TWELFTH NIGHT

in full Twelfth Night; or, What You Will comedy in five acts by William Shakespeare, performed in 160102 and printed in the First Folio of 1623 from a promptbook or a transcript of it. One of Shakespeare's finest comedies, Twelfth Night precedes the great tragedies and problem plays in order of composition. The original source was probably the Sienese comedy Gl'ingannati (1531; The Deceived), published anonymously. Twins Sebastian and Viola are separated during a shipwreck off the coast of Illyria; each believes the other dead. Viola disguises herself as a boy named Cesario and enters the service of Duke Orsino, who thinks he is in love with the Lady Olivia. Orsino sends Viola-Cesario to plead his cause to Olivia, who promptly falls in love with the messenger. Viola, meanwhile, is in love with Orsino, and when her twin, Sebastian, is rediscovered, many comic situations of mistaken identity ensue. There is a humorous subplot involving the members of Lady Olivia's householdFeste the jester, Maria, Olivia's uncle Sir Toby Belch, and Sir Toby's friend Sir Andrew Aguecheekwho scheme to undermine the high-minded, pompous Malvolio. At the play's end, Malvolio is the only solitary figure among the pairs of happy lovers. The play pokes gentle fun at wooing and the folly of lovers. Duke Orsino, for example, is in love with the state of being in love, and Lady Olivia's initial vow of isolation to honour her dead brother is exposed as excessive and even self-indulgent. The two positions are contrasted with the mature and sensible attitude of Viola.