1601-1602 - ‘Twelfth Night or What You Will’ – “If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it…”

In September 1601, William Shakespeare’s father John Shakespeare died and was buried in the Holy Trinity Churchyard in Stratford. William Shakespeare was executor of the will and he within a month signed a new lease for 91 years on the Henley Street house to Lewis Hiccox. Perhaps William and Ann Shakespeare needed the money. Since William Shakespeare was probably making about £250 a year some people assume that The Bard and his wife had started to speculate on property shares and tithes.

‘Twelfth Night or What You Will’ was probably performed in December 1601 or in January or February of 1602 for beginning of the Christmastide celebrations or for twelfth night celebrations or at the Candlemas celebration at the end of Christmastide celebrations. Originally celebrations for Christmas went for twelve days hence the Twelfth Night was the end of Christmastide and then it was extended for forty days so that Candlemas (the celebration of Jesus’ presentation by his mother at the temple) traditionally ended the Christmastide celebrations.

So, ‘Twelfth Night’ may have been performed on the first day of Christmas on December 1601 or on Twelfth Night on January 6^th, 1602 or at Candlemas on February 2^nd, 1602. Any of these dates meant that it was probably performed in doors so the playwright and screenplay writer Tom Stoppard in ‘Shakespeare in Love’ making the play one that was requested by Queen Elizabeth I is not beyond the realms of belief (even though this is highly improbable since it would place the play much earlier and the quite precise Royal records would probably confirm this if it was so). So we can probably best imagine that on the evening of January 6^th (the Twelfth Night) or February 2^nd (Candlemas) 1602, the candles were lit in the Middle Temple of the Inns of Court (one of the four law schools in London at the time), musicians appeared on stage and played a lyrical melancholic tune on a violin, a viola da gamba, a lute and theorbo (bass lute) and then the actor Richard Burbage entered the stage dressed as Lord Orsino and the music stopped and Burbage uttered the now famous first lines of the play that let us know that this play is going to be about love, rejection and desire:

“If music be the food of love, play on; (music continues)

Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,

The appetite may sicken, and so die.

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 odour! Enough; no more… (music stops)”

Orsino of Illyria is in love with the beautiful Lady Olivia but she will not see him or return his love since she pines for her recently deceased brother. Orsino only wishes to listen to melancholic music and dream of Olivia all day. .

Meanwhile, off the Illyrian coast, the young Viola, a noblewoman who has just been rescued by the Captain of the ship she was shipwrecked with, asks about what happened to her brother Sebastian. The Captain reveals that:

“I saw your brother,

Most provident in peril, bind himself,

Courage and hope both teaching him the practise,

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

So long as I could see…”

The Captain tells Viola that they have landed in Illyria where Duke Orsino, rules unmarried because he is in love with the Lady Olivia who since her brother died has “abjured the company and sight of men.” Viola says that she would like to offer her services to lady Olivia but when the Captain says that this is unlikely, Viola decides to disguise herself as a young nobleman and try to serve Duke Orsino and she offers to pay the Captain handsomely if he helps her to disguise herself. So we start the first of many identity changes and complications which will drive this play.

We cross to the mansion of the Lady Olivia, where we meet some of the comic relief of this play. Maria (Olivia’s gentlewoman) is warning Sir Toby Belch (Olivia’s uncle), that Sir Toby’s drinking and the presence of Sir Andrew Aguecheek (who is also a drunkard but fancies himself as courting Olivia), is annoying Olivia. Sir Andrew enters and show himself to be a fool). Maria leaves, and Sir Toby and Sir Andrew talk of how Olivia seems to scorn Sir Andrew and he intends to leave but Sir Toby convinces him that he still has a chance with Olivia particularly if he shows off his dancing skills.

The scene switches to over at Duke Orsino’s mansion, where three days have passed and Viola (has changed her gender and taken on the name of Cesario) and entered service with Orsino who now wishes Cesario to take messages of Orsino’s love to Olivia. Cesario points out that since Olivia has shunned Orsino’s advances up to this point, it is unlikely that she will embrace his love now. But Orsino thinks that Cesario’s youth and his beauty (which is remarkably feminine) will impress Olivia and this combined with Cesario being able to “act” Orsino’s woes out, will add to his suit. This scene ends with Viola as herself telling the audience of her growing affection for Orsino and her desire to be his wife.

Back at Olivia’s house, Maria talks with Feste, Olivia’s clown. The reference in this scene to Feste having been somewhere else for some time suggests that this may have been one of the first major appearances in the Lord Chamberlain’s Men of the new comic actor Robert Armin (who entered the company after William Kempe left in 1599 to Morris dance from London to Norwich). Anyway, in this scene Feste gives as good as he gets first with Maria and then with Olivia who enters with her household steward, Malvolio. Feste does manage to put Olivia in a lighter mood. Malvolio does not see the point in keeping Feste around. Maria exits and arrives back to tell of young man at the gate called Cesario (really Viola in disguise) who brings messages from Duke Orsino. Malvolio is sent out to drive away the young man but Malvolio comes back insisting thay the young man will not leave until he has spoken to Olivia.

Olivia concedes and lets Cesario in who starts to repeat one of Orsino’s love poems and praise Olivia’s beauty but eventually Olivia turns the conversation to the subject of Cesario). After a fashion, Cesario is sent back to tell Duke Orsino that Olivia does not love him and Olivia asks Cesario to come back and tell of Orsino’s reaction. After Cesario leaves, Olivia gets Malvolio to catch up to Cesario to give him a ring which he supposedly left with Olivia (but which she is simply giving to Cesario). Yes, you guessed it, the immovable Olivia has fallen in love with the messenger Cesario (who is really Viola).

‘Twelfth Night or What You Will’ Act Two – “… some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em.”

One of Shakespeare’s greatest gifts is his ability to juggle multiple plots extremely well. In Act Two of ‘Twelfth Night’ we switch to somewhere near the coast of Illyria, where we meet Antonio and Sebastian (Viola’s twin brother who has in fact survived the shipwreck and was taken in by Antonio). This scene comes when Sebastian has decided to reveal to Antonio all about his past and his future intentions (convenient for the audience because we get an already established relationship but new and old details at the same time) . We also hear that Sebastian now believes that his sister Viola was drowned in the shipwreck and thinks that he is alone in the world. Sebastian decides to attempt to join Duke Orsino’s court but Antonio says that he won't follow him because he has enemies in the court of Orsino. After Sebastian leaves, Antonio leaves to go to Orsino’s court, Antonio ponders the situation because he wants to follow his friend and help him, but he has many enemies in Orsino’s court and is afraid to go there. He cares about Sebastian so much, however, that he decides to face the danger and follow him to Orsino’s court anyway.

“The gentleness of all the gods go with thee!

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,

That danger shall seem sport, and I will go.”

We seem to jump back in real time to the events just after the scene where Viola (in disguise as the young male Cesario) has just left Olivia. Marvelous the way that Shakespeare can play with time to interweave plots covering long time periods and swapping back to a scene where only a few minutes has passed. Olivia has just sent Malvolio off to find Cesario to chastise him and give him back a ring which he supposedly gave to her. Viola (as Cesario) realizes what Olivia is up to (giving him a ring as a sign of her affections while claiming he gave it to her) and goes along with this and suggests that he did give Olivia the ring. Malvolio throws the ring on the ground and leaves and Viola (Cesario's true identity) picks up the ring and reflects:

“I left no ring with her: what means this lady?

Fortune forbid my outside have not charm'd her…

She loves me, sure; the cunning of her passion

Invites me in this churlish messenger…

Poor lady, she were better love a dream…

How easy is it for the proper-false

In women's waxen hearts to set their forms!

Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we!

For such as we are made of, such we be.

… As I am man,

My state is desperate for my master's love;

As I am woman,--now alas the day!--

What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe!

O time! thou must untangle this, not I;

It is too hard a knot for me to untie!”

After such thoughtfulness, it is apt that Shakespeare takes us forward in time to later that night (or early in the darkness of the next day's morning) to Sir Toby and Sir Andrew who are up late on one of their all night drinking sessions at Olivia’s house. Feste, the clown, adds to the ruckus and sings and is praised for this until Maria enters warning them that Olivia’s steward Malvolio may soon appear to confront them. Soon after, Malvolio does appear and he berates the men for their drunkenness and warns them that Olivia may soon ask him to throw them out. Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Feste don't endear themselves to Malvolio by insulting him and he leaves giving them final warnings.

They want to get back at Malvolio and while Sir Andrew suggests a duel, Maria trumps this by suggesting that they play an elaborate trick on him by using Malvolio’s puritanical attitudes, his vanity and large ego to have Malvolio believe that Olivia is in love with him. Maria suggests that she leave some fake letters lying around which she will write in Olivia’s handwriting and these letters will profess Olivia’s love for Malvolio. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew love Maria’s plan and instead of going to bed, go off to heat up some more wine to watch the trickery.

We move onto later the next day (a part of the morning when the sun is up) and over to Duke Orsino’s mansion where Orsino is discussing, you guessed it, love, with young Cesario (Viola in her seasoned male disguise). Orsino says that he thinks Cesario is in love (in fact, if he could see deeper, he would realize that Viola disguised as Cesario is really in love with him Duke Orsino). Cesario resigns to admitting that he is in love and he gives hints by suggesting that he loves someone is similar to Orsino in age and features. Orsino gives his opinion that because men are so fickle that Cesario like all men should look towards a younger woman. Feste, who seems to be able to move back and forth between Olivia’s house and Orsino’s in a magical or at least socially promiscuous way, sings another melancholic song which spurs Orsino to send Cesario to plead Orsino’s case to Olivia one more time. Orsino is reminded by Cesario that Olivia shows no romantic interest in him (just as Olivia's/Cesario’s love is unrequited by his love). Orsino then claims that women cannot love with the intensity of men and then Cesario disagrees and tell of a woman he knew (it is in fact Viola’s own tale).

“My father had a daughter loved a man,

As it might be, perhaps, were I a woman,

I should your lordship…

She never told her love,

But let concealment, like a worm i' the bud,

Feed on her damask cheek: she pined in thought,

And with a green and yellow melancholy

She sat like patience on a monument,

Smiling at grief. Was not this love indeed?

We men may say more, swear more: but indeed

Our shows are more than will; for still we prove

Much in our vows, but little in our love.”

Orsino misses the cryptic point of the story and ends the scene by giving Cesario a jewel to give to the Olivia as a sign of his love.

Over at Olivia’s house, no worse for drinking all night without any rest, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, along with Maria and another servant called Fabian, prepare their deception of Malvolio. Malvolio enters fantasizing about various things including being Count Malvolio with everyone kowtowing to him. He finds Maria’s letter (which he thinks is Olivia’s) which is addressed to the “unknown lover” and this feeds his fantasy and makes him think that Olivia secretly desires him and he decides to wear his yellow stockings, appear cross gartered and smile before Olivia as suggested by the letter:

“I do not now fool myself, to let imagination jade

me; for every reason excites to this, that my lady

loves me. She did commend my yellow stockings of

late, she did praise my leg being cross-gartered;

and in this she manifests herself to my love, and

with a kind of injunction drives me to these habits

of her liking. I thank my stars I am happy. I will

be strange, stout, in yellow stockings, and

cross-gartered, even with the swiftness of putting

on…”

Malvolio leaves proclaiming he will do everything in the letter to display his love for Olivia. The others come out of hiding and Maria reveals that Olivia in fact actually hates the color yellow and crossed garters, and people who smile since she is still in mourning. They know that they have set up Malvolio well and truly.

‘Twelfth Night or What You Will’ Act Three – “ In nature there's no blemish but the mind; None can be call'd deform'd but the unkind…”

In the 10 to 12 years since Shakespeare wrote ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ he had read and learnt a lot about comedy and particularly the Italian forms of comedy. The references that he makes in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘As You Like It’ to comedy make it seem likely that he saw one of the two or three commedia dell’arte troupes that were invited to play in England between 1595 and 1600. It is also likely that he had bought one or two of the translations of Plautus and Terence (reproduced in again in English translation around 1580) or a translation of a commedia erudite (the learned comedy) play such as those by Giambattista della Porta or Niccolo Machiavelli’s ‘La Mandragola’. Act Three of ‘Twelfth Night’ shows the mastery that Shakespeare has developed by this point in his career to weave comic conventions, with complex characters and rich plotlines.

In Act Three, Cesario (Viola still in men’s garb) is delivering another message of love from Duke Orsino to Olivia’s house and meets the fool Feste outside the house and besides commenting on the fluidity of Feste’s allegiances and appearances, they pun and jest like professionals until Feste goes to get Olivia. Then Sir Toby and Sir Andrew enter and encounter Cesario for the first time. Suddenly their conversation is broken by the arrival of Olivia who dismisses everyone so that she can talk to Cesario alone.

Olivia’s requests that Cesario does not deliver any more messages of love from Orsino and then she reveals how much she loves Cesario. Cesario rejects her but Olivia seems to embrace this rejection and state that maybe Cesario can convince her to love Orsino if he returns again and this is after Cesario emphatically states:

“By innocence I swear, and by my youth

I have one heart, one bosom and one truth,

And that no woman has; nor never none

Shall mistress be of it, save I alone.

And so adieu, good madam: never more

Will I my master's tears to you deplore. “

Soon after this, we are brought into Olivia’s house, where Sir Andrew has announced that he will leave since he saw the interactions between Olivia and Cesario and believes his own suit is lost. Sir Toby (who wants Sir Andrew to stay since his drinking and carousing is being funded by Sir Andrew’s purse) insists that Sir Andrew stays because Olivia does love him and is only using Cesario to fuel Sir Andrew’s passion through jealousy. Sir Toby suggests that the solution is that Sir Andrew challenge Cesario to a duel. Suddenly, Maria enters to tell them all that Malvolio has followed the letter to the letter and is smiling like a fool while wearing yellow stockings and crossed garters. They all go to see the fun of Malvolio making a fool of himself.

We swap back to the Duke Orsino’s territory in the streets of Illyria, where we catch up with Sebastian and Antonio (who up until now have been subsidiary to the main plot) who have arrived in town. We learn more about why Antonio is not welcome in Illyria and it involves some battle at sea where Antonio seems to have beaten Orsino or at least caused him shame. Antonio says he will carefully find them somewhere to stay while Sebastian will look around and Antonio fortuitously (or unfortunately depending on the view taken of this act) gives Sebastian his purse and they decide to meet in an hour or so in a local tavern.

Back at Olivia’s house, Olivia is feeling melancholic and is trying to work out a way to make Cesario love her. She calls for Malvolio who turns up grinning like fool and dressed cross-gartered and wearing yellow stockings. He starts to quote from the letter that he thinks that Olivia has written to him. Olivia thinks that Malvolio has gone over the edge and when she hears that Cesario has returned she goes off to see him while asking Maria and Sir Toby to look to the obviously mad Malvolio.

Whether it is vanity or delusion, Malvolio seems to think that Olivia confirmed her affections for him. Maria, Sir Toby and Fabian take advantage of the situation and act as if Malvolio is possessed by the devil and they lock Malvolio away in a dark room. Then Sir Andrew enters having written a letter to Cesario which challenges him to a duel which he shows to Sir Toby. In true commedia dell arte style, Sir Toby does not give the letter to Cesario but decides to become an intermediary between Sir Andrew and Cesario convincing each one that the other is a fierce opponent out to demolish the other.

“… I will deliver his challenge by

word of mouth; set upon Aguecheek a notable report

of valour; and drive the gentleman, as I know his

youth will aptly receive it, into a most hideous

opinion of his rage, skill, fury and impetuosity.

This will so fright them both that they will kill

one another by the look, like cockatrices.”

When Cesario returns with Olivia, she insists that he comes the next day and she gives him a love locket with a portrait of her in it as a sign of her love and then she leaves. Sir Toby approaches Cesario and verbally delivers Sir Andrew’s challenge. Cesario declares he does not wish to fight and goes to leave but then Sir Toby comes back with Sir Andrew after having told Sir Andrew that Cesario is a great swordsman who is very keen to fight him. Sir Andrew and Cesario face each other in apprehension and draw swords and just when they are about to fight, Antonio enters. Shakespeare is brilliant at making what seem like separate plot lines join at the most absurd and tense moments. Antonio mistakes Cesario for his friend Sebastian (in fact since Cesario is really Viola who is the twin sister of Sebastian this is not so absurd) and offers to fight Sir Andrew in his friend’s place.

Suddenly the illustrious Illyrian officers enter and instantly recognize Antonio as the man Orsino has deemed a wanted man. Antonio, knowing that he will need to post bail, asks Cesario who he thinks is Sebastian (but who is really Viola), to return his purse which he gave him. Cesario denies having received such a purse. Antonio is devastated to think that his friend is refusing to acknowledge him and vents his disappointment while the guards take him away thinking that he is mad:

“But O how vile an idol proves this god

Thou hast, Sebastian, done good feature shame.

In nature there's no blemish but the mind;

None can be call'd deform'd but the unkind:

Virtue is beauty, but the beauteous evil

Are empty trunks o'erflourish'd by the devil.”

Viola (still disguised as Cesario) hears Antonio mention her brother’s name Sebastian and is now filled with hope that her brother is alive and that he survived the shipwreck after all. Viola runs off to look for Sebastian leaving Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Fabian confused and bewildered while exclaiming:

“I my brother know

Yet living in my glass; even such and so

In favour was my brother, and he went

Still in this fashion, colour, ornament,

For him I imitate: O, if it prove, confusion

Tempests are kind and salt waves fresh in love.”

So Act Three of ‘Twelfth Night’ ends with an absurdly dramatic complexity due to miscommunications, disguises, secret identities and gender and love confusions. Malvolio has been locked up as a madman, Antonio is arrested, Orsino loves Olivia who loves Cesario who is really a woman called Viola who loves Orsino and has now been mistaken for her brother Sebastian whose friend Antonio thinks that he has denied and deceived him. This is the storm before the calm that Shakespeare had perfected by this time in his career.

Twelfth Night Act Four – “Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep;

If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep!”

The speed and pace of ‘Twelfth Night’ picks up in Act Four as Feste the clown encounters Sebastian and thinking that he is Cesario (Viola when she is disguised as a man) tries to bring him back to Olivia’s house. Sebastian refuses and thinks Feste is mad but then he is accosted by Sir Toby and Sir Andrew who attack him so Sebastian retaliates and Sir Andrew submits but this causes Sir Toby to draw and just when Sebastian and Sir Toby are about to duel, Olivia arrives.

Olivia orders Sir Toby to put down his sword and she dismisses everyone. She then insists that Sebastian (who she thinks is Cesario) to come back to her house. Sebastian agrees to go with Olivia:

“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!”

Soon after, back at Olivia’s house, we see what torment Maria, Sir Toby and Feste are going to put the now locked up Malvolio through. Maria gets Feste, the clown, to dress up as the clergyman Sir Topas, and visit Malvolio in his dark prison. Believing Feste is a priest, Malvolio claims that he is not mad but Feste as Sir Topas claims that Malvolio must be mad and filled with the devil because he claims the room is dark when it is filled with light from windows. Malvolio declaresthis is not so and Feste ends this encounter with Malvolio by telling Malvolio that he is mad and that he must remain locked up in darkness. Maria and Sir Toby are pleased with the deception even though Sir Toby wants to end the joke because he knows he has already got on the wrong side of Olivia. Feste is then sent back as both himself and Sir Topas and he has an imaginary conversation. Mavolio clings to his sanity and we start to as an audience, feel sympathy for him and his tenuous grasp of sanity. (Feste as Feste and Feste as Sir Topas) and asks for paper, ink, and light so that he can write to Olivia to explain his predicament and Feste claims does not believe that Malvolio is mad and he says he will help him.

“Nay, I'll ne'er believe a madman till I see his

brains. I will fetch you light and paper and ink.”

In another part of the house, Sebastian is in heaven since the beautiful lady he just met wants to marry him. He wants to search for his friend Antonio to discuss what he should do, but Olivia comes back with a priest, Sebastian sees that circumstances could not be better for a marriage and Sebastian and Olivia leave the stage to take their vows.

Twelfth Night Act Five – “When that I was and a little tiny boy,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain…”

Although it is corny and forcibly ties together all the loose ends, the ending of ‘Twelfth Night’ still brings a smile to my face every time. The final act is done in one continuous scene and starts with Orsino finally coming to Olivia’s house. Viola (dressed as Cesario) is with him. Illyrian soldiers bring Antonio before Orsino and he recognizes him as his pirate enemy. When asked why he came to Orsino’s lands so openly, Antonio tells of how he rescued, befriended, and protected Sebastian who he thought was Cesario. Cesario (Viola) is berated for taking money and a purse and denying it.

Just then, Olivia enters and she seems angry with Cesario, whom she claims she has just married. Orsino then becomes angry with Cesario and makes death threats. Viola (dressed as the male Cesario) declares her (his) love for Orsino and Olivia is flabbergasted and calls for the priest who had just performed the wedding. The priest confirms he just married Olivia to the person he identifies as Cesario (Olivia in disguise).

Just when we as an audience think that confusion could not be built up anymore, Sir Andrew enters, crying loud for a doctor as he reveals that Sir Toby and him have just got injured in a fight with Cesario. Viola (as Cesario) is perplexed and denies the charges. As Olivia sends Sir Andrew and Sir Toby away to have their wounds treated, the young Sebastian appears and we know that calm resolution is on the horizon.

Sebastian apologizes to his new wife for having beaten up her uncle and Sir Andrew and then he warmly greats Antonio. Everyone stops in their tracks and stares at, “One face, one voice, one habit, and two persons…” Sebastian and Viola shoot questions at one another and finally confim that they are who they are - long lost brother and sister. Viola then reveals that she is in fact a woman which brings great relief to everyone especially Orsino and Olivia. Orsino says to Viola, “Give me thy hand; and let me see thee in thy woman's weeds.” Viola says that her woman’s clothes are hidden with the sea captain, who is looking after the seemingly mad Malvolio. Feste, the clown remembers the letter he has from Malvolio to Olivia. Feste reads the letter aloud and Olivia summons Malvolio before her whom she thinks is not mad.

Malvolio enters and wants to know why he has been so ill treated. The letter that Malvolio thought was in Olivia’s handwriting is found out to be written in Maria’s handwriting and Fabian reveals all about the tricking of Malvolio and reveals some sense of the reasons why he thinks such a trick was justified while also mentioning that Sir Toby has just married Maria. Malvolio storms out, rightly furious. Orsino sends a servant off to placate Malvolio and find Viola some female clothes.

The wedding of Sir Toby is crowned by Orsino announcing a grand double wedding of him to Viola and Olivia to Sebastian (who are already married but obviously don’t mind a grander second act to their marriage). As all the happy couples, friends and family exit, the clown Feste strikes up a surprisingly melancholic mood with a song that echoes Orsino’s opening melancholic meanderings at the opening of the play, “If music be the food of love, play on…”. And so, a play that starts in melancholy, despite misunderstandings, meanderings, love and marriage, ends in the same melancholic mood:

“When that I was and a little tiny boy,

With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,

A foolish thing was but a toy,