key quotes Flashcards
(156 cards)
1
Q
why, he has three thousand ducats a year!”
A
ACT 1 SCENE 3
(class)
2
Q
FABIAN She did show favor to the youth in your sight
only to exasperate you, to awake your dormouse
valor, to put fire in your heart and brimstone in
your liver. You should then have accosted her, and
with some excellent jests,
A
ACT 3 SCENE 2
favien manipulates andrew and talks of courtly love conventions
3
Q
- Sir toby encourages Andrew to challenge Cesario in a letter (shows comradly relationship between him and fabian in using Andrew for entertainment)
A
ACT 3 SCENE 2
Go, write it in a martial hand. Be curst and brief
4
Q
maria says he obeys every point of the letter
A
ACT 3 scene 2
He does obey every point of the letter
that I dropped to betray him. He does smile his face
into more lines than is in the new map with the
augmentation of the Indies
5
Q
ANTONI SAYS HIS DESIRE MADE HIM FOLLOW SEBASTIAN
A
ACT 3 SCENE 3
I could not stay behind you. My desire,
More sharp than filèd steel, did spur me forth;
: A vivid metaphor for Antonio’s intense emotional drive—his loyalty (and possibly romantic love) for Sebastian is so strong, it’s compared to sharpened steel.
. My willing love,
The rather by these arguments of fear,
Set forth in your pursuit.
6
Q
antonio gives purse
A
ACT 1 SCENE 5
Hold, sir, here’s my purse.
7
Q
olivia asks for malvolio as he is melancholy
A
ACT 3 SCENE 4
Where’s Malvolio? He is sad and civil
And suits well for a servant with my fortunes.
Where is Malvolio?
8
Q
olivia says this is very midsummer madness
A
ACT 3 SCENE 4
9
Q
MARIA SUGGEST MALVOLIO SHOULD PRAY
A
ACT 3 SCENE 4
Get him to say his prayers, good Sir Toby; get
him to pray.
10
Q
malvolio says i am not of your element when they act like he is mad after encounter with Olivia
A
ACT 3 SCENE 4
he thinks he has risen in class
Foreshadows exclusion Malvolio has at the end
11
Q
Come, we’ll have him in a dark room and
bound. My niece is already in the belief that he’s
mad. We may carry it thus, for our pleasure and his
penance, till our very pastime, tired out of breath,
prompt us to have mercy on him, at which time we
will bring the device to the bar and crown thee for a
finder of madmen.
A
ACT 3 SCENE 4
repressing puritan by putting him in dark room
reference to “crown[ing]” her for the prank could refer to her acting in a Carnivalesque role as a Lord/Lady of Misrule
12
Q
sir toby says he will not deliver the letter
A
ACT 3 SCENE 4
Now will not I deliver his letter, for the behavior
of the young gentleman gives him out to be of good
capacity and breeding;
13
Q
OLIVIA FLIPS GENDER NORMS OF COURTSHIP AND TELLS VIOLA TO WEAR JEWEL
A
ACT 3 SCENE 4
14
Q
He is indeed, sir, the most skillful,
bloody, and fatal opposite that you could possibly
have found in any part of Illyria.
A
ACT 3 SCENE 4
Here, wear this jewel for me. ’Tis my picture.
Refuse it not
15
Q
make the motion. Stand here, make a good
show on ’t.
A
ACT 3 SCENE 4
*Sir toby embodies ‘lord of misrule’ and encourages the fight
*Exaggerates the threat to eachother- comical nature of reassurance of sir Andrew that nobody will die
Sir tobys control over plot and sir toby uses sir Andrew ‘ride’
*Darker lord of misrule control over sir andrew
16
Q
sebastian refers to river lethe when olivia asks him to follow her
A
ACT 4 SCENE 1
What relish is in this? How runs the stream?
Or I am mad, or else this is a dream.
Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep;
If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep!
f this is a dream, he never wants to wake up—it’s too good to be true.
17
Q
FESTE TELLS MALVOLIO THAT HE IS SIR TOPAZ
A
ACT 4 SCENE 2
Sir Topas the curate, who comes to visit Malvolio
the lunatic.
18
Q
FESTE PRETENDS TO TELL DEVIL TO GET OUT MALVOLIO
A
ACT 4 SCENE 2
Out, hyperbolical fiend! How vexest thou this
man! Talkest thou nothing but of ladies?
19
Q
malvolio says to sir topz, they have laid me here in hideous darkness
A
ACT 4 SCENE 2
Good Sir Topas, do not think I am mad. They have
laid me here in hideous darkness—
20
Q
malvolio tells fool he has been abused
A
act 4 scene 2
Fool, there was never man so notoriously
abused. I am as well in my wits, Fool, as thou art.
21
Q
sebastian solliloquay
A
act 4 scene 3
“And though ’tis wonder that enwraps me thus, / Yet ’tis not madness.”
→ He acknowledges the strangeness of the situation but insists he is sane.
“Or else the lady’s mad… Yet if ’twere so… With such a smooth, discreet, and stable bearing…”
→ He considers that Olivia might be mad, but quickly dismisses it based on her composure and self-control.
22
Q
ANTONIO SAYS SEBASTIAN WAS UNGRATEFUL
That most ingrateful boy there by your side
From the rude sea’s enraged and foamy mouth
Did I redeem; a wrack past hope he was.
His life I gave him and did thereto add
My love, without retention or restraint,
All his in dedication. For his sake
Did I expose myself, pure for his love,
Into the danger of this adverse town;
Drew to defend him when he was beset
A
ACT 1 SCENE 5
-My love, without retention or restraint, / All his in dedication.”
→ Shows Antonio’s unconditional love and devotion—possibly romantic.
23
Q
ORSINO SAYS ANTONIO IS MAD AS VIOLA ATTENDED ON HIM FROM 3 MONTHS
But for thee, fellow: fellow, thy words are madness.
Three months this youth hath tended upon me—
A
ACT 1 SCENE 5,
theme of madness and disorder
24
Q
orsino threatens to kill cesario
Why should I not, had I the heart to do it,
Like to th’ Egyptian thief at point of death,
Kill what I love?—a savage jealousy
That sometime savors nobly
…..
But this your minion, whom I know you love,
And whom, by heaven I swear, I tender dearly,
Him will I tear out of that cruel eye
A
(adheres to conventions of courtly love)
He compares himself to the legendary Egyptian thief, who, rather than letting someone else have what he loves, kills it at the moment of death—a noble yet savage act of jealous love. Feeling rejected by Olivia, whom he still idealizes, he threatens to kill Cesario, who he believes is the object of her affection.
25
viola sqays she will die a thousand deaths for orsino....
shortly after says she would choose him over wife
ACT 5 SCENE 1
And I, most jocund, apt, and willingly,
To do you rest a thousand deaths would die.
After him I love
More than I love these eyes, more than my life,
More by all mores than e’er I shall love wife.
26
viola says he never hurt sir andrew
act 1 scene 5
Why do you speak to me? I never hurt you.
You drew your sword upon me without cause,
But I bespake you fair and hurt you not.
27
ORSINO SAYS ONE FACE ONE BODY ETC
act 1 scene 5
One face, one voice, one habit, and two persons!
A natural perspective, that is and is not!
28
antonio apple cleft quote
ACT 1 SCENE 5
How have you made division of yourself?
An apple cleft in two is not more twin
Than these two creatures. Which is Sebastian?
29
viola confirms identity and saysdo not celebreate until she is out of masculine attire
ACT 1 SCENE 5
“If nothing lets to make us happy both / But this my masculine usurped attire…”
→ If the only thing preventing our happiness is my disguise as a man…
“…do not embrace me till each circumstance / Of place, time, fortune, do cohere and jump / That I am Viola…”
→ Don’t fully believe or celebrate until all evidence—time, place, and fortune—clearly aligns to confirm that I am truly Viola.
30
orsino asks to see her in womans weeds
ACT 1 SCENE 5
Give me thy hand,
And let me see thee in thy woman’s weeds.
31
malvolio says in letter:
given your drunken cousin rule over
me
act 1 scene 5
HIGHLIGHTS LORD OF MISRULE
32
FESTE IN LONG SPEECH SAYS PRANK WAS TO PROVOKE LAUGHTER
ACT 5 SCENE 1
“How with a sportful malice it was followed / May rather pluck on laughter than revenge”
→ Fabian argues it should provoke laughter rather than punishment, as it was intended in fun.
33
malvolio revege quote
ACT 5 SCENE 1
I’ll be revenged on the whole pack of you!
34
fancy queen quote
ACT 5 SCENE 1
Cesario, come,
For so you shall be while you are a man.
But when in other habits you are seen,
Orsino’s mistress, and his fancy’s queen.
still ancknowledges her as cesario- fluidity of desire
35
feste final song
RAIN RAINETH EVERYDAY REPERTION
reminded that revelry is tempory and order will inevitably be restored
hardships of daily lives persist amongst revelry
36
sir toby refers to the laws of dueling
ACT 1 SCENE 5
There’s no remedy, sir; he will fight
with you for ’s oath sake.
the duel is unavoidable due to strict rules arund dueling at the time
*DUEL CONTEXT: strict code of honour, often fought to defend ones reputation rather than kill. Challenges were made through verbal insults or letters like sir Andrews letter. Rapiers were the preferred weapons amongst nobles. Witnesses endured fairness.
37
VIOLA SCARED OF DUEL
ACT 3 SCENE 2
Pray God defend me! ⌜Aside.⌝ A little thing
would make me tell them how much I lack of a
man.
38
antonio shocked viola will not give the purse
ACT 3 SCENE 4
Let me speak a little. This youth that you see here
I snatched one half out of the jaws of death,
Relieved him with such sanctity of love,
And to his image, which methought did promise
Most venerable worth, did I devotion.
The man grows mad. Away with him.—Come,
come, sir.
39
If music be the food of love, play on. / Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, / The appetite may sicken and so die."
ACT 1 SCENE 1
Metaphor of ‘food of love’: suggests Orsino’s love can be filled and satisfied by indlulgence (much alike how hunger is satisfied by food.) this nourishment of his love through music creates a cycle of longing and ‘hunger’
therefore he wants music to be played in excess in hope that overindulgence will cure his obsession, much alike food satisfies hunger.
his request for excess reflects how indulgence is vital to his character, dramatic tone saterises courtly love as shallow
40
/ O, it came o’er my ear like the sweet sound / That breathes upon a bank of violets, / Stealing and giving odor."
ACT 1 SCENE 1(ORSINO OPENING SOLILLOQIY)
The comparison to the scent of violets—a symbol of both love and death—reinforces the theme of the fleeting nature of desire.
sensuality of the entire phrase highlights his desire for pure indulgence
41
"O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou, / That, notwithstanding thy capacity / Receiveth as the sea, naught enters there, / Of what validity and pitch soe’er, / But falls into abatement and low price / Even in a minute."
ACT 1 SCENE 1
Orsino compares love to the sea, a metaphor for its boundless nature but also its inability to retain its intensity. Love, like the sea, absorbs everything, but the feelings diminish almost immediately, losing their value. This speaks to the superficial nature of Orsino’s love for Olivia, which is more about his emotional volatility than about Olivia herself.
suggests the drowning nature of his love, drowning in his emotions. His reflection on the "sea" as a metaphor for love illustrates how his emotional capacity feels infinite. The thrashing nature of the sea also highlights the instability of love
42
"So full of shapes is fancy / That it alone is high fantastical."
Orsino reflects on the role of imagination (fancy) in love, suggesting that love is driven more by fantasy than by reality.
His idealized vision of Olivia is a product of his own desires
mocks courtly love poetry, highlights madness of Illyria
43
"O, when mine eyes did see Olivia first, / Methought she purged the air of pestilence. That instant was I turned into a hart, / And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds, / E’er since pursue me."”
purged the air of pestilence- imagines her as a divine figure, associates her with purity
hart-The transformation from a man into a "hart" (a male deer) suggests a vulnerability to love, as a hart is often depicted as a symbol of innocence and prey. His description adds a layer of melodrama to his character as he victimises himself as the prey- ironic as he is so persistant with her.
fell and cruel hounds- love thats which chases the hart (orsino), reinforcing the idea of his love as a painful and predatory force.
Hunting symbol-The use of hunting imagery (hart and hounds) aligns with the Renaissance tradition of love as a courtly pursuit
44
But like a cloistress she will veilèd walk, / And water once a day her chamber round / With eye-offending brine—all this to season / A brother’s dead love, which she would keep fresh / And lasting in her sad remembrance."
She has vowed to remain in mourning, isolating herself from the world. The imagery of tears ("eye-offending brine") conveys both her sorrow and the physical manifestation of grief
45
O, she that hath a heart of that fine frame / To pay this debt of love but to a brother, / How will she love when the rich golden shaft / Hath killed the flock of all affections else / That live in her; when liver, brain, and heart, / These sovereign thrones, are all supplied, and filled / Her sweet perfections with one self king!"
ACT 1 SCENE 1
Orsino marvels at Olivia’s capacity for love, particularly her commitment to her brother. He believes that, when Olivia finally falls in love, her heart will be wholly devoted to one person—himself.
Monarchical Imagery: The metaphor of "liver, brain, and heart" as "sovereign thrones" suggests that Orsino sees the human soul as a kingdom, and when one emotion (love) dominates, it controls all faculties of the person. This illustrates his belief in the absolute, all-consuming nature of true love.
46
Away before me to sweet beds of flowers! / Love thoughts lie rich when canopied with bowers."
ACT 1 SCENE 1
This image of "beds of flowers" evokes an almost dreamlike, escapist view of love as something beautiful and indulgent. It suggests that Orsino’s understanding of love is rooted in fantasy, divorced from reality.
47
o "This is Illyria, lady."
ACT 1 SCENE 2
Illyria introduced right after the shipwreck,
Shipwrecks were often symbolic of chaos and rebirth, representing both loss and the potential for renewal or change.
establishes illyria as a symbol of chaos and rebirth
48
"It is perchance that you yourself were saved."
ACT 1 SCENE 2
The Captain introduces the idea that Viola might have been saved by luck or fate, but the emphasis on chance and uncertainty reflects the unpredictability of life in Illyria.
The Captain’s acknowledgment of chance in Viola’s survival reflects the Elizabethan idea of Fortuna (the goddess of luck) and the capricious nature of fate.
49
"I saw your brother, / Most provident in peril, bind himself / To a strong mast that lived upon the sea, / Where, like Arion on the dolphin’s back, / I saw him hold acquaintance with the waves."
ACT 1 SCENE 2
The Captain’s description of Sebastian’s survival likens him to the mythical figure Arion, known for being rescued by a dolphin after a shipwreck.
The myth of Arion, often used in Renaissance literature, highlights the idea of divine or fateful intervention. The image of the dolphin is a symbol of salvation, aligning with the play’s theme of love and fate.
Links to him later on as a symbol of restoration of order at the end of play
50
"A virtuous maid, the daughter of a count / That died some twelvemonth since, then leaving her / In the protection of his son, her brother, / Who shortly also died."
ACT 1 SCENE 2:
The Captain provides background on Olivia, painting her as a woman of virtue and mourning.
Olivia’s decision to avoid men, particularly in the wake of her brother’s death, represents the barriers she constructs around herself as a form of self-protection.
51
Seacaptain says olivia will not admit and suitor
ACT 1 SCENE 2
"She will admit no kind of suit, / No, not the Duke’s."
In Renaissance England, the rejection of a nobleman was not only a personal decision but could also be seen as a social and political maneuver. Olivia’s refusal to consider marriage, even to a powerful duke, would be viewed as an act of defiance against societal expectations for women to marry
52
sir toby asks maria what plagues his neice to morn her brother so much
ACT 1 SCENE 3
What a plague means my niece to take the death of her brother thus? I am sure care’s an enemy to life.”
This comment sets up a stark contrast between Olivia’s somberness and Sir Toby’s carefree nature. Lack of empathy
53
maria condemns sir tobys late hours into night
ACT 1 SCENE 3
“By my troth, Sir Toby, you must come in earlier o' nights. Your cousin, my lady, takes great exceptions to your ill hours.”
Maria’s attempt to address Sir Toby’s behavior shows her role as the voice of reason in contrast to his recklessness. She represents the more structured, orderly side of social life, in contrast to Sir Toby’s chaos.
(Masters and servants0
54
maria tells sir toby to confine himself in the modest limits of order
ACT 1 SCENE 3
“Ay, but you must confine yourself within the modest limits of order.”
introduces theme of order vs disorder. Order in illirya is abandoned at times, social roles are reversed, gender is reversed etc.
55
sir toby says these clothes are good enough to drink in
ACT 1 SCENE 3
“Confine? I’ll confine myself no finer than I am. These clothes are good enough to drink in, and so be these boots too. An they be not, let them hang themselves in their own straps!”
-introduces sir toby as Lord of Misrule
Sir Toby’s comment about his clothes reflects a disregard for propriety and order.
-clothes comment: clothes big marker of class identity: e.g excess against apparel, sumptury laws- shows topsyturvydom
56
maria calls sir andrew a fool
ACT 1 SCENE 2
but he’ll have but a year in all these ducats. He’s a very fool and a prodigal.”
Maria’s description of Sir Andrew as a “fool” and “prodigal” introduces the theme of reckless consumption and wastefulness. Sir Andrew is a figure of excess, but his lack of long-term vision renders him unsuitable for serious pursuits
57
58
sir toby says he will drink to olivia as long as there is a passage in his throat
ACT 1 SCENE 3
“With drinking healths to my niece. I’ll drink to her as long as there is a passage in my throat and drink in Illyria.”
the phrase “as long as there is a passage in my throat” suggests an unrestrained, almost gluttonous approach to pleasure
59
sir toby and sir andrew affectionately greet eachother
SCENE 1 ACT 3
“Sweet Sir Andrew!”
The affectionate, but insincere tone Sir Toby uses here is consistent with the Elizabethan love of deceptive camaraderie, where language can be employed to manipulate others.
60
SIR ANDREW SAYS BLESS YOU FAIR SHREW TO MARIA
ACT 1 SCENE 3
“Bless you, fair shrew.”
*The term "shrew" here is derogatory, often used in Shakespeare’s time to describe a sharp-tongued woman who was difficult or argumentative. It reflects the period’s expectation for women to be submissive and to keep their opinions to themselves. speaks to gender dynamics in the play, particularly the tension between subjugation and empowerment. Maria’s quick responses and ability to outwit Sir Andrew make her an example of female agency,
61
SIR TOBY TELLS SIR ANDREW IF HE LETS MARIA LEAVE HE MAY AS WELL NEVER DRAW HIS SWORD AGAIN
ACT 1 SCENE 3
“An thou let part so, Sir Andrew, would thou mightst never draw sword again.”
To draw one's sword was a symbol of manliness and defending one's honor. By telling Sir Andrew that he should never draw a sword again if he allows Maria to leave, Sir Toby mocks Sir Andrew’s lack of courage or honor in romantic matters. Sir Andrew’s inability to recognize this manipulation speaks to the theme of foolishness.
62
maria wittingly refuses to give sir andrew her hand
“Marry, but you shall have, and here’s my hand.”
e physical interaction between Maria and Sir Andrew, where Sir Andrew offers his hand to Maria, serves as a symbolic gesture in the context of courtship. Maria, however, responds with a witty retort rather than accepting his offer, mocking his misunderstanding of social conventions.
Maria’s quick wit is a symbol of female agency. She uses language to assert power and control
63
sir andrew says he will stay a month longer to sir toby
ACT 1 SCENE 3
“I’ll stay a month longer. I am a fellow o’ th’ strangest mind i’ th’ world. I delight in masques and revels sometimes altogether.”
Sir Andrew’s focus on revelry and pleasure (masques and revels) is consistent with the play’s theme of excessive indulgence in the pursuit of entertainment. he’s content to indulge in distractions rather than face the reality of his lack of success with Olivia
64
SIR TOBY SAYS WERE WE NOT BORN UNDER TAURUS
ACT 1 SCENE 3
“What shall we do else? Were we not born under Taurus?”
Toby continues to encourage excessive indulgence in revelry, stating that they were born under the sign of Taurus, a sign known for its pleasure-loving nature.
confusion about the astrological sign of Taurus adds to his absurdity. He misinterprets Taurus as referring to the body, which further exposes his ignorance and lack of refinement.
65
valentine tells cesario (viola) that the duke favours her
Act 1, scene 4
“If the Duke continue these favours towards you, Cesario, you are like to be much advanced; he hath known you but three days, and already you are no stranger.”
This highlights Orsino’s impulsive nature and his tendency to form strong emotional attachments quickly—a key trait that underscores his romantic obsession with Olivia. AVANCED suggests a social/ political position being advanced. illuminates how viol's disguise gives her social mobility.
66
orsino tells cesario to go to olivia's court and not leave until he can speak with her
ACT 1 SCENE 4
Therefore, good youth, address thy gait unto her. Be not denied access. Stand at her doors And tell them, there thy fixèd foot shall grow Till thou have audience.
shows his trust. shows his forceful persuit of love- courtly love. In the context of Plato’s Symposium, Orsino’s desire to find “completion” through Olivia, or even Cesario, reflects the idea of searching for one’s “other half
67
orsinio tells cesario he has unclasped the scecret of his soul to him
scene 1, act 4
Stand you awhile aloof.—Cesario, Thou know’st no less but all. I have unclasped To thee the book even of my secret soul.
He speaks of “unclasping the book” of his soul, but in truth, Orsino doesn’t even know himself well enough to understand the depth of his own feelings. The metaphor of a "book" represents Orsino’s emotions, suggesting his vulnerability and openness with Cesario. : Intimacy and trust. Orsino’s emotional connection to Cesario (Viola) deepens, unaware of the irony that his confidant is not who he thinks they are. Immediate trust because cesario is actually a woman
68
viola says olivia will never have a viewing with him to orsino
Act1 1 scene 4
“Sure, my noble lord, If she be so abandoned to her sorrow As it is spoke, she never will admit me.”
This shows Viola’s pragmatism compared to Orsino’s overly romantic view of the situation. Viola's reluctance to woo Olivia on Orsino’s behalf stems from her unspoken love for him
69
Orsino says cesario's youth will appear to Olivia
ACT 1 SCENE 4
O, then unfold the passion of my love, Surprise her with discourse of my dear faith. It shall become thee well to act my woes; She will attend it better in thy youth Than in a nuncio of more grave aspect.”
Orsino romanticizes Cesario's youthful charm, believing it will appeal to Olivia. He instructs Cesario to act out his emotions, further blurring the lines between reality and performance.
70
Orsino notes cesario's feminine aspects
ACT 1 SCENE 4
'Diana’s lip Is not more smooth and rubious, thy small pipe Is as the maiden’s organ, shrill and sound, And all is semblative a woman’s part.”'
Diana, roman godess who symbolises beauty and purity. “Smooth and rubious” (meaning soft and red) emphasizes physical attraction, focusing on sensual details usually admired in a woman.
small pipe” refers to Cesario’s voice, which Orsino compares to a woman’s musical instrument (“maiden’s organ”).
The adjectives “shrill and sound ”imply an attractively feminine voice.
71
viola says she want to be his wife to herself
ACT 1 SCENE 4
Yet, a barful strife! Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife.”
ramatic irony is strong here: the audience knows Viola is a woman in disguise, which makes her role deeply paradoxical. Shakespeare uses expressive diction and punctuation to highlight Viola’s internal conflict and frustration.
The phrase “barful strife” (meaning a difficult struggle) conveys her frustration and helplessness, while the rhyming couplet emphasizes her emotional sincerity.
72
MARIA demands where fool has been
ACT 1 SCENE 5
“Nay, either tell me where thou hast been, or I will not open my lips so wide as a bristle may enter in way of thy excuse.”
female agency, holds power over feste over his excuse making. the Fool was often a key figure who could speak truths others could not, yet here Maria manages to outwit him in her own right, showing the intelligence and agency of women in the play.
73
marias says olivia will hang the fool for his absence
adds a layer of dark humor, referencing the exaggerated consequences for the fool's tardiness. There’s an implicit commentary on class power dynamics
74
“Let her hang me. He that is well hanged in this world needs to fear no colors.”
ACT 1 SCENE 5
reflects his philosophy that death is the ultimate freedom, subverting the typical fear of death seen in many other characters.
also slang for being well-endowed sexually.
flags or banners, especially military ones—so to “fear no colours” is to fear no battle or challenge.
The phrase implies that someone who is “well hanged” (either dead or sexually confident) has nothing to lose, and thus nothing to fear.
The use of paradox and wordplay elevates the Fool’s character as one who speaks in riddles, revealing deeper truths about life and death. His role in the play is to challenge norms and provide insight through humor
75
A good Lenten answer. I can tell thee where that saying was born, of “I fear no colors.”
ACT 1 SCENE 5
“Lenten” literally refers to Lent, Says the joke is dry- like a lent meal. shows her wit
Maria claims she knows the origin of the phrase “I fear no colours.”, Witty intellect
doesn’t let the fool have the last word. Shakespeare uses this exchange to build comedic tension, showcase character intelligence, and explore how language can be used to assert power, critique, or flirt.
76
fool says a good hanging prevents a bad marriage
ACT 1 SCENE 5
“Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage, and, for turning away, let summer bear it out.”
sexual pun — suggesting that sexual satisfaction (or prowess) might be preferable to or protective against the troubles of a bad marriage.
Feste implies that being hanged (executed) can be preferable to entering a bad marriage. Shakespeare mocks how marriage can be a social trap
77
feste says better a witty fool than a foolish wit
ACT 1 SCENE 5
For what says Quinapalus? ‘Better a witty Fool than a foolish wit.’”
Quinapalus” — a fictional or invented philosopher. mocks those who use intellectual sources to appear clever by fabricating a source.
quote is built on antithesis — the clever contrast of opposites
A witty fool: someone who plays the fool but is actually wise (like Feste).
78
olivia wants fool taken away
ACT 1 SCENE 5
“Take the Fool away.”
Do u not hear, fellows? Take away the Lady.
Sir, I bade them take away you.
The Fool is a character who speaks uncomfortable truths, and Olivia’s rejection could symbolize her refusal to face her own emotions or truths about love, particularly her obsessive mourning for her brother.
The Fool, who has the freedom to speak the truth, makes light of Olivia’s authoritative position by switching the usual dynamic of who controls the scene. bahktin theory of carniovalesque topsyturvydom of social hierarchy
79
feste says anything that is mended is but patched
ACT 1 SCENE 5
“Anything that’s mended is but patched; virtue that transgresses is but patched with sin, and sin that amends is but patched with virtue.”
ll fixing is just patching — covering up flaws, not truly curing them, highlights feste role to speak truth
80
feste does wordplay in latin saying clothes dont make the man and asks olivia to allow him to prove her a fool
ACT 1 SCENE 5
Misprision in the highest degree! Lady, cucullus non facit monachum. That’s as much to say as, I wear not motley in my brain. Good madonna, give me leave to prove you a fool.
Misprision- mistake
Latin proverb- meaning clothes don’t make the man.
Wears motley (jesters costume) but doesn't lack knowledge
appearance doesn't reveal the truth of others (APPEARANCE VS REALIST)
Highlights role to reveal the follies of others
81
feste asks why olivia mourns her brother
ACT 1 SCENE 1
Good madonna, why mourn’st thou?
The Fool directly questions Olivia’s grief, pushing her to confront whether it is reasonable to mourn her brother’s death when he is supposedly in heaven.
82
feste says he thinks olivia's brothers soul is in heaven
ACT 1 SCENE 5
I think his soul is in hell, madonna..
mocks her for mourning someone in heaven
83
FESTSE calls olivia a fool for morning and tells her courtiers to take HER away
ACT 1 SCENE 5
The more fool, madonna, to mourn for your brother’s soul, being in heaven. Take away the fool, gentlemen.
Shows irrationality of illiriya- fool becomes a voice of reason
carnivalesque reversal of social hierarchies
mocks excess
84
malvolio calls fest a barren rascal
ACT 1 SCENE 5
I marvel your Ladyship takes delight in
such a barren rascal. I saw him put down the other day with an ordinary fool that has no more brain than a stone.
use of "barren" suggests a lack of intellectual or moral worth, reflecting Malvolio's rigid and puritanical worldview.
85
O, you are sick of self-love, Malvolio, and taste
with a distempered appetite.
ACT 1 SCENE 5
Sick” implies that his pride is not just a flaw, but a moral and emotional illness, IMPLIES PURITANISM IS A SICKNESS.
livia suggests that Malvolio cannot judge fairly because his desires (appetitie) (for power, status, or moral superiority) have corrupted his perspective.
86
To be generous, guiltless,
and of free disposition is to take those things
for bird-bolts that you deem cannon bullets. There
is no slander in an allowed Fool, though he do
nothing but rail; nor no railing in a known discreet
man, though he do nothing but reprove.
ACT 1 SCENE 5
bird-bolts” (harmless, blunt arrows) and “cannon bullets” (deadly weapons) to show that Malvolio is overreacting
A licensed fool like Feste is permitted to speak freely, even mockingly ("rail"), without it being considered offensive.- olivia defends this right showing fools role to reveal the follies of others
87
SIR TOBY LECHERY COMMENT
ACT 1 SCENE 5
OLIVIA Cousin, cousin, how have you come so early by
this lethargy?
TOBY Lechery? I defy lechery. There’s one at the gate.
Toby mishears it as “lechery” (excessive or inappropriate sexual desire),
comic confusion through his drunkeness- festive practice causes topsyturvy confusion.
88
feste says sir toby is downed (from drunkenness)
ACT 1 SCENE 5
Like a drowned man, a fool, and a madman. One
draught above heat makes him a fool, the second
mads him, and a third drowns him.
comparing a drunken man to a "drowned man, a fool, and a madman." This tripartite comparison reflects the progression of intoxication—first, the individual becomes a fool, then a madman, and finally reaches a state of drowning, symbolizing both literal and metaphorical suffocation under the weight of his own indulgence
REFELECTS EXCESS AND DESIRE AND BLURRED BOUNDARIES BETWEEN SANITY AND MADNESS
89
Not yet old enough for a man, nor young
enough for a boy—as a squash is before ’tis a
peascod, or a codling when ’tis almost an apple. ’Tis
with him in standing water, between boy and man.
He is very well-favored, and he speaks very shrewishly.
One would think his mother’s milk were
scarce out of him.
ACT 1 SCENE 5
Shows malvolio's discomfort with the uncertain gender identity of cesario. shows his puritan distaste for subversion of order. link to anatomy of abuses by philip stubbes
. A "shrew" was a term used to describe a woman who was assertive, outspoken, or even aggressive—traits that were typically seen as undesirable or inappropriate in women. To call someone "shrewish" implied that they were violating the socially accepted norms of feminine behavior. e.g sir andre refers to maria as a shrew in act 1 scene 3
These natural metaphors compare Cesario to unripe or half-developed fruit. not fully formed, in betweenness.
90
Give me my veil. Come, throw it o’er my face.
ACT 1 SCENE 5
The action is symbolic — she is hiding her true feelings and creating a mask. veil thus highlights the tension between outward appearances and inner feelings.
Perhaps concealing her true homoerotic desires upon meeting a man with womanly features, subconsciously though
91
Most radiant, exquisite, and unmatchable
beauty—I pray you, tell me if this be the lady of the
house, for I never saw her.
ACT 1 SCENE 5
-Petrachan style courtly flattery, highlights the feeble nature of conventions of courtly love as viola cannot see her face and it is on the behalf of another man
92
Most certain, if you are she, you do usurp
yourself, for what is yours to bestow is not yours to
reserve. But this is from my commission. I will on
with my speech in your praise and then show you
the heart of my message.
ACT 1 SCENE 5
'then show you
the heart of my message.'-refers to it being representative of viola's true feelings to orsino
93
Alas, I took great pains to study it, and ’tis
poetical.
ACT 1 SCENE 5
mocks courtly love as its pre rehearsed, not spontaneous true love
94
’Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white
Nature’s own sweet and cunning hand laid on.
Lady, you are the cruel’st she alive
If you will lead these graces to the grave
And leave the world no copy.
“Red and white” are traditional markers of Petrarchan beauty — red lips, white skin — and the phrase itself mimics blazon poetry, where lovers list and idealize a woman's features.
Viola flatters Olivia by suggesting she’s so beautiful, it would be cruel not to reproduce — that is, to marry and have children.
95
Your lord does know my mind. I cannot love him.
Yet I suppose him virtuous, know him noble,
Of great estate, of fresh and stainless youth;
In voices well divulged, free, learned, and valiant,
And in dimension and the shape of nature
A gracious person. But yet I cannot love him.
He might have took his answer long ago.
ACT 1 SCENE 5
olivia autonomy
96
viola describes what she would do if she was to love viola on behalf of orsino
ACT 1 SCENE 5
Make me a willow cabin at your gate
And call upon my soul within the house,
REVEALS HER LOVE FOR ORSNIO- IRONIC, CARRYS THE FORCE OF HER LOVE FOR ORSINO, PASSION CAUSES MISCOMMUNICATION
97
Thy tongue, thy face, thy limbs, actions, and spirit
Do give thee fivefold blazon. Not too fast! Soft,
soft!
ACT 1 SCENE 5
Olivia is suddenly overwhelmed by attraction. She lists the qualities in Cesario (really Viola) that she finds irresistible—his speech, appearance, movements, demeanor, and energy.
comic as audience knows cesario is viola
98
Even so quickly may one catch the plague?
act 1 scene 5
Olivia compares falling in love to contracting the plague—something dangerous, uncontrollable, and possibly fatal. shows mad topsyturvydom of Illyria
99
SEBASTIAN REVEALS IDENTITY TO ANTONIO
ACT 2 SCENE 1
Therefore it
charges me in manners the rather to express myself.
You must know of me, then, Antonio, my name
is Sebastian
shows homoerotic subtext
100
antonio asks to be sebastians servant due to his love for him
ACT 2 SCENE 1
If you will not murder me for my love, let me
be your servant.
This is metaphorical, expressing Antonio's fear that his love might be too much, too obvious, or unwelcome.
101
antonio says he has many enemies in orsino's court but he will go as he adores Sebastian
act 2 scene 1
I have many enemies in Orsino’s court,
Else would I very shortly see thee there.
But come what may, I do adore thee so
102
ANDREW Faith, so they say, but I think it rather consists
of eating and drinking.
TOBY Thou ’rt a scholar. Let us therefore eat and
drink. Marian, I say, a stoup of wine!
ACT 2 SCENE 3
sir toby praises sir andrew for his indulgence
103
O mistress mine, where are you roaming?
O, stay and hear! Your truelove’s coming,
That can sing both high and low.
Trip no further, pretty sweeting.
Journeys end in lovers meeting,
Every wise man’s son doth know.
ACT 2 SCENE 3
Though labeled a fool, Feste is deeply insightful. His song reflects on the fleeting nature of time and love, themes central to the play.
balances the festivity and melancholy that define the play.
It contrasts their silliness with a mature reflection on love and lif
subtly prepares the audience for the eventual resolution of romantic confusion
idea that lovers are destined to meet no matter how far they roam.
Youth is fleeting, and therefore, one should act on desire and affection now.
104
My masters, are you mad? Or what are you?
Have you no wit, manners, nor honesty but to
gabble like tinkers at this time of night? Do you
make an ale-house of my lady’s house
ACT 2 SCENE 3
malvolio's puritan distaste for revelry
105
Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous,
there shall be no more cakes and ale?
ACT 2 SCENE 3
Tension between festivity and order
106
Marry, sir, sometimes he is a kind of puritan.
ACT 2 SCENE 3
107
If I do not gull him into ⌜a nayword⌝
and make him a common recreation, do not think I
have wit enough to lie straight in my bed. I know I
can do it.
ACT 2 SCENE 3
EMPHASISES WIT, AGENCY SELF CONFIDENCE- AS WELL AS EXCESS IN FESTIVITY
108
The devil a puritan that he is, or anything
constantly but a time-pleaser
ACT 2 SCENE 3
109
Before me, she’s a good wench.
act 2 scene 3
110
'Of your complexion.' ' About your years, my lord.'
act 2 scene 4
111
Too old, by heaven. Let still the woman take
An elder than herself. So wears she to him;
So sways she level in her husband’s heart.
For, boy, however we do praise ourselves,
Our fancies are more giddy and unfirm,
More longing, wavering, sooner lost and worn,
Than women’s are.
act 2 scene 4
Irony: He is saying this to Viola, who is deeply and steadfastly in love with him, while disguised as a boy. The audience knows that her love is far more constant than Orsino’s infatuation with Olivia.
112
Come away, come away, death,
And in sad cypress let me be laid.
⌜Fly⌝ away, ⌜fly⌝ away, breath,
I am slain by a fair cruel maid.
My shroud of white, stuck all with yew,
O, prepare it!
My part of death, no one so true
Did share it.
Not a flower, not a flower sweet
On my black coffin let there be strown;
Not a friend, not a friend greet
My poor corpse where my bones shall be thrown.
A thousand thousand sighs to save,
Lay me, O, where
Sad true lover never find my grave
To weep there.
act 2 scene 4
Words like “death,” “cypress,” “shroud,” “coffin,” “bones,” “grave,” and “sighs” create a semantic field of mourning and funerals.
Feste, a clown, sings a song more sincere and tragic than anything Orsino himself can articulate—this heightens the irony of Orsino’s romantic affectation versus Viola’s silent, real love.
On the surface, the speaker (through Feste’s voice) is expressing the wish to die from a broken heart:
The song ironically reflects Viola’s inner world more than Orsino’s. She endures true unrequited love, while Orsino’s is more performative.
113
Now the melancholy god protect thee and the
tailor make thy doublet of changeable taffeta, for thy
mind is a very opal. I would have men of such
constancy put to sea, that their business might be
everything and their intent everywhere, for that’s it
that always makes a good voyage of nothing.
Farewell.
ACT 1 SCENE 4
Feste is mocking emotional fickleness, especially Orsino’s romantic inconsistency, and perhaps more subtly Viola’s disguise.
“Thy mind is a very opal”
Opal is a gemstone known for its iridescence and ever-shifting colors—another metaphor for inconstancy.
This line drives home the idea that the speaker’s mind or emotions are constantly changing, unreliable.
114
There is no woman’s sides
Can bide the beating of so strong a passion
As love doth give my heart; no woman’s heart
So big, to hold so much; they lack retention.
ACT 2 SCENE 4
ironic as viola loves him more
115
My father had a daughter loved a man
As it might be, perhaps, were I a woman,
I should your Lordship.
act 1 scene 4
Viola begins with a carefully crafted story, using third person to talk about herself indirectly.
This is the emotional crux of the line: Viola implies that if she were a woman (which she is), she would love Orsino—which she does.
116
I am all the daughters of my father’s house,
And all the brothers, too—and yet I know not.
ACT 1 SCENE 4
This line is a powerful reflection on fluid identity. Viola is literally both brother and sister
117
i would exult, man. You know he brought me
out o’ favor with my lady about a bearbaiting here.
ACT 1 SCENE 5
*Theatre bear baiting brothels and gambling happened in Southwark, London at the time as it was out of the London laws
*In this case he treats her house as a place of unruly leisure
*Revealing that Fabien also has a grudge because Malvolio told on fabian for bear baiting in his house
118
malvolio says to be count malvolio
ACT 2 SCENE 5
To be Count Malvolio.
in reality, such a marriage would be rare and scandalous.
119
malvolio describes calling his officers about him
act 2 scene 5
Calling my officers about me, in my
branched velvet gown, having come from a daybed
where I have left Olivia sleeping—
120
And then to have the humor of state; and
after a demure travel of regard, telling them I
know my place, as I would they should do theirs, to
ask for my kinsman Toby—
ACT 2 SCENE 5
He imagines himself, now “married” to Olivia, referring to Sir Toby as his relative by marriage,
121
“Cousin Toby, my fortunes, having
cast me on your niece, give me this prerogative of
speech—”
ACT 2 SCENE 5
* He has the ‘right’ to speak to toby like this if he was count
* Almost directed at sir toby suggests a rift of animosity regarding social status, wants revenge on sir toby as he has disrespected him (e.g he sang in malvolios face)
122
By my life, this is my
lady’s hand! These be her very c’s, her u’s, and her
t’s, and thus she makes her great P’s
ACT 2 SCENE 5
gullibility
123
M”—Malvolio. “M”—why, that begins
my name!
ACT 2 SCENE 5
*Context; extreme protestants (puritans) believed the bibal was literally true (not interested in interpretation or debate) however there was debate that puritans twisted words of the bible to support their own meaning
124
⌜He reads.⌝ If this fall into thy hand, revolve. In my
stars I am above thee, but be not afraid of greatness.
Some are ⌜born⌝ great, some ⌜achieve⌝ greatness, and
some have greatness thrust upon ’em.
ACT 2 SCENE 5
* Outlines ability to change your fate in life- idea of luck and random events
125
I will be proud, I will read politic authors, I
will baffle Sir Toby
ACT 2 SCENE 5
126
will be strange, stout,
in yellow stockings, and cross-gartered, even with
the swiftness of putting on. Jove and my stars be
praised!
act 2 scene 5
127
TOBY I could marry this wench for this device.
And ask no other dowry with her but such
another jest.
ACT 1 SCENE 5
*He actually does marry her. Being funny makes someone more attractive.
* Finds her wit attractive and entertaining
* By suggesting marrying her he slightly mocks the social mobility of marriage (however very subtle as she is a gentle-woman and not really a servant so not TOO transgressive)
* Her wit is more important than money- humour is a sort of currency
128
"I am indeed not her fool but her corrupter of words."
ACT 3 SCENE 1
129
This fellow is wise enough to play the Fool,
And to do that well craves a kind of wit.
ACT 3 SCENE 1
130
Let the garden door be shut, and leave me to
my hearing.
ACT 3 SCENE 1
131
FABIEN REFERS TO MALVOLIO IS A CUR, a stray dog
ACT 2 SCENE 5
Did not I say he would work it out? The
cur is excellent at faults.
*Cur- dog, often a mongrel or a stray, shylock refered to one in merchant of venice (outsider)* Shakespeare trying to represent outcasts and discriminated groups, inadvertently (in MOV Shakespeare using shylock to represent Jewish just like Malvolio is closely a puritan who were a resented group)
132
viola notes how attracted olivia seemed to her
ACT 2 SCENE 2
Fortune forbid my outside have not charmed her!
She made good view of me, indeed so much
That methought her eyes had lost her tongue,
For she did speak in starts distractedly.
idea of madness and love, love as a sort of disease
133
viola realises how dangerous disguise is
ACT 2 SCENE 2
Poor lady, she were better love a dream.
Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness
Wherein the pregnant enemy does much.
devil uses diguise to cause harm, from viola's soliloquy
134
How easy is it for the proper false
In women’s waxen hearts to set their forms!
ACT 2 SCENE 2
from viola's soliloquy
Touches upon how men easily imprint themselves upon women, and women succumb to fragile emotions (image of WAX- our hearts are like wax and they set a mans false form within their heart instead of repelling it) EMPATHY WITH OLIVIA AS VIOLA HAS BEEN TAKEN BY ORSIONO
135
My master loves her dearly,
And I, poor monster, fond as much on him,
And she, mistaken, seems to dote on me.
ACT 2 SCENE 2
COMIC MOMENT OF GENDER CONFUSION
Monster- blend between a man and woman, strange creature viola inhabits in her disguise
136
O Time, thou must untangle this, not I.
It is too hard a knot for me t’ untie.
ACT 2 SCENE 2
*She has no control over fate, this must untangle itself, highlighting the complexity of love
*References to time throughout, idea of a cosmic force in control of our fates
*Metaphor of a knot- plot is likened to a knot in which must be untangled
*Empathy she shows for olivia is touching, shows duality of her being and understands feminine love, she seems more considerate in her state as a woman- considerate in a gentle feminine role
* Preoccupied with her own love when shes a man but when shes a women takes on a considerate gentle feminine role
137
olivia allows cesario in when malvolio describes finine nature of cesario
ACT 1 SCENE 5
Let him approach. Call in my gentlewoman.
subconscious homoerotic desire
138
‘what is porqui’
ACT 1 SCENE 3
-comic relief, underscores difference between sir toby and andrew in terms of class. points to andrew as an underlying fool in the play for others to parody and provide comic relief.
(comedy)
139
SIR TOBY TELLS SIR ANDREW TO ACCOST
ACT 1 SCENE 3
“Accost, Sir Andrew, accost!”
*The misunderstanding of the word “accost” highlights the theme of miscommunication. comic relief, highlights him as a fool and not a competetent suitor
140
He does obey every point of the letter
that I dropped to betray him. He does smile his face
into more lines than is in the new map with the
augmentation of the Indies.
ACT 3 SCENE 2
-malvolio shows his indlugence in excess for social mobility, abandoning puritanical order. Symbolic of the lack of order in illiriya and the rising merchant class in elizabethan society wanting social mobility.
(Class) (Excess)
141
If music be the food of love, play on. / Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, / The appetite may sicken and so die."
ACT 1 SCENE 1
-the first of Orsino's many soliloquey's, portray's orsino's love as performative and excessive. Recalls courtly love and petrachan sonnets.
(excess) (love)
142
O, she that hath a heart of that fine frame / To pay this debt of love but to a brother, / How will she love when the rich golden shaft / Hath killed the flock of all affections else / That live in her; when liver, brain, and heart, / These sovereign thrones, are all supplied, and filled / Her sweet perfections with one self king!"
ACT 1 SCENE 1
143
*"Away before me to sweet beds of flowers! / Love thoughts lie rich when canopied with bowers."
Act 1 scene 1
144
spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou, / That, notwithstanding thy capacity / Receiveth as the sea, naught enters there, / Of what validity and pitch soe’er, / But falls into abatement and low price / Even in a minute.
Act 1 scene 1
145
“What a plague means my niece to take the death of her brother thus? I am sure care’s an enemy to life.”
Act 1, scene 3
(comedy) (melancholy) (festivity)
146
“Confine? I’ll confine myself no finer than I am. These clothes are good enough to drink in, and so be these boots too. An they be not, let them hang themselves in their own straps!”
act 1 scene 3
(sir toby) (festivity)
147
“With drinking healths to my niece. I’ll drink to her as long as there is a passage in my throat and drink in Illyria.”
act 1 scene 3
(excess) (Indulgence)
148
Go, write it in a martial hand. Be curst and
brief. It is no matter how witty, so it be eloquent
and full of invention. Taunt him with the license of
ink. If thou “thou”-est him some thrice, it shall not
be amiss, and as many lies as will lie in thy sheet of
paper, although the sheet were big enough for the
bed of Ware in England, set ’em down. Go, about it.
Let there be gall enough in thy ink, though thou
write with a goose-pen, no matter. About it.
ACT 3 SCENE 2
149
Like a drowned man, a fool, and a madman. One
draught above heat makes him a fool, the second
mads him, and a third drowns him.
act 1 scene 5
150
“Bless you, fair shrew.”
act 1 scene 3
151
Let him approach. Call in my gentlewoman.
act 1 scene 5
152
Conceal me what I am, and be my aid / For such disguise as haply shall become / The form of my intent. I’ll serve this duke. / Thou shalt present me as an eunuch to him."
act 1 scene 2
153
* "That strain again! It had a dying fall. / O, it came o’er my ear like the sweet sound / That breathes upon a bank of violets, / Stealing and giving odor."
ACT 1 SCENE 1
154
, you are sick of self-love, Malvolio, and taste
with a distempered appetite. To be generous, guiltless,
and of free disposition is to take those things
for bird-bolts that you deem cannon bullets. There
is no slander in an allowed Fool, though he do
nothing but rail; nor no railing in a known discreet
man, though he do nothing but reprove.
act 1 scene 5
155
“By my troth, Sir Toby, you must come in earlier o' nights. Your cousin, my lady, takes great exceptions to your ill hours.”
Act 1 scene 3
156
“Ay, but you must confine yourself within the modest limits of order.”
act 1 scene 3
