In William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Malvolio is considered an outcast by almost everyone in the play. He doesn’t act the same way that any of the other characters act, in that he doesn’t participate in any of their activities, he enforces rules that the others could care less about, and he is just overall a socially awkward guy. Malvolio not only claims to adhere to the rules of the household himself, but uses his relations with Olivia to try and help make the others follow the rules as well. This upsets certain characters more than others. For instance Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Maria find his behavior particularly detestable. But Malvolio’s strict coherence to the rules allows him to have a rather high position in Olivia’s household. While Malvolio may be considered a social outcast to most of the characters in the play, Olivia considers Malvolio to be a very trusted steward of her household. For these reasons Malvolio is not only a social outcast, but an outcast that Shakespeare uses to keep people interested in his play.
One of the reasons that none of the characters seem to get along with Malvolio is because of his strict adherence to the rules. While to most this doesn’t seem like a bad trait to have, this is seen as an extraordinarily undesirable trait, for characters like Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Maria, who all have a blatant disregard for the rules. Nancy Lindheim agrees with this by saying, “Malvolio alone acts with a moral severity that angers most other members of the household and is inimical to comedy itself.” (Lindheim 700) In this quote she is stressing the fact that Malvolio tends to act morally while the other characters disregard their morality for a chance to have some fun. This is seen in act two scene thr...
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...itating Malvolio's Reading." Papers on Language and Literature: A Journal for Scholars and Critics of Language and Literature 45 (2009): 261-286. MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Web. 6 Nov. 2009.
Giese, Loreen L. "Malvolio's Yellow Stockings: Coding Illicit Sexuality in Early Modern London." Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England: An Annual Gathering of Research, Criticism and Reviews 19 (2006): 235-246. MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Web. 6 Nov. 2009.
Lindheim, Nancy "Rethinking Sexuality and Class in Twelfth Night." University of Toronto Quarterly: A Canadian Journal of the Humanities 76.2 (2007): 679-713. MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Web. 6 Nov. 2009.
William, Shakespeare Twelfth Night. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume B. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2006. 1079-1139.
In Romeo and Juliet it stays true that the noble character Benvolio knows the diversity between what to do and what not to do. Benvolio is the character to help others out of situations that can be heated,and offering guidance when needed.Although in Act 3,of the play during the fight between the Capulet and Montague it drove how Benvolio was a deceiver to his friends. Benvolio's character reflects on many people today,showing that there is good and bad in the world;and as people we need to learn how to help each other when situations go
Twelfth Night, written by Shakespeare between the years of 1599 and 1601 (“Shakespeare-Online”), is easily one of his most well-known plays. A year after the assumed date of publication, on February the 2nd of 1602, Twelfth Night was performed for the first time (“William-Shakespeare)”. The location of the production is thought to have taken place in the Middle Temple, which was one of four law schools within London that were known as the Inns of Court (“Shakespeare-Online”). Though some would classify Twelfth Night as generic, it is laced with a sharp sense of humor and controversial concerns that can easily be applied to the issues of present day. Many of these issues, such as marriage, gender identity, sex, homosexuality, and social ambition, are relevant in today’s society, making them easy to relate to. The central theme of the play is romance. The characters all experience love, in one way or another, whether it be unrequited or shared between more than one person. The plot is intricately woven, sometimes confusingly so, between twists and turns throughout the multiple acts, but it never strays too far from the subject of adoration. Despite the hardships, misperception and deceit the characters experience, six individuals are brought together in the name of holy matrimony in three distinct nuptials.
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is a comedy that has been interpreted in different ways, enabling one to receive multiple experiences of the same story. Due to the content and themes of the play, it can be creatively challenging to producers and their casting strategies. Instead of being a hindrance, I find the ability for one to experiment exciting as people try to discover strategies that best represent entertainment for the audience, as well as the best ways to interpret Shakespeare’s work.
Shakespeare cunningly gives the audience an early indication of Benvolio’s personality through his name. Benvolio translated literally means “good-will” or “well wisher” a role he consistently fills, although sometimes unsuccessfully throughout the play, striving to keep himself and others around him out of any conflict. In the very first scene of the play, Benvolio quickly establishes himself as the peacemaker as he tries to stop the fight between the Montague and Capulet servants by saying, “Part fools! Put up your swords, you know not what you do.”(I.i.64-65) Wanting peace he warns them to stop arguing before things evolve into a grave situation. In that statement, Shakespeare references the Gospel of Luke “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), using his skillful use of the written language to allude that Benvolio was taking on a Christ like peacemaker role in the play. Benvolio’s moral convictions do not change over the course of the play. His stance on peace is evident in all three scenes. In Act III, as Mercutio and Tybalt begin to fight, Benvolio once again attempts to be the voice of reason, “We talk here in the public haunt of mean: eithe...
Malvolio’s bitterness towards other characters is a big contributor for the reader to see his suffering as comic. For example, while Feste the Fool is talking with Olivia, Malvolio
Malvolio’s unfortunate issue is a warning tale of ambition overcoming good sense. At the close of the play, he is brought out of the darkness into a celebration in which he has no part, and where no one seems willing to offer him a real apology. “I’ll be revenged on the whole pack of you,” he snarls, stalking out of the festivities (V.i.365). His exit strikes a jarring note in an otherwise joyful comedy. Unfortunately, I do not believe Malvolio has no real place in the anarchic world of Twelfth Night, only to suggest that333 someone must suffer while everyone else is happy.
Since the early 1990’s, “Queer Theory”, or queer study, has emerged and become very common in influential readings throughout literature. Many scholars apply this poststructuralist theory when criticizing works within the Renaissance period, including the works of William Shakespeare. Twelfth Night continues to be a commonly reviewed work when discussing the recurring homoerotic themes throughout Shakespeare’s works. Though Twelfth Night is often used for the discussion of homosexual interaction in Shakespeare, the conclusions drawn from these possible same-sex attractions are still divided and unclear. Regardless of this division, there is a large amount of substance that supports the unquestionably present homosexual relations in the play.
Similar to the inner personality that Olivia’s disguise provided, Malvolio’s disguise displays a glimpse at another side of his character out to the audience. Up until this point of the play, Malvolio is seen as a stiff and formal character who has criticism for everything. However, through this disguise, his arrogant and self-loving character is fully confirmed. After he receives a prank letter from Sir Toby and Maria, Malvolio wears a ridiculous costume in his quest for Olivia, and performs the part of a lordly wooer to secure her affections. He also references the letter and exclaims “Remember who commended thy yellow stockings / And wished to see thee cross-gartered” (3.4. 44-7), all of which Olivia knows nothing about and is a delusion of his own. The forged-letter prank causes him to wear yellow stockings that are cross-gartered (which Olivia abhors) and treat Olivia in a very inappropriate manner. By inflaming the passions of the priggish Malvolio with a well-forged love letter, Toby and Maria expose his hidden vanities and social pretensions. After all, he does not desire Olivia for herself, but for the power and status that marriage to her will bring him. Examples of his self-love and self pride can be seen in various examples throughout the play.
In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night the main theme of identity is portrayed quite well in the character Malvolio as he struggles with finding his position in the world. Malvolio is sure he is destined for greatness and he strives to meet his ambitions rather hastily. After he realizes he has been played for a fool he understands who he is and what he should make of himself. His ambitions are not met, but he is able to stay true to himself after the prank and Olivia’s rejection. Though he
Logan, Thad Jenkins. "Twelfth Night: The Limits of Festivity." Elizabethan and Jacobean Drama. N.p.: Rice University, 1982. 223-38. Vol. 22 of Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900. Rpt. in Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.
Malvolio's entrance to the scene immediately creates comedy as even before he finds the letter we find him fantasizing about being "Count Malvolio", this notion creates humor as it seems that Malvolio has forgot he is merely Olivia's steward not her social equal despite his is conceited self-righteousness. The farce is enhanced by comments made by the onlookers who insult Malvolio, "Pistol him, pistol him!" Sir Andrew makes this comment, as he himself desires Olivia's hand in marriage. Malvolio lets his imagination go wild creating further humor when he imagines that his "kinsman Toby" will approach and curtsy in front of him.
In Twelfth Night the relationships are anything but romantic. Shakespeare writes from the male point of view which implies an un-easy split between love and physical charm. In Twelfth night the romance is falsely produced by selfish desire. Duke Orsino and Viola stand out from the other relationships. By questioning the relationships between the other couples, Shakespeare highlights the true love between Viola and Orsino and the fake relationship of Malvolio and Olivia which is truly based on Malvolio’s desire of a higher status , despite his status and his personality , Malvolio tries to impress Olivia by dressing up in ridiculous clothes , which does far from his aim , and repulses Olivia.
Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night Or, What You Will. New York, New York: New American Library, 1998. Print.
Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2009. Print.
Feste is able to prevent any delusions of grandeur by a reminder that foolishness is a condition common to all mankind whether one is king or servant. It is Malvolio's vanity that convinces Feste to take part in the joke played on the steward. As "Sir Topas", and Malvolio's `prosecutor` Feste attempted to help Malvolio realize that there was "no darkness but ignorance".