Malvolio brings discord to the ending. It can also be debated that at the end of the play, an audience from/of any period of time would feel guilty for having laughed at Malvolio or been participants in his humiliation as Malvolio evokes the sympathy of both the audience and the characters.

In conclusion, Malvolio is not seen to be funny in a sense that the audience laugh with him but instead the audience laugh at him because of his puritanical ways and his pompous nature. However, a modern audience would stop laughing at the character when they see the severity of his mistreatment by the other characters. He is made out to be a fool all throughout the play but the trick that is played on him is taken too far which ultimately ends up in the audience sympathising for Malvolio.