The conversations between Polonius and Hamlet can make the play almost comic. Malvolio exits, and Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Fabian emerge from the hedge, just as Maria enters. Malvolio is instructed to be surly and distant to the servants, and especially to Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby. He envisions Sir Toby approaching, curtsying and quaking, as Malvolio reminds him that because "fortune" has given Malvolio "this prerogative of speech," he will austerely command his "kinsman" to "amend [his] drunkenness." ... Malvolio, in his zest for making amorous overtures to Olivia in Scene 4, alludes to a few popular, but bawdy Elizabethan-era songs to try and get his point across to Olivia. The Merry Wives also shows the influence of the Humour comedy. Removing #book# Malvolio is a character in Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night.. Malvolio is the steward (chief of staff) of a wealthy lady, Olivia. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew are joined by a new character, Fabian, who has been the victim of Malvolio's sanctimoniousness when he protested to the Lady Olivia that Fabian was involved in the cruel game of "bear baiting," a form of sport in which dogs barked and snapped at a bear chained to a post. All rights reserved. Malvolio appears in most scenes and is characterised throughout as a puritanical, fun-spoiling, pompous, humourless man. In other words, Maria is going to make the usually sober and uppity Malvolio look like a grinning fool. When Malvolio reads in the letter, "If this fall into thy hand, revolve," he turns around on the stage, evoking roars of laughter from those in the box-hedge. . He does that in an aggressive, confrontational way. cross-gartered," then yellow stockinged and cross-gartered he shall be. As a result she has him locked up in a cell. Everyone except Malvolio is welcomed into a great smiling hug of pleasure. time with a foolish knight" — a contemptuous slur at Sir Andrew. In contrast to the romantic plot of the preceding scene, we return now to the comic subplot focusing on the duping of Malvolio. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# "You are sick of self-love, Malvolio," she tells him, after only a brief appearance by the steward; Olivia also notes his propensity to make "birdbolts [into] cannon bullets," a charge which later proves true (l. 85-8). When Malvolio enters, he is greedily weighing the possibility that Olivia may be falling in love with him. He reads it and is absolutely convinced that it was written by Olivia. This is doubly ironic because Malvolio has never smiled before; now he will walk around with a foolish smile constantly upon his face. The other characters have a great deal more fun with him as they take their revenge, visiting him in his cell and goading him, watching his suffering, and laughing at him. They do not have long to wait, for, as Sir Toby points out, "Here comes the little villain.". Then enclosed with the poem, Malvolio discovers a prose letter, which he reads aloud. Malvolio is also to wear the stockings "cross gartered" — that is, he is to wear the garters both above and below the knee, making a cross behind, another custom practiced only by the lowest menials. He is released at the end of the play and he sours the celebratory atmosphere as, in true comic mode, the characters are paired up in love relationships after all the misunderstandings and near-misses during the course of the play. Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Fabian (another of Olivia's servants) have agreed to meet in Olivia's garden, and as the scene begins, the three men enter, Sir Toby urging Fabian on. And what of the "I" at the end? They decide to punish him for it. If he weren't so self-centered and egotistical, it would be impossible to play this trick upon him. Your email address will not be published. The incongruity of combining one mood with its opposite was considered the epitome of epigrammatic wit. from your Reading List will also remove any They intend to fool him "black and blue." When Maria returns, she tells the others to wait until Malvolio first appears before Olivia. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon ’em. The Story Some of the household, led by Sir Toby and Maria, one of Olivia’s ladies-in-waiting, devise a plot that plays to his delusionary opinion of himself. Even at such an early point in the play, Malvolio's character becomes clear through Olivia's perceptiveness. Sir Toby predicts that very soon Malvolio will be the "bear," for the bait will soon be set. The irony is that when Malvolio is dressed in this outrageous garb, he hopes to woo a countess! Satisfied, she puts the forged love letter in the garden path, where Malvolio will be sure to find it. This gulling of Malvolio is one of the most comic scenes in the entire play. Sir Toby's character is similar to an earlier comic character of Shakespeare's, Sir John Falstaff. He is to smile; she repeats the command three times: he is to smile and smile and smile. They are all in excellent spirits. (act 5, scene 1), Twelfth Night | Twelfth Night summary | Twelfth Night characters: Malvolio | Twelfth Night settings | Twelfth Night in modern English | Twelfth Night script | Modern Twelfth Night ebook | Twelfth Night quotes | Twelfth Night monologues | Twelfth Night soliloquies, Your email address will not be published. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Twelfth Night and what it means. Widely regarded as one of greatest stage and screen actors both in his native Great Britain and internationally, twice nominated for the Oscar and recipient of every major theatrical award in the UK and US, Ian Murray McKellen was born on May 25, 1939 in Burnley, Lancashire, England, to Margery Lois (Sutcliffe) and Denis Murray McKellen, a civil engineer and lay preacher. The thought of Malvolio's being "Count Malvolio" overwhelms him. Sir Toby is prepared to marry Maria for her cleverness; he even offers to lie under her and allow her to put her foot upon his neck in the classical position of the victor and the vanquished. He’s outside the comedy embrace that Shakespeare gives every other character in the play. Timon of Athens. To him, there can be no doubt that Olivia wrote the love letter, and if she desires him to wear "yellow stockings . So off the pranksters go, arm in arm, eagerly anticipating their comic revenge on the officious Malvolio. As a moral puritan, Malvolio had reported Fabian for "bear baiting" because Olivia disapproved of this cruel sport. The Merchant of Venice is a play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. In these lines from the comedy "Twelfth Night," Malvolio reads a letter that is part of a prank played upon him. The Bard had jokes, y'all. And, in addition, he should be more "surly with servants"; his tongue should have a "tang." Her wit wins the affection of Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby, whom she marries. The author of the letter says that if this letter should, by accident, "fall into [her beloved's] hand," he should be aware that the woman who loves him is, because of the stars (fate) "above" him (meaning that she is socially superior to him), but she begs him not to fear her "greatness." The letter also instructs Malvolio to smile, something no-one has ever seen him do. some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." The letter suggests that she’s fallen in love with him. She then states words that have been much-quoted ever since: ". That the play ends with its "lowest" character on stage is appropriate to the inversion of hierarchy associated with the real Twelfth Night festival. For example, both of them are given to excessive drinking and eating, both love a good prank, and both enjoy harassing serious-minded people like Malvolio. Maria herself, he says, confirmed such a notion, and he himself has heard Olivia say that if ever she should choose a husband, that man would be someone very much like Malvolio; also, Malvolio believes that Olivia treats him with more respect than she does any of her other suitors. At this point, Malvolio spies the "love note." As a final note, the duping is so perfect that Sir Toby says of Maria: "I could marry this wench for this device" — that is, because of her plan for the duping. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. All through the scene, as Malvolio tries to decipher the letter, the characters in the box-elder hedge continue to make humorous and derogatory remarks. and any corresponding bookmarks? "Malvolio, Twelfth Night". Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Accessed 17 March 2021. © 2004 – 2021 NoSweat Digital Ltd, Kemp House, 152 – 160 City Road, London EC1V 2NX, Shakespeare’s 10 most influential characters, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Characters List, All’s Well That Ends Well Characters List, The Merry Wives of Windsor Characters List, The Most Powerful Shakespeare Female Characters, The Two Gentlemen of Verona Characters List, https://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/characters/malvolio-twelfth-night/. His joy is so rapturous that he almost overlooks a postscript: the author is sure that her beloved, if he finds her letter, will recognize himself as her heart's secret treasure; if so, he is to acknowledge his own affection. She has a large household with a score of servants, frequent guests, a jester, and a live-in uncle, Sir Toby Belch. Yet, there is no genuine malevolence in their actions. He interferes with anyone having fun, reprimanding them for getting drunk and disorderly, keeping late hours and being noisy. He vows, as he was "commended," to be proud and to baffle Sir Toby. They resent Malvolio's lack of human sympathy and his puritanical arrogance towards them, and furthermore they will use his own arrogant and egotistical nature to play the trick upon him. Each Shakespeare’s play name links to a range of resources about each play: Character summaries, plot outlines, example essays and famous quotes, soliloquies and monologues: All’s Well That Ends Well Antony and Cleopatra As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Coriolanus Cymbeline Hamlet Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry VIII Henry VI Part 1 Henry VI Part 2 Henry VI Part 3 Henry V Julius Caesar King John King Lear Loves Labour’s Lost Macbeth Measure for Measure The Merchant of Venice The Merry Wives of Windsor A Midsummer Night’s Dream Much Ado About Nothing Othello Pericles Richard II Richard III Romeo & Juliet  The Taming of the Shrew The Tempest Timon of Athens Titus Andronicus Troilus & Cressida  Twelfth Night The Two Gentlemen of Verona The Winter’s Tale. This is not a particularly funny play, probably because it was co-written by Thomas Middleton, who was a miserable shit. . Malvolio is a character in Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night. He imagines himself reminding his officers to remember their place. When Malvolio opens the letter, he thinks that he recognizes Olivia's handwriting; we know, of course, that it is Maria's handwriting. bookmarked pages associated with this title. As he reads the poem of love, Malvolio ponders over its mystery. Of still more laughable futility is the love-making of Malvolio, with his smiles and yellow stockings, and Sir Andrew, who gets no further than learning an assortment of fine words for an interview that never comes off a comic counterpart to lago's miserable dupe, Roderigo. "The trout" (Malvolio), she vows, will be caught with "tickling" (having his vanity tickled). Although vicious to Malvolio, she is devoted and attentive to Olivia. He has an inflated opinion of himself and considers himself to be perfect. . Then he would call for his "Cousin Toby," and while he is waiting, he would "frown the while," and toy with his watch or with "some rich jewel." Feste is not just a comic relief figure, like Sir Andrew; he is perceptive when others are not, as Viola notes after the encounter. (act 5, scene 1), I’ll be revenged on the whole pack of you! But Fabian, as we quickly realize, needs no urging; he is more than anxious to relish every minute of their plan to make a fool of Malvolio. He is a snob, and jealous of his status as head of the household. Malvolio falls for it and that drives his behaviour, in which he makes a fool of himself and provides entertainment for the whole household. The author of the love letter continues: Fate beckons to her beloved; he is urged to cast off his usual garments and, instead, he is "commended" to wear yellow stockings, cross-gartered. This gulling of Malvolio is one of the most comic scenes in the entire play. The instructions in the letter will be the source of future comedy; we should remember that Maria conceived the letter knowing full well Lady Olivia's likes and dislikes. Polonius, a secondary character in Hamlet, is a good example of the difference between a Shakespeare text as ‘literature’ that can be individually read and a Shakespeare text that is meant to be performed on the stage. full title Twelfth Night, or What You Will author William Shakespeare type of work Play genre Comedy language English time and place written Between 1600 and 1602, England date of first publication 1623, in the First Folio publisher Isaac Jaggard and Edward Blount Maria, despite being a mere maid, has done a masterful job of composing exquisite, apologetic modesty, coupled with the tenderness of a love that cannot speak its name. At this point, Malvolio is like a man who looks down the wrong end of a telescope and sees everything in the world as being diminished in stature. The comedy lies in the audience's anticipation of this forthcoming scene. He will wear and do everything Olivia detests, and Malvolio's smiling will be so unsuitable to her melancholy disposition that she will probably have him sent away. She has a large household with a score of servants, frequent guests, a jester, and a live-in uncle, Sir Toby Belch. Furthermore, he is to smile continuously at Olivia, and Maria knows that Olivia cannot countenance smiles because she is in "mourning." Such passion thrills Malvolio, but his emotions are stilled by the poem's puzzling last line: "M, O, A, I, doth sway my life." The script and the phraseology are Olivia's, and the note also has her stamp that she uses for sealing letters. Olivia's clever, feisty lady-in-waiting holds her own in battles of wit with the other servants and devises the prank on Malvolio. Yet the letters could feasibly be pieces of an anagram of his name because his name does contain all those letters, albeit in a different sequence. It seems that Malvolio reported to Olivia that Fabian was "bear-baiting," a popular (if cruel) Elizabethan sport and one which Fabian enjoys. He conjures up visions of himself — married to Olivia for three months and lovingly letting her sleep in the morning while he, robed in a "velvet gown," rises from the bed and calls his officers to him. Malvolio is the steward (chief of staff) of a wealthy lady, Olivia. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. . . The play is best known not for the “merchant” Antonio, but for his rival Shylock, the tormenting and tormented Jewish moneylender. INTRODUCTION The greatest of English dramatists except Shakespeare, the first literary dictator and poet-laureate, a writer of verse, prose, satire, and criticism who most potently of all the men of his time affected the subsequent course of English letters: such was Ben Jonson, and as such his strong personality assumes an interest to us almost unparalleled, at least in his age. He reasons that "M" could stand for "Malvolio," but it should logically be followed by "A," and not by "O." (act 1, scene 5), M, O, A, I, doth sway my life.’ (act 2, scene 5), Be not afraid of greatness. She has succeeded beyond all their expectations. At the same time he has no idea of how to deal with people. Both characters share many of the same qualities. He lets his ego get the best of him and follows the ridiculous instructions in the letter, in the comic plotline of the play. Sir Andrew Aguecheek is a comic character in William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night, or What You Will.One of the minor characters, Sir Andrew is a stereotypical fool, who is goaded into unwisely duelling with Cesario and who is slowly having his money pilfered by … This list of Shakespeare plays brings together all 38 plays in alphabetical order. (act 2, scene 5), there was never a man so notoriously abused (act 4, scene 2), Madam, you have done me wrong, A summary of Part X (Section4) in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. He will also inform Sir Toby that he "wastes the treasure of . © 2020 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 27. Maria says that they won't have long to wait to see the results of their prank. Before Malvolio comes onstage, however, Maria rushes in and makes sure that they are all well concealed in a "box-tree" (a long hedge trimmed to look like a box). Malvolio is exultant after reading the letter. So when he appears with a rigid smile, wearing the yellow stockings with cross garters, she thinks he has gone mad, particularly as he addresses her in sexually suggestive language. His humourless and social-climbing attitude to life make him an easy target for everyone – servants, guests and relatives of Olivia alike – and he becomes the victim of a cruel joke that drives most of the comedy in the play. Ed, . Malvolio is sure to try to see Olivia as soon as possible, and, Maria says, Olivia detests yellow stockings, and cross-garters are a fashion which Olivia abhors; in addition, Olivia is usually so melancholy about the fact that she cannot choose a husband for herself that Malvolio's endless smiling will drive her into a fury. Sir Toby Belch, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and Maria. Unlike in most Elizabethan playwrights’ work, Shakespeare’s comedies, while having that joyous resolution, always have something quite unpleasant beneath it, and it is the cruelty inflicted on Malvolio and his appearance as a broken man swearing to take his revenge on his tormentors that provide the unpleasant taste left in the mouth after watching  that scene in Twelfth Night. This melancholy ending, like Malvolio's departure, shows that despite the temporary happy ending for the lovers, life is still full of sadness and death. Notorious wrong. The note is signed with a popular Elizabethan lover's device — an oxymoron: "The Fortunate Unhappy." He reads on and finds that the author of the poem says that because she cannot speak the name of her beloved, that "silence, like a Lucrece knife / With bloodless stroke my heart doth gore." I marvel your ladyship takes delight in such a The first stanza is unclear, but Malvolio finds hope in the second stanza that it is indeed he whom Olivia loves, for she writes that she "may command where I adore." The letter writer instructs the black-suited puritan to wear the latest fashion, which is yellow stockings and garters that cross each other up the wearer’s legs (cross garters). Olivia confesses that only "Jove knows" whom she truly loves; her lips cannot say and "no man must know." They write a letter that seems to have been penned by Oliva, and leave it where Malvolio will find it. No Sweat Shakespeare, https://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/characters/malvolio-twelfth-night/. barren rascal. Because of this, we find it difficult to sympathize with Malvolio. As Malvolio recognizes certain letters, he mouths them aloud; this is a superb comic example of "echo comedy." If he does not do all of these things, he will be thought of as no more than a "steward still" and "not worthy to touch Fortune's fingers." Moreover, Malvolio is to wear yellow stockings, an old fashioned symbol of jealousy, already a laughable joke and also a symbol of a low-class serving person; in addition, yellow is a color that Maria knows that the Lady Olivia detests. Now, however, they hope that this "niggardly rascally sheep-biter" will soon come along, and they will make Malvolio into the "bear" and will "bait" (tease) him. . It is believed that Shakespeare wrote 38 plays in total between 1590 and 1612. And it gets to you! Yellow is, in fact, a colour that Olivia can’t abide, and she is also contemptuous of the emptiness of fashion. Like Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, Fabian has his own quarrel with the prudish, sharp-tongued Malvolio. Required fields are marked *. Surely she refers to him; he is her steward and is at her command.
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