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Get everything you need to know about Olivia in Twelfth Night. Analysis, related quotes, timeline.
A wealthy, beautiful, and noble Illyrian lady, Olivia is courted by Orsino and Sir Andrew Aguecheek, but to each of them she insists that she is in mourning for her brother, who has recently died, and will not marry for seven years.
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...
Olivia is a fictional character from William Shakespeare 's play Twelfth Night, believed to have been written around 1600 or 1601. She is at the centre of the various plots, both the comedic and the romantic. She has various suitors. Background. Olivia is a beautiful lady of noble birth who lives in Illyria.
Olivia's clever, feisty lady-in-waiting holds her own in battles of wit with the other servants and devises the prank on Malvolio. Although vicious to Malvolio, she is devoted and attentive to Olivia. Her wit wins the affection of Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby, whom she marries.
The two characters Olivia most closely mirrors are Orsino and, perhaps surprisingly, Malvolio. Orsino begins Twelfth Night pining away for Olivia; Olivia begins the play in mourning for her brother and father. But like Malvolio, Olivia’s cool, placid exterior is threatened by her more playful, foolish side when she falls in love with Cesario.
She would like to see Cesario again. This line alerts Viola to the dangerous situation she finds herself in, where Olivia is now in love with Cesario. It also shows Olivia being relatively bold for a woman of her time, in openly hinting at her desire.
