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Twelfth Night 
Date: 19/01/2016 

Social/Political Context: 

Elizabethan Court Life: 

➔ Need to show: 
◆ Knowledge and understanding on TN and its context 
◆ Appreciation of the context discussed 
◆ Use of strategies to engage the audience 
◆ Coherent structure 
◆ Wide vocabulary and inclusion of literary terminology 

Elizabethan Court Life: 

➔ Court was wherever the Queen happened to be and was made up of all those 
who surrounded the Queen from servants to the courtiers themselves
...
 
➔ The palaces were, in many ways, an architectural embodiment of the monarch
...
  
◆ Compared to the conditions of medieval royal castles, the palaces were 
luxurious
...
  
◆ Long, high, windows let sunlight seep in and ceilings were intricately 
decorated with plaster
...
 
➔ Most political and cultural activity was centred on the court of Queen Elizabeth
...
  

 

2 
 
◆ MPs were unpaid
...
  
◆ The patrons would typically be aristocrats, who would frequent the court
...
But 
there was a courtly ideal, to which they needed to conform
...
 
➔ The Elizabethans frequently held up one man as their ideal, Sir Philip Sidney, a 
talented poet
...
 
➔ There were many famous Elizabethan Courtiers who graced the court of Queen 
Elizabeth I
...
 
◆ Elizabethan courtiers were well versed in courtly manners and dressed 
in expensive Elizabethan Clothing which not only represented their 
wealth but also their status and position in the Elizabethan court
...
 

 

Date: 25/01/2016 

How does Act one of twelfth night 
establish the characters and themes of 
the play? 

Scene 1&2 

Themes: 

➔ Cross dressing
...
 
➔ Shipwreck
...
 
◆ Orsino, Olivia, Viola/Cesario
...
 
➔ Malvolio subplot
...
 
◆ “If music be the food of love, lay on”
...
 
Whiny, pompous, melodramatic
...
 
◆ Uses language that is overly complex
...
 
Over the top
...
 
◆ Using mythic language to describe himself
...
 
Uses bad metaphors 
◆ Says she smells so beautiful that she gets rid of pestilence
...
 
◆ Olivia is not going to think to highly of him as she will remember the bad 
things-pestilence
...
 
◆ Lazy
...
 
◆ Prancing around the stage complaining about love
...
 
● Sets up the scene for comedy
...
 
➔ Worried about her brother
...
 
◆ The captain says that he could have survived as he saw him strap himself 
to the mast
...
 
◆ Can't go to Olivia as she isn't seeing anyone
...
 
◆ Can't go as a woman as it would be dangerous
...
 
● As it will account for all her womanly traits
...
 
➔ Deceiving, Independant
...
 
➔ Opposite of Orsino
...
 
◆ Whereas Orsino is whining about being in love
...
 
◆ Dramatic and captivates you
...
 

1996 film: 

➔ Calmer about it, when asking and also the setting- calm sea and in daylight
...
 

 

4 
 
◆ Conforming more to the stereotype that the original strayed away from
...
 
◆ Added war and aspects of danger, a sense of urgency
...
 
◆ Orsinos funny monologue isn't funny anymore
...
 

Date:26/01/2016 

 

Group Presentations 

Class structure in Elizabethan England: 

➔ When an Elizabethan was born they had a clear defined place in society
...
 
◆ Could move between categories but it was hard
...
 

The Puritans: 

➔ Were a group of english reformed protestants 
◆ Wanted to reform the church as it as too much like the catholics 
➔ Protestants that had fled into exile under mary 1 
➔ Family was the center of their lives 
➔ Education as controlled by gender stereotypes 
◆ So men were in higher up schools 
◆ Male teachers would only teach the people who were aiming for high well 
paid jobs 
◆ Women would attend reading schools then into home life 

 

5 
 
➔ Everyone was expected to be educated on the bible, latin and the capitals of 
countries 
◆ Any children who didn't know how to read were barbarous, primitive and 
uncivilised 
➔ Disapproved of christmas celebrations 
◆ Saturday night festivities 
◆ Secular forms of entertainment 
➔ Did not oppose alcohol in moderation 
➔ Malvolio is the reflection of puritan way of life
...
 
◆ The magi were the three wise men
...
 
◆ Celebrated by playing tricks on each other
...
 
➔ Symbolises the end of the winter that started on halloween
...
 
➔ Was a really wild party that had nothing to do with religion
...
 
◆ Lots of drinking
...
 
◆ Going against social norms and the church
...
 
➔ Religion as catholic and protestant
...
 
➔ Era failed to have a high standard of health
...
 
➔ Most cases of madness as seen to be situational rather than biological or 
genetic
...
 
◆ Visit patience as considered as entertainment
...
 
◆ Malvolio and olivia and sebastian and olivia
...
 
➔ Treatments for madness
...
 
◆ Extreme drug therapies
...
 
◆ Blood letting
...
 
● Warm baths
...
 
● Confessing sins
...
 

 

6 
 
● Making the patients as uncomfortable as possible by beatings or 
sulfur fumes for example
...
 
◆ Uses swords
...
 
➔ Code of honour as there to prevent major blood he'd between families and 
avoiding tension
...
 
◆ Both brought doctors and seconds
...
 
◆ This was to avoid involving the whole family into the fight
...
 
➔ “He cannot by the duello avoid it, but he has promised me,
...
 

Shakespeare's comedies: 

➔ Cross dressing
...
 
◆ Orsino, Olivia, viola
...
 
◆ Roles reversed
...
 
➔ Happy endings
...
 
➔ Exaggeration of situations
...
 
➔ Separation and coming back together
...
 
➔ Build up to an interesting ending
...
 
➔ Slap stick humor
...
 
◆ Dry and crude humor
...
 
◆ An english soldier writer
...
 
◆ Silla survives a shipwreck and works disguised as her brother
...
 
➔ Gl'ingannati
...
 
◆ Used for many base lines for gender swapping
...
 
◆ Wrote many poems poems were used to spark ideas
...
She is also 
flirtatious in her dialogue
...
  
➔ “A dry jest Sir [
...
 
◆ Laughing at Sir Andrew without him knowing
...
I heard my lady talk of it yesterday” 
◆ Has low tolerance for drunkenness and thinks very lowly of them
...
  
◆ Acting to protect Sir Toby and telling him off like a motherly figure
...
 
➔ “I pray you bring your hand to the butter-bar and let it drink” 
◆ She’s being flirtatious with Sir Andrew but he has no idea
...
He is worried about his niece and is drunk all the 
time
...
 
➔ “I’ll drink to her as long as there is a passage in my throat, and drink in Illyria
...
 
◆ His excuse is he is drinking for Olivia's health, but Olivia dislikes drinking
...
” 
◆ Sir Toby is trying to persuade Sir Andrew to not give up as he knows that 
Olivia will never marry Orsino
...
 
◆ He knows Olivia is getting tired of his drinking, so if Sir Andrew marries 
Olivia he would have more rope to do what he wants
...
 

Sir Andrew: 

➔ Not well educated and he is vain and overconfident for no good reason
...
 
➔ “I am not such an ass but I can keep my hand dy
...
 
● A dry hand means impotency but Sir Andrew doesn't get the subtext 
so he looks like a fool
...
Sir Toby is making a joke about his 
hair but Sir Andrew again doesn't understand it and prides in his hair
...
 
◆ Thinks his complete lack of understanding is because he is a great eater 
of beef
...
 
◆ Defies stereotypes of women
...
 
● Her father and brother have just died
...
 
● Objects to the company of men
...
 
● Rejects orsino's attempts to court her
...
 
➔ After her scene: 
◆ She seems a bit stuck up and cold hearted
...
 
◆ Comes across as wise or intelligent
...
 
● With Feste she is intrigued when he says he can prove she is a fool
...
 

Date: 02/02/2016 

 

How effective is the imagery in Viola’s 
speech? 

Act 2 Scene 1 

The relationship between Antonio and Sebastian: 
➔ Sebastian is grateful to Antonio for rescuing him
...
 
◆ Friendship but hints at a little bit more
...
 
● “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
...
 
➔ This put Viola's disguise at risk
...
 
◆ Personifying time as it is saying that it will untangle the problem, giving it 
human qualities
...
 
◆ Only waiting can sort out the mess they have created
...
 
➔ “That sure methought her eyes has lost her tongue” 
◆ She is mesmerised by Viola eyes, so lovestruck that she forgets to speak
...
 
◆ Because of Violas appearance Olivia cannot speak coherently
...
  
➔ “Forbid” 
◆ Negative word choice showing the displeasure at the situation
...
 
◆ She has created an impossible love triangle which is hurting other people 
not only herself
...
 
➔ “Poor lady, she were better to love a dream” 
◆ Olivia won't get what she wants as Viola is a woman and Cesario doesn't 
exist
...
 
➔ “What means of this lady?” 
◆ Seeking answers and meaning of the situation
...
It is also a commentary on the situation with her 
conscious commenting on top of her thoughts
...
 
◆ Even though he doesn't go 
out to try and win her heart 
but sends out messengers
...
” 
◆ Saying that he is a 
representative for all lovers
...
 
◆ Believes in making showy 
gestures to prove his love
...
” 
◆ He doesn't think that 
women are as capable of 
love as men are
...
 
Must she not then be answer’d?” 
◆ She is declaring her love for 
Orsino without him realising 
it
...
As not 
this love, indeed?” 
◆ Showing the hardship she 
had to go through when the 
man doesn't love her back
...
 
➔ “We men may say more, swear 
more, but indeed our shows are 
more than will” 
◆ Women are more silent in 
their love than men
...
” 
◆ She doesn’t see a difference 
in how much women love 
compared to men
...
 
◆ She is more realistic in her outlook
...
 
◆ Unrealistic
...
  
◆ It adds humor to the scene
...
 
◆ Innuendo
...
 
◆ Bawdy puns
...
 
➔ Physical comedy
...
 

 

11 

How Maria adds to the humor: 

➔ She orchestrates the whole plan to me fun of Malvolio
...
 
◆ With the letter written to Malvolio
...
 
◆ Makes Malvolio believe that Olivia loves him without naming either of 
them
...
 
➔ She knows what Olivia likes and dislikes
...
 

Sir Andrew: 

➔ “That’s me, I warrant you
...
I knew ‘twas I, for many do call me 
fool
...
He reacts to Malvolio's lines
...
  
◆ This makes him seems so confused by his expression and he mimics 
other people's expressions
...
  
➔ He is the only thing that properly reacts to everything because he is the one 
laughing
...
  
➔ He is considered an outsider to the other men
...
 

Sir Toby: 

➔ “Pistol him
...
 
◆ When he is restraining Sir Andrew
...
 
➔ Moving the box tree to stay close to listen to Malvolio
...
 
◆ Exaggerated movement and speech is funny
...
  
➔ "Nay, I'll come
...
  
◆ This shows the exaggeration of his character because he is talking about 
something so dramatic as dying because of something so small as 
missing a joke
...
 
◆ Childish, psycho, diva, stupid
...
 
➔ Dramatic with words, body language and facial expressions
...
 
➔ Convinces himself he's 'the man'
...
 
◆ Overly smug
...
 
◆ This shows in the way he talks
...
 
➔ Forced creepy smile
...
 
➔ No idea about the others behind the bush
...
 
➔ "I will smile" "my lady loves me" "I thank my stars"
...
 
➔ Makes the audience want him to make a fool of himself- annoying
...
  
➔ He's talking about people that can hear him and are right behind him
...
"  
◆ He revolves and says revolve, the boys revolve too, show's how caught up 
in himself he is when there is a woman involved too- ironic for his 
character
...
 

Date: 08/02/2016 

 

How is the theme of wisdom and folly 
developed in Act 3 

Characteristics: 

➔ Wisdom: 
◆ Knowledgeable
...
 
◆ Experience learning from your mistakes
...
 
➔ Folly: 
◆ Childlike and childish
...
 
Making mistakes
...
 
Funny for their mistakes
...
 
● Educated
...
 
○ Cunning
...
 
◆ Fool: 
● Drunkard
...
 
● More interested in himself than others
...
 
➔ Feste: 

 
◆ Wisdom: 
● “This fellow is wise enough to play the fool” 
○ He knows what he is doing and he does it in a way that reads 
his targets emotions
...
 
◆ Folly: 
● “But wise men, folly fall'n quite taint their wit” 
○ When wise men fall into folly then they spoil their reputation 
for wisdom
...
 
○ He doesn't know what “Pourquoi” means in Act 1
...
] vouchsafed: I’ll get em all three ready” 
○ Doesn't understand that these are not good phrases to use 
when courting
...
] but wise men 
folly-fool’n quite taint their wit” 
○ She already knows that Feste is knowledgeable and clever 
which shows her own wisdom because she can perceive 
ethes whilst no one else can
...
 
● She is able to match Festes punning and wordplay, he doesn't make 
her look foolish like he does with all the other characters
...
 
● Unintentional flirtatious
...
 
● “If I think so, I think the same of you” 
○ She recognises that Viola is not who she says she is
...
  
○ Doesn't read people well and is unobservant
...
 
○ Over the top and acting on impulse
...
 

False Appearance: 
➔
➔
➔
➔

Viola as Cesario
...
 
The letter making Malvolio believe Olivia is in love with him
...
 

Date: 09/02/2016 

 

How is the theme of false appearances 
developed in Act 3? 

Act 3 scene 3 

What is the point of Antonio: 

➔ Creates a sub-plot
...
 
◆ Leaving a sense of anticipation
...
 
◆ Shows that he is a good person as he can inspire such devotion
...
 
◆ Imbalance of the humours
...
 
◆ The moon phases
...
 
➔ Treatment: 
◆ They would be tortured
...
 
◆ People visited them as a form of fun
...
 
◆ Hidden away from society
...
 
● So as he has seen him first sets the impression that everyone else 
will believe that he is Cesario
...
 
➔ Sir Toby: 
◆ “I must have an ounce or two of this malapert blood from you” 
➔ Sir Andrew: 
◆ “Now sir have i met you again?” 
➔ Olivia: 
◆ “Be not offended, dear Cesario!” 

Date: 22/02/2016 

 

How is the plot resolved at the end of 
Twelfth Night ​? 

Conclusion 

➔ Evaluate 
◆ Most significant 
➔ Reach a final decision 
➔ Linked to the writer's intentions 

 

 

17 
 
◆ Themes 
● Plot 
◆ Messages 
◆ Entertainment 

How satisfying is the end of T
​ welfth Night​: 

Overall, the ending is quite satisfying as it fits in with the quality of a comedy; the main 
characters get their happy endings
...
Another thing that becomes 
resolved in the last act, is the problem with Malvolio and whether or not he is actually 
mad
...
However not everyone 
got their happy ending, leaving us with a slight bitter feeling towards life
...
 

 



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