The Hilarity of Mistaken Identity When aristocratic-born Viola is shipwrecked off the shores of Illyria, she disguises herself as a man named Cesario to earn a position in Duke Orsino s household. As she works by the heartbroken man s side, Viola realizes she is in love with him. The only problem aside from her hidden identity, of course is that Orsino is in love with Lady Olivia, who in turn is in love with Cesario (Viola in disguise)! In this hilarious tale of mistaken and hidden identities, will anyone find a love that lasts? Be a Better Reader As you work through the study guide for Twelfth Night, you ll also practice these skills, which will help you when you read plays in the future, for school assignments or just for fun. 1. Describe how characters in a play are developed. 2. Describe the plot development and structure of a play. 3. Describe and analyze the role of setting in a play. 4. Identify and analyze the themes in a play. 5. Identify and analyze an author s purpose and perspective. 6. Explain how historical context affects readers understanding and appreciation of a play. Behind the Scenes English poet and playwright William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is often heralded as the best writer to have ever lived. His works have withstood the test of time, and are as popular now, if not more so, than when they were first published at the requests of Queen Elizabeth I (ruled 1558-1603) and King James I (ruled 1603-1625). Most critics believe that the play s title, Twelfth Night, is a reference to the twelfth day of Christmas (January 6). In Shakespeare s time, this day was celebrated with a raucous festival in which everything was turned upside-down, much like the lives and loves of the characters in Twelfth Night. This play is often cited as Shakespeare s most successful comedy, and his bestknown transvestite play. At the time of Twelfth Night s first staging, male actors would have played all the roles, so the original Viola would have been a man pretending to be a woman pretending to be a man!
The Plot When cross-dressing Viola first meets Duke Orsino, it is love at first sight. At least for her. The only problem is that Duke Orsino is in love with another woman, and doesn t know Viola is hiding her true identity! Over the course of the play, characters fall hilariously in and out of love, but what will happen when Viola s true identity is revealed? As you read Twelfth Night, fill in the boxes for each element of the play s plot.
The Characters In Twelfth Night, Shakespeare creates a hilarious world of two aristocratic households and the chaotic, melodramatic love the ties the characters together. To make matters even more confusing, no one speaks openly about their love for each other, and everyone has something to hide! Use the diagram below to note the characteristics and descriptions Shakespeare gives to each member of the comedic households, as well as the secondary characters that influence the plot. Be sure to include at least one direct quote from the play as evidence to support your description of that character. Orsino s Household Duke Orsino Viola / Cesario Character Traits Olivia s Household Lady Olivia Malvolio Feste Sir Toby Maria Character Traits Secondary Characters Sebastian Antonio Sir Andrew Aguecheek Character Traits
The Setting The love triangle between Orsino, Viola, and Olivia takes place in the mythical land of Illyria. This Renaissance world, lived almost six centuries before our own, was very different from today. The Renaissance affected everything in the characters lives. Their wealth, education, home life, and even romantic intrigues, were keenly affected by the time. Use the spaces below to describe the setting for Shakespeare s most famous comedy and the hilarious love triangle within. In the first column, type or write direct quotes from the play phrases and sentences that are used to show what Renaissance life was like. In the second column, explain in your own words what these details show or suggest about the setting. Direct Quote Related to Setting Your Explanation
Tracking Themes What is William Shakespeare trying to say about love and identity in the hilarious comedy, Twelfth Night? The main themes in Twelfth Night are related to love and identity. See if you can identify and analyze those themes. Step 1: What parts of the plot seem related to a possible theme in the play? (Think about the main conflict and how it get resolved or worked out.) Step 2: Which characters seem related to a possible theme? Which characters change, and what do those changes suggest about the importance of identity, or the madness of love? Step 3: How does William Shakespeare use symbols to hint at the play s themes? What objects, people, or places stand for something bigger in the story? Step 4: What does the play s title suggest about the play s theme? Why do you think Shakespeare gave this play two names: Twelfth Night, or What You Will? Step 5: Write about one or two of the play s main themes in your own words.
Talk About It What do you think about Shakespeare s comedic play Twelfth Night? Does the love triangle between the characters affect your own view of love? In the space below each question, write an answer based on your own experiences and your own understanding of the plot. Include some textual evidence or examples that helped you arrive at your answer. 1. The entire plot of Twelfth Night focuses on the unrequited love between Orsino, Olivia, and Viola / Cesario. Although the play has a happy ending, in what ways does the novel present love as pain? Consider the ending given to Malvolio and Antonio. How do their romantic endings compare / contrast to the protagonists endings? In the end, do you think the play truly has a happy ending? Why of why not? Textual Evidence: 2. Many scholars have puzzled over the latent homoeroticism found in the romances of Twelfth Night. How does cross-dressing and gender bending affect the romantic lives of the characters? Specifically, how does Orsino s affection toward Cesario change when he finds out that he is actually a woman? Finally, how is this storyline mirrored in the relationship between Antonio and Sebastian? Textual Evidence:
Represent! Show what you know about Twelfth Night and its message about love and identity. Choose one of these projects to complete and share with your teacher, classmates, and others. Choice 1: Bring it to the Stage! The chaotic romantic comedy of Twelfth Night has entertained generations of theatergoers inspired hundreds of adapted rewrites. The producers at Illyria Playhouse believe in the importance of reaching new audiences, and would like to produce a revamped version of Twelfth Night specifically for your community. Since you ve just finished reading Twelfth Night, you re in a good position to advise the Illyria Playhouse on how to adapt the collection in a way that speaks to your personal community the same way the original play spoke to Renaissance England. For this project, write a script for a play based on the plot and characters of Twelfth Night. Include suggestions for how to design the stage and how characters should behave. The story in your script can be simpler and shorter, but the play s main themes should be at the forefront of your adaptation. You can deliver your script as a text document, or record and upload a video of you and your friends performing the play. Choice 2: Modernizing Shakespeare. Shakespearean language can be difficult to understand. The Modern Shakespearean League fears that because of the difficulty in the language, modern teenagers will ignore Shakespeare s legendary work in favor of literature that easier to digest. They hope to rewrite Twelfth Night in easy-to-understand language so that all readers can enjoy the beauty of Shakespeare s stories. As The Modern Shakespearean League sees it, you re a young person and you ve just read Twelfth Night, which makes you the perfect person to write a hip new version of Shakespeare s story in modern language. The audience for your updated version will other modern teenagers, so vernacular and slang are encouraged (just as they were in Shakespeare s day). Your updated, edited version of Twelfth Night will be simpler and shorter, but the play s message and meaning should be just as clear. You can deliver your script as a text document, or record and upload a video of you and your friends performing the updated play.