Characters (Twelfth Night)

This section explores the key characters in the play Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Twelfth Night features a range of characters who reflect the play’s themes of love, disguise, and identity. Each character plays a significant role in the comedic misunderstandings and emotional depth of the play.

Viola (Cesario)

Protagonist: Viola is the central character of Twelfth Night, around whom much of the action revolves. After being shipwrecked in Illyria, she disguises herself as a man, Cesario, to work for Duke Orsino.

Themes of Disguise and Identity: Viola’s decision to cross-dress as Cesario leads to a series of comic misunderstandings, particularly when Olivia falls in love with her male disguise. This explores themes of gender and identity, as Viola navigates her dual role as a woman pretending to be a man.

Love for Orsino: Viola quickly falls in love with Orsino, who is unaware of her true identity. She must conceal her feelings while playing the role of his loyal servant, heightening the emotional tension in the play.

Intelligent and Resourceful: Viola is portrayed as one of the most intelligent and capable characters in the play. She is able to adapt quickly to her situation, and her wit and quick thinking help her maintain her disguise.

Symbol of Constancy: While many other characters are fickle in love, Viola represents true, steadfast love. Her devotion to Orsino never wavers, even though she must endure emotional turmoil due to her disguise.

Duke Orsino

Melancholic Lover: Orsino is the Duke of Illyria and is introduced as being deeply infatuated with Olivia. His love is portrayed as self-indulgent and idealised, more about the idea of love than a true connection with Olivia.

Romantic and Poetic: Orsino speaks in highly romanticised language, often comparing love to music or sickness. His melodramatic nature adds a comic element to the play’s depiction of love.

Close Relationship with Cesario: Orsino forms a deep bond with Cesario (Viola in disguise), not realising that Cesario is actually a woman. He often confides in Cesario about his feelings for Olivia, unaware of Viola’s love for him.

Growth and Realisation: By the end of the play, when Viola’s true identity is revealed, Orsino quickly transfers his affection from Olivia to Viola. His character represents the fickle nature of love, but he also shows the capacity for genuine connection once he recognises Viola’s true self.

Olivia

Wealthy Countess: Olivia is a noblewoman in mourning for her brother’s death and initially refuses to entertain any romantic advances, including those from Orsino.

Falls in Love with Cesario: Olivia’s emotional journey begins when she meets Cesario (Viola in disguise) and falls in love with him, unaware of Cesario’s true identity. This creates dramatic irony and comedy, as Olivia pursues someone who cannot reciprocate her feelings.

Determined and Bold: Olivia is portrayed as an assertive and strong-willed character. She actively pursues Cesario and is unafraid to express her desires, defying traditional gender roles in her forward behaviour.

Shift in Affection: In the play’s resolution, Olivia marries Viola’s twin brother, Sebastian, whom she mistakes for Cesario. Her ability to shift her affection from Cesario to Sebastian reflects the play’s exploration of love as both irrational and changeable.

Malvolio

Steward to Olivia: Malvolio is Olivia’s self-important and puritanical steward. He is strict and often disapproves of the other characters’ merriment, especially Sir Toby and Sir Andrew.

Self-Deception and Ambition: Malvolio’s major flaw is his ambition and his belief that he could rise above his social status by marrying Olivia. This ambition makes him an easy target for the prank played by Maria, Sir Toby, and Feste.

Prank and Downfall: Malvolio becomes the victim of a cruel trick when he is led to believe that Olivia loves him. His behaviour becomes increasingly ridiculous, particularly when he dresses in yellow stockings and cross-garters, as instructed in the fake letter.

Symbol of Social Aspiration: Malvolio’s humiliation reflects the rigid social structures of Elizabethan society. His desire to climb the social ladder makes him both a comic figure and a tragic one, as he ultimately exits the play swearing revenge on those who tricked him.

Complex Character: Although Malvolio is often pompous and humourless, his final speech, “I’ll be revenged on the whole pack of you” (Act 5, Scene 1), evokes some sympathy from the audience, making him one of Shakespeare’s more complex comic characters.

Feste (The Fool)

Witty and Insightful: Feste is Olivia’s fool, but his role goes beyond mere entertainment. He is extremely clever and uses his wit to comment on the behaviour of the other characters. His wordplay and insight often make him seem wiser than those around him.

Truth Teller: As the fool, Feste is allowed to speak truths that other characters cannot. He often points out the absurdities in the actions and words of Olivia, Orsino, and Malvolio.

Sings and Performs: Feste’s songs often provide a reflective or melancholic counterpoint to the play’s action. For example, his song “Come away, come away, death” (Act 2, Scene 4) reflects Orsino’s melancholic view of love, but also highlights the theme of unfulfilled desire.

Commentator on the Play’s Themes: Feste’s role as a fool allows him to stand somewhat outside the main action of the play, making him an observer of human folly, love, and the transient nature of life. He often uses his position to subtly criticise the behaviour of others while maintaining his role as an entertainer.

Sir Toby Belch

Olivia’s Uncle: Sir Toby is Olivia’s uncle and a comic figure in the play. He is a heavy drinker, enjoys mischief, and has little respect for social norms or rules.

Antagonist to Malvolio: Sir Toby’s behaviour frequently clashes with Malvolio’s strict, puritanical outlook, leading to his involvement in the prank that humiliates Malvolio.

Manipulates Sir Andrew: Sir Toby takes advantage of his friend, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, encouraging him to pursue Olivia, despite knowing that Sir Andrew has little chance of success. He also exploits Sir Andrew’s wealth for his own benefit.

Marries Maria: By the end of the play, Sir Toby marries Maria, Olivia’s maid, demonstrating his love for her cleverness and complicity in the prank on Malvolio.

Conclusion

Each character in Twelfth Night contributes to the play’s exploration of love, identity, and the absurdity of human behaviour. Viola’s resourcefulness, Orsino’s romanticism, and Olivia’s boldness are central to the romantic plot, while Malvolio, Feste, Sir Toby, and others add layers of comedy, wit, and social commentary. Through these characters, Shakespeare creates a complex world where disguise and misunderstanding lead to both humour and moments of reflection on human nature.