Search results
Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Instant PDF downloads. Refine any search. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more.
- Malvolio
In revenge, Maria, Sir Toby, and others play a prank on...
- Olivia
The Twelfth Night quotes below are all either spoken by...
- Sebastian
Viola's twin brother, whom she believes is lost at sea, and...
- Viola (Cesario)
The protagonist of Twelfth Night.An aristocratic woman, she...
- Orsino
The Twelfth Night quotes below are all either spoken by...
- Malvolio
Looking for a free Twelfth Night PDF? Click below to download Shakespeare’s full Twelfth Night play in PDF format for free, to read or share. You can also choose to read both Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night text and a modern English version of Twelfth Night online broken down by Act and Scene, or download an ebook version of Twelfth Night in ...
People also ask
What is Twelfth Night about?
Who are the main characters in Twelfth Night?
Is Twelfth Night a transvestite comedy?
Does Twelfth Night have universal themes?
Twelfth Night is a play about desire’s power to override conventions of class, religion, and even gender. Several characters begin the play believing they want one thing, only to have love teach them they actually want something else. Orsino thinks he wants Olivia, until he falls in love with Viola (dressed as Cesario.)
- Viola
- Duke Orsino
- Sebastian
- Olivia
Viola is the protagonist of Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night. She is an aristocrat who disguises herself as a young man named Cesario after being shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria. Viola is witty, resourceful, and charismatic. She shows self-control and dignity in contrast to the bombastic, overly sentimental performances of Orsino and Lady Oli...
Duke Orsino is the Duke of Illyria. He is mercurial and passionate, and he is more in love with the idea of being in love than he is with any person. He passionately pursues Lady Olivia for the majority of the play while simultaneously revealing his personal thoughts and emotions to Cesario. (Read extended character analysis of Duke Orsino.)
Sebastian is Viola’s twin brother, who becomes lost in the shipwreck. Sebastian is pragmatic and kind. He is not as passionate as other characters in Twelfth Night and appears to be fairly calm in relation to the wildly loving characters surrounding him, such as Lady Olivia and Antonio. (Read extended character analysis of Sebastian.)
Lady Olivia is an upper-class, wealthy, and beautiful countess in Illyria. Olivia is judgmental and overindulgent. Much like Duke Orsino, Olivia is also quick to fall in love and makes rash decisions. She also claims to be in a seven-year, loveless period of mourning for her recently deceased brother. However, Lady Olivia’s mourning period appears ...
Learn more about the characters of Viola, Orsino, Olivia and Malvolio with photo galleries and study grids to complete. We explore key questions for each character and link to further analysis of their language.
everything is “what you will”. The Department of Dramatic Arts’ rendition of Twelfth Night gives this classic Shakespearean comedy a 20th century twist, setting it in the 1950’s and taking audiences to the era of soul-searching country blues. The magical fictitious kingdom of Illyria is a modern world where ‘ boys are boys and girls ...
William Shakespeare. Save Guides New. Save any guide for easy access later! Got It. Upgrade to A +. Intro. Plot. Summary & Analysis. Themes. Quotes. Characters. Symbols. Lit Devices. Quizzes. Theme Viz. Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Twelfth Night makes teaching easy. Everything you need. for every book you read.