analysis and quotes for Shakespeare

Question 1

what is the opening line of the play where Orsino is expressing his lovesickness of Olivia.

Answer 1

“If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die.” (Orsino)

making the comparison that he wants to listen to so much music that he stops loving Olivia because he is “full” of it.

Highlights Orsino’s obsession with love and how he romanticises and idealises the idea of love.

Question 2

“O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou!” (Orsino)
what does this mean

Answer 2

Orsino is reflecting on how love is intense and ever-changing.

Again, shows how idealistic and dramatic he is about love.

Question 3

“Conceal me what I am…..” finish this

Answer 3

“Conceal me what I am, and be my aid. For such disguise as haply shall become the form of my intent.” (Viola)

Viola is shipwrecked and thinks her brother is dead, and asks the captain to help her disguise herself as a man so that she can stay safe and find work.

This introduces the key themes of disguise, identity, and gender confusion/fluidity.

Question 4

“But I am a great eater of beef….
finish this

Answer 4

“But I am a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm to my wit.” (Sir Andrew)

Sir Andrew is being comedic by blaming his lack of intelligence on his diet.

This line establishes/characterises Sir Andrew as foolish and self-deprecating.

Question 5

“I’ll do my best to woo your lady…. finish this

Answer 5

I’ll do my best to woo your lady Yet, a barful strife! Whoe’er I woo, myself would be his wife.” (Viola as Cesario)

Viola (disguised as Cesario) agrees to woo Olivia for Orsino, but confesses to the audience that she actually loves Orsino herself.

Highlights the play’s theme of unrequited love and dramatic irony.

Question 6

Cesario’s impassioned declaration
“Make me a willow cabin at your gate” analysis

Answer 6

-reveals the depth of Viola’s own feelings for Orsino under the guise of delivering his message.

-Rather than reciting Orsino’s rehearsed words, Viola speaks from her heart, imagining acts of relentless devotion that reflect a genuine and self-sacrificial love.

-This moment becomes the catalyst for Olivia’s infatuation with Cesario, as Viola’s sincerity contrasts sharply with Orsino’s performative courtship.

Question 7

what is a vewies and value statement on “make me a willow cabin at your gate”

Answer 7

Shakespeare contrasts Viola’s authentic, emotionally invested love with Orsino’s superficial obsession, inviting the audience to question what true love looks like, passionate expression and presence, or distant idealisation.

Question 8

“Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.” (Feste)
analyse

Answer 8

Feste’s line, “Better a witty fool than a foolish wit,” encapsulates his role as the ‘wise fool’ and a character who, despite his status as a jester, consistently demonstrates more insight and intelligence than the supposedly noble or wise figures around him.

Through this paradox, Shakespeare subverts social hierarchies, suggesting that true wisdom lies not in titles or appearances, but in self-awareness and sharp perception.

Feste uses humour and wordplay to reveal uncomfortable truths, often exposing the folly of characters like Orsino and Olivia. The repetition of this sentiment in Act 3 reinforces the play’s theme that wit and wisdom are not always found in expected places, and that those who believe themselves wise may, in fact, be the most foolish.