Our pity for Malvolio only increases when the vindictive Maria and Toby confine him to a dark room in Act IV. As he desperately protests that he is not mad, Malvolio begins to seem more of a victim than a victimizer.
Full Answer
What happens to Malvolio at the end of Twelfth Night?
Apr 02, 2020 · Here Shakespeare’s intention is not praise but satirize Malvolio’s character. Shakespeare treats excessive puritanism or false sense of puritanism as a vice.When there is an excess of it,it becomes a show,a practice to his law vices of gluttony and covetousness(greed).
How does Malvolio try to reinforce his statement that he is dark?
Sep 09, 2021 · Malvolio is a character in Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night who is known for a lack of humor and love for status. Analyze his character through example quotes and monologues. Updated: 09/09/2021
What happens in Act 4 Scene 4 of Twelfth Night?
Feste is rather diffident to Malvolio, and his delight in tormenting Malvolio is rather sadistic as well; while before, Feste was witty, benevolent, and full of jests, here he reveals a darker side, as the play becomes a little darker as well. Bates, Rheanna. "Twelfth Night Act 4 Summary and Analysis". GradeSaver, 17 July 2000 Web. 27 April 2022.
What did Maria and Toby do to cure Malvolio?
Analysis. Back at Olivia's house, Maria and Toby have locked Malvolio in a dark chamber to cure his "madness." Outside the chamber, Maria instructs Feste to put on a gown and beard she has procured and to pretend to be a "great scholar" (4.2.10), "Sir Topas." Maria goes to fetch Sir Toby while Feste puts on the gown.
How does Malvolio change in Twelfth Night?
Malvolio appears very sober and serious at the start of the play and then is made to appear mad by the trick that is played on him. After reading the letter he begins to wear yellow stockings and to smile. At the end of the play he storms off saying he will get revenge on everyone.
How is Malvolio treated for his madness?
How do Toby Maria and Fabian treat Malvolio?
What happened to Malvolio in Act 4 Scene 2?
Inside Olivia's house, Maria, Sir Toby, and the other servants have locked Malvolio into a small, dark chamber.
What kind of character is Malvolio in Twelfth Night?
What is Malvolio role in Twelfth Night?
What does Sir Toby think of Cesario's treatment of Antonio?
What do Malvolio and Antonio have in common?
What does Olivia think Malvolio can help her with?
What happened in Act 4 of Twelfth Night?
How does Malvolio disguise himself?
Why did Malvolio go to jail?
"In nature there's no blemish but the mind; None can be called deformed but the unkind." This line is spoken by________.
This line is spoken by Antonio in act 3, scene 4. Antonio feels hurt when the person he believes to be Sebastian refuses to acknowledge him, and he...
What does Sir Toby plan to do with the letter?
I think that he plans to bring the letter to Cesario.
Literary devices used in Act 1, Scene 1 of Twelfth Night
Metaphor- If music be the food of love, play on. Please submit your questions separately.
What does Malvolio accuse the other characters of?
When Malvolio accuses the other characters of being idle and shallow, he's setting himself above them. He thinks he's better than everyone else, and he fantasizes about having power over them so he can make them follow his rules (one example is in Act 2, Scene 4, when he imagines having the authority to scold Sir Toby for drinking too much).
Why is Malvolio's characterization important?
Malvolio's characterization is central to the plot, because his personality is what makes the trick work. Throughout the play, Malvolio's lines characterize him as a very stern person who hates anything he perceives as silly or frivolous. They explain why his plot arc works and contribute to the humor of the trick.
How does Malvolio develop?
Monologues. On top of all the other quotes, one of the major ways that the character of Malvolio is developed is through monologues. A monologue is a long speech by one character. Most of the lines in a typical play are conversations, where the characters talk to each other.
What does Malvolio's monologue show?
After reading Olivia's letter, Malvolio's monologue shows how completely he's fallen for the trick:
What is Malvolio in the play?
Malvolio the Character. In the play Twelfth Night, Malvolio is the Lady Olivia's steward and the target of a major prank. Throughout the play, he's characterized as a fun-hating and overly serious character with no sense of humor. What he wants most of all is status, mostly so he can make other characters stop doing things he considers frivolous ...
What is Malvolio's first monologue?
His first monologue, in Act 2, is when he finds the fraudulent letter supposedly written by Olivia, confessing her love and asking him to earn her favor by wearing ridiculous clothes. In this monologue, he reads the letter and then goes off on a tangent imagining what his life would be like as Olivia's husband:
Is Malvolio gullible?
He's completely gullible; he can't see that someone has obviously tricked him. Lesson Summary. In this lesson, you learned about some of Malvolio's quotes from Twelfth Night and how the use of monologue confirms his character as a gullible, status-obsessed Puritan.
What does Feste do to convince Malvolio that he is insane?
To convince Malvolio that he is insane, Feste tosses about a few paradoxes, and contradicts some of the things that Malvolio knows to be true.
Who is Feste to Malvolio?
Maria and Feste conspire to present Feste as Sir Topaz, the curate, to Malvolio, who is hidden from view. Feste tries to convince that Malvolio that he is crazy, and Malvolio continues to insist that he is not, that he has been wrongly incarcerated. Feste then confronts Malvolio as himself, and torments him some more; he fakes a conversation with himself as Feste and Sir Topaz, and Malvolio begs for paper and ink so that he can send a message to Olivia. Feste promises to fetch these things, and exits with a song.
How are Sebastian and Viola similar?
There is one basic similarity shown between Sebastian and Viola in their encounters with Feste, and that is their generosity, shown by their willingness to give Feste money for his troubles. Another common aspect of their personalities is their impulsiveness; Sebastian proves very impulsive, as he chooses to marry Olivia after knowing her for only a few minutes. These shared aspects in their temperament mean that Sebastian and Viola are more easily mistaken for each other; had they been vastly different, then perhaps the difference between the two would have been more easily discovered.
What is the stone that Feste is a cleric?
Feste continues his mischief in the next scene, with Malvolio; he disguises himself as a cleric named "Topaz," which is a stone that symbolized sanity, and hence was thought to be a cure for madness. Feste again speaks with a tone of fake intellectualism, poking fun of the habit of scholars to quote famous figures by concocting a reference to the fictional "old Hermit of Prague" (IV.ii.13). He corrupts the Spanish greeting "buenos dias" into something that almost sounds like Latin, "bonos dies," also to make himself sound more falsely authoritative.
What scene does Feste approach Sebastian?
Scene 1: Feste approaches Sebastian, thinking that Sebastian is 'Cesario'; when Sebastian tells Feste that he does not know him, nor Olivia, whom Feste tells him to meet, Feste becomes rather upset, and accuses Sebastian of "strangeness". Then Sir Andrew comes, and strikes Sebastian out of anger, as if he were Cesario;
Why does Olivia think Sebastian is Cesario?
Olivia dismisses Sir Toby, and asks Sebastian "would thou'dst be ruled by me," thinking that he is Cesario, due to his great resemblance to his sister. Sebastian decides to go along with it, struck by Olivia's beauty, thinking it all a pleasant dream from which he hopes he will not awaken.
What is Sebastian's reaction to Olivia's show of affection?
Sebastian's reaction to Olivia's show of affection is parallel to a situation of yet another twin, Antipholus, in Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors; Antipholus too was confronted by a woman claiming his affections, who mistook him for his identical twin. The reaction of the two twins is similar as well; Antipholus reacts by questioning his sanity and whether he is awake, just as Sebastian does in his aside. Both make the same decision in this situation as well; Sebastian himself decides to let his "sense in Lethe steep," alluding to the mythical river of oblivion to convey the capriciousness of his decision (IV.i.60).
Why did Maria and Toby lock Malvolio in a dark chamber?
Back at Olivia's house, Maria and Toby have locked Malvolio in a dark chamber to cure his "madness." Outside the chamber, Maria instructs Feste to put on a gown and beard she has procured and to pretend to be a "great scholar" (4.2.10), "Sir Topas." Maria goes to fetch Sir Toby while Feste puts on the gown. When they return, Sir Toby is delighted: "the knave," he says, "counterfeits well" (4.2.19).
What does Malvolio think of Pythagoras?
Sir Topas asks what Malvolio thinks of this; Malvolio (who, we will recall, is a Puritan) says that he thinks nobly of the soul and does not in any way approve of Pythagoras' opinion.
What does Feste bring to Malvolio?
Back in his clown personality, Feste returns to Malvolio 's cell. Malvolio begs Feste to bring him a candle, pen, ink, and paper, so that he can write a letter asking Olivia for help. Feste agrees to deliver the letter, but first dallies for a while, teasing Malvolio.
What does Malvolio tell Sir Topas?
Malvolio tries desperately to enlist him as an ally; Sir Topas parries his every attempt, telling him that the dark room he is in is really light as day. Malvolio begs Sir Topas to test whether or not he is mad by asking him a question.
What is the subplot of the prank on Malvolio?
The subplot of the prank on Malvolio is coming to a peak. Costume changes and role playing on stage also create another play-within-the-play, drawing attention to the theme of performance. "Sir Topas" goes to the door of Malvolio's cell. Malvolio tries desperately to enlist him as an ally; Sir Topas parries his every attempt, ...
What holiday was the spectacle of the servant teasing his superior?
The spectacle of the servant teasing his superior is precisely what took place on the Twelfth Night holiday (see Background Info for more on this holiday).
What is Sir Topas' question about Pythagoras?
Sir Topas' question about Pythagoras is pseudo-intellectual, thus parodying Malvolio's pretentiousness. Yet Feste's Q&A with Malvolio also reflects the themes of inconstant love and changing identity. Over the course of the play, the powerful love that Orsino and Olivia claim to feel is directed at so many different people that it becomes meaningless—it might as well be aimed at a bird. Similarly, Sebastian and Viola/Cesario's identities are also confused multiple times, raising questions about the constancy of a "soul" or of one's internal nature. If a mere disguise can transform Viola into a man, why can't her soul inhabit a bird?
What does Malvolio tell Feste?
He tells Malvolio that the room is not actually dark but is full of windows and light and that Malvolio must be mad or possessed if he cannot see the brightness. Malvolio denies Feste’s claims, and he urges Feste to question him in the hopes of proving his sanity.
What does Feste say to Malvolio?
Pretending to be the priest, Feste addresses Malvolio, who cannot see him inside his prison. Malvolio tells Feste that he is not insane, and Malvolio begs Feste to get him out of the locked room. But Feste deliberately misunderstands and misleads the steward. He tells Malvolio that the room is not actually dark but is full of windows and light and that Malvolio must be mad or possessed if he cannot see the brightness. Malvolio denies Feste’s claims, and he urges Feste to question him in the hopes of proving his sanity. But Feste uses ridiculous questions and then contradicts the steward’s answers. He concludes by telling Malvolio he is still mad and must remain in the darkness.
Who is Viola's brother?
This individual, however, is actually Viola’s twin brother, Sebastian. Sebastian, of course, is confused by Feste’s claims to know him. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew then find them. Sir Andrew, thinking that Sebastian is the same person he was about to duel a few minutes before, attacks him.
Why does Sir Toby grab him?
But Sir Toby grabs him to prevent him from going. The two exchange insults, and Sebastian and Sir Toby draw their swords and prepare to fight. Suddenly, Olivia enters. She sees Sir Toby preparing to fight the person who she thinks is Cesario.
Why is Malvolio thankful for his fate?
This is because the play proceeds to portray the fact that Malvolio engages in thoughts about a romantic relationship with Olivia, his mistress, which significantly contrasts the character of a puritan that Malvolio tries to put forward. This is evident as Malvolio is thankful for his fate after reading the letter that he supposed was from Olivia.
Why is Malvolio portrayed as a puritan?
Malvolio is portrayed as a “puritan” from the point where the audience first introduced to him in Act I. This was because he took any light hearted conversations about him seriously, and he was portrayed as someone who was strongly opposed to entertainment and leisure.
Why does Olivia love Cesario?
In addition, Olivia loved Cesario passionately, for “his” appearance and wit. On the contrary, Malvolio agrees towards marrying Olivia solely to attain the position of a count in her household.
Why does Malvolio use an exclamation?
Malvolio also uses an exclamation as he finds that the letter is addressed towards him as he says “why, that begins my name!”. This exclamation of joy and satisfaction justifies the fact that Malvolio manipulates a situation to suit his purpose, or what he wants/wishes, thus portraying him as a fascinating character.
How did Maria address the receiver of the letter?
Maria addressed the receiver of the letter by using the letters “M.O.A.I”. The fact that Malvolio immediately considered the letter was meant for him just because his name began with the letter, “M”, also portrays how he was ambitioned to interpret the letter to be addressed to him.
Is Malvolio a secondary character?
Therefore, Malvolio initially seems to be a secondary character, and his humiliation seems like nothing more than an amusing subplot to the fascinating love triangle developed among the primary characters. However, he becomes more interesting as the play progresses, and seems to be the most complex character in the play itself.
Does Malvolio speak in prose?
The fact that Malvolio, while commenting on the letter, speaks in prose-, commonly used by characters who engage in light-hearted conversations also adds to the fact that he is opposing his own morals. The fact that Malvolio pretends to be against enjoyment and love, but goes against his own morals, portrays him as an interesting and complex character.
What is Malvolio's first characterization?
Malvolio’s first characterization in the play is in the words of Olivia who describes him as one ‘sick of self- love’ and with a ‘distempered appetite’. His surly temper is witnessed throughout the play as he launches a tirade against Olivia for laughing at a fool’s jests or upbraids Sir Toby and Sir Andrew for their drunken misdemeanours. His name itself connotes ‘malice’ or ‘ill-will’. Malvolio’s general attitude of being against revelry of any sort characterizes him as a ‘kind of puritan’ who is in opposition to the general holiday atmosphere of the play. However, it is more his sense of self-superiority than any stern religious beliefs that is under attack in the play.
Why is Malvolio punished?
While hyperbolic love exhibited by Orsino and Olivia is treated as normal, Malvolio is punished for displaying the same. While Maria’s desire for social mobility is rewarded through her marriage to Toby, Malvolio is disciplined for even harbouring thoughts about the same. Melvin Sieden remarks that “Malvolio undergoes a sacrificial comic death so that (others) may live unscathed”. D. Cohen in his essay ‘The Madding of Malvolio’ elaborates further on the traits that single Malvolio out as a character easy to scapegoat.
What is the gulling of Malvolio?
The gulling of Malvolio brings various characters in the play together in their antipathy and aversion for him. There is no one who cares about him enough to rescues him, like Antonio coming to Sebastian’s refuge. This makes him a ‘tragic figure’ in a comic play that is left to nurse his own revenge on the ‘whole pack’ for making him ‘the most notorious geck and gull that e’er invention played on’.