Transcript Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night
BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
William Shakespeare: Bare Bones Biography
 He was born in 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon and died in 1616.
 He is arguably the most admired author of all time.
 The only known education he received was grammar school
 He married Anne Hathaway who was 9 years his senior.
 While he had three children, his son Hamnet died at a young
age (possibly from the plague).
 Shakespeare gained a reputation as an actor, playwright and
poet and was the co-owner of The Globe Theatre in London.
 Because of the plague, the London theatres closed from 15921594. Thus, Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets during this time.
Historical Context
 The basic plot of TN is not original to Shakespeare.
 This play was inspired by several Italian comedies
that appeared in the decades prior to TN’s first
performance.
 The theatre was an integral part to life in Elizabethan
England.
 The Globe Theatre seated 3,000 spectators of all
classes
 Groundlings paid 1 penny for admission– their entire
day’s wage!
William Shakespeare’s
plays had universal
appeal among all classes
in Elizabethan England.
The Globe Theatre
Elizabethan Comedy
 A genre named for Queen Elizabeth I, the ruling
monarch during Shakespeare’s time.
 Elizabethan comedies included the following
conventions:








A lighthearted tone
Mistaken identities
Multiple plot lines
Frequent use of puns
A clever “fool” or servant
A conflict between propriety and debauchery
Young lovers who overcome obstacles to their relationship
A happy ending that includes marriages, reconciliations, and
reunions.
12th Night Celebration
Shakespeare wrote this play for the festivities for the Feast
of Epiphany [the 12th night of Christmas].
12th Night Celebration
 During Shakespeare’s time, the Advent season was
one of penitence and the Christmas celebration
didn’t begin until December 25th. “Twelfth Night was
January 5-6, the 12th night after Christmas.
The wise men’s arrival marked the date.
It was a time for partying and gift-giving.
Expectations of Celebration
 Broke societal conventions


Masters waiting on servants
People being allowed to play whatever roles they chose

“What you will.”
The “world upside down theme” portrays in the mismatched
[potential] couples in the play through folly, madness, and
foolishness.
12th Night Plot
 Main Plot – wooing
 Orsino/Olivia through Cesario (Viola)
 Olivia/Cesario into Olivia/Sebastian
 Viola (as Cesario)/Orsino
 Olivia/Sebastian (whom she thinks is Cesario)
12th Night Subplots/Metatheater
 Subplots
 Feste’s singing and begging
 Sir Toby’s drunkenness
 Sir Andrew’s wooing of Olivia
 Malvolio’s Puritanism
 Maria’s Jest
 Feste’s revenge
Twelfth Night
 Orsino’s / masculine





Talk of hunting
Music/emotion
Love is unrequited
Wooing through
intermediary
(Cesario)
Direct wooing (Viola)
two worlds
 Olivia’s / feminine
 Talk of grief
 Jesting /tricks
 Love is impossible
 Wooing through
intermediary (Malvolio)
 Direct wooing (Olivia)
 Supposed wooing (letter
to Malvolio)
U.K. Play practical jokes on their friends and
neighbors
Such as hiding live birds in a pie shell and watching
the surprise as the guest cut open the crust.
Thus, the subtitle, “What You Will” is an invitation to
create your own title since happiness is of your own
UK Traditions
choosing.
Jesters/Fools
DURING THE ERA OF KINGS, THE JESTER HAD 1
PURPOSE OR JOB—SPEAK PLAINLY TO THE KING
AND TELL HIM THE BLUNT TRUTH.
 LIFE IS FULL OF SADNESS.
 THE BEST YEARS OF YOUR LIFE IS SHORT.
 EVENTS ARE CRUEL—OTHER PEOPLE ARE
CRUEL.
 IN SUCH A WORLD, IT IS YOUR DUTY TO FIND
AND CHERISH ANY HAPPINESS YOU CAN FIND.
Puritanism
MALEVOLIO IS PURITAN
MAIN PURPOSE OF LITERATURE—UTILITARIAN—
TEACH/INFORM
NEVER TO AMUSE OR ENTERTAIN
SCRIPTURES WAS HARSH—PUNISHMENT WAS JUST AS
HARSH
REDEMPTIVE PIETY AND STRICT PUNISHMENT/PENANCE
REJECTION OF THE "WORLDLINESS"
GOD COULD FORGIVE ANYTHING, BUT MAN COULD FORGIVE
ONLY BY SEEING A CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR. ACTIONS SPOKE
LOUDER THAN WORDS, SO ACTIONS HAD TO BE
CONSTANTLY CONTROLLED.
Characters
 Orsino, Duke of Illyria: Loves Olivia; loved by
Viola
 Lady Olivia: A rich countess; loved one of the
Duke; loves Viola (as Cesario)
 Viola: Twin sister of Sebastian; Cesario; page to
Lady Olivia; loves the Duke
Characters
 Sebastian: Twin brother of Viola; Roderigo; one
who is confused with his twin sister (as Cesario)
 Sir Toby Belch: Olivia’s uncle; a drunkard; coconspirator with Sir Andrew, Feste, and Maria
 Sir Andrew Auguecheek: Suitor for Olivia’s hand
in marriage; a foolish man; co-conspirator with Sir
Toby, Maria, and Feste
Characters
 Feste: Clown; co-conspirator with Sir Toby, Sir
Andrew, and Maria; occasional commentator on
what is happening
 Malvolio: Olivia’s steward (Manager of Estate); a
vain and pompous man; object of the conspiracy to
humiliate him
 Maria: Servant of Olivia; co-conspirator with Sir
Toby, Sir Andrew, and Feste
Characters
 Sea Captain: Friend of Viola
 Valentine and Curio: Aristocrats in Olivia’s court
 Fabian: An aristocrat in the Duke’s court
12th Night/As You Will Couples
 Realistic
 Viola/Orsino
 Romantic
 Olivia/Sebastian
 Sexual
 Sir Toby/Maria
 Inappropriate
 Malvolio/Olivia and Sir Andrew/Olivia and Olivia/Viola
Major Themes
 Appearances do not always reflect reality.
 Role playing is a part of social life.
 Love often resembles madness.
 Masculinity and Femininity
 Nature of love (unrequited) & of wooing
 Grief
 Loyalty
 Revenge
 Puritanism: no fun, no drink, no song
Motifs : A Reoccurring Idea in a Work of
Literature
 Fools/Madness
 Deceptions/Illusions
 Role-playing/Disguises
 Inversion of Normal Order
 The Fleeting Nature of love and beauty
 Concealed love
 Letters/Messages
Figurative Language & Literary Devices
 Metaphors
 “If music be the food of love, play on.”
 Similes
 “Like Arion on the dolphin’s back”
 Personification
 “words are very rascals”
 Allusion: a reference to a person, place, myth, event
which is not part of the story, but the reader is
expected to recognize.
Figurative Language & Literary Devices
 Paradox: a statement that appears contradictory
but contains truth.

“Than love that would seem hid: love’s night is noon.”
 Oxymoron: A term or phrase that is apparently
self-contradictory.

“sweet pangs”
 Verbal Irony: a discrepancy between what is said
and what is really meant.
 Pun: an expression that utilizes two distinct
definitions of the same word or phrase to achieve
emphasis or humor.
Dramatic Conventions and Techniques
 Conflict: external & internal
 Soliloquy: A speech delivered by a character while
alone on stage. Provides insight into the character’s
thoughts, emotions, and motives.
 Aside: words spoken by a character on stage that are
meant to be heard by the audience only.
 Situational Irony: when a situation has results
contrary to those expected.
 Dramatic Irony: when the audience is aware of
something the characters don’t know.
To Do For Success
 1. Listen, follow along, & take notes for the play.
2. Watch the Act & summarize the action in
chronological order in a bullet format using the
Literary Analysis Sentence Frames.
 3. Complete the Reading Log using evidence/quotes
about how illustrates 1 theme of the play using the
Literary Analysis Sentence Frames. [cannot use any
theme twice].
 4. Create 3 discussion questions/critical thinking
using Costa’s level 3 verbs or using the Literary
Analysis Sentence Frames.