Twelfth Night (play)

Twelfth Night (play), comedy by William Shakespeare, which was probably written around 1600. As an example of a play written during Shakespeare’s second period, which included his English history plays and so-called joyous comedies, Twelfth Night presents a happy balance of plot, characterization, and diction. The main plot is derived from an Italian novella and deals with the hapless love of Viola, disguised as a page, for her master, the Duke Orsino. On behalf of Orsino, she bears his messages of love to the Lady Olivia, who at once falls in love with her. When Viola's twin brother Sebastian appears, Olivia mistakes him for the page and marries him. The tangled situation is cleared up when brother and sister meet and recognize each other; the Duke rewards Viola's devotion by his offer of marriage, and all ends happily.

This romantic story is set against a background of daily life in Olivia's household, crowded with realistic figures: Olivia's conceited steward, Malvolio; her mischievous waiting-maid, Maria; her hard-drinking cousin, Sir Toby Belch; and her foolish suitor, Sir Andrew Aguecheek. By means of a forged letter, Sir Toby and Maria trick Malvolio into believing that Olivia loves him, and his absurd behavior results in his temporary confinement as a madman. Feste, a singing fool, wanders back and forth between the households of Olivia and the Duke, observing the comical confusion with a cynical eye. Twelfth Night begins with music and ends with a song.