Sebastian

Question 1

What are some traits of Sebastian?

Answer 1

• noble
• self absorbed
• engages in violence

Question 2

What are some boundaries crossed by Sebastian?

Answer 2

• life and death
• geographical
• class
• emotional
• sanity and insanity

Question 3

“My stars shine darkly over me”

Answer 3

Act 2 Scene 1
- sibilance
- oxymoron
- link to ancient astrology: believed stars connoted faith

Question 4

“Both born in an hour - if the heavens had been pleased, we would had so ended!”

Answer 4

Act 2 Scene 1
- revealing personal family details
- wishes he and Viola died together

Question 5

“With salt water, though I seem to drown her remembrance again with more”

Answer 5

Act 2 Scene 1
- grieves longer than viola
- metaphor of tears
- crosses emotional boundary

Question 6

“I’ll be your purse bearer”

Answer 6

Act 3 Scene 3
- suggesting he is trustworthy

Question 7

“Shall we go see the reliques of this town?”

Answer 7

Act 3 Scene 3
- asks many questions like viola
- asking to see the sights of Illyria

Question 8

“Are all the people mad?”

Answer 8

Act 4 Scene 1
- themes of madness and sanity
- rhetorical interrogative

Question 9

“Or I am mad, or else this is a dream”

Answer 9

Act 4 Scene 1
- crosses boundary of sanity

Question 10

“A lady… it was said she much resembled me, was yet of many accounted beautiful”

Answer 10

Act 2 Scene 1
- complimenting Viola - reinforces empowerment of women.
- explains reoccurring theme of mistaken identity as we know Viola and Sebastian look alike.
- self-deprecation; odd for a male in the Elizabethan era to do as men were seen as superiors to woman.

Question 11

How is Sebastian portrayed in Act 4 Scene 1?

Answer 11

A typical masculine character. Engages in violence, pursues women solely based on appearance. He is growing tired of defiance and having to explain himself so he’s just going along with everything

Question 12

“This pearl she gave me, I do feel’t and see’t”

Answer 12

Act 4 Scene 3
- gem imagery: transactional boundary
- feels guilty but still going through

Question 13

“Where’s Antonio, then?”

Answer 13

Act 4 Scene 3
- self doubt
- rhetorical
- his guidance is gone, shows their close bond

Question 14

“With such a smooth, discreet, and stable bearing”

Answer 14

Act 4 Scene 3
- unusual to compliment on masculine traits
- convinced himself that Olivia must be sane
- rule of 3: humorous