Twelfth Night

Read Twelfth Night for Free Online

Book: Read Twelfth Night for Free Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
draws his sword on Antonio but they are interrupted by the officers who arrest Antonio for his previous offenses against Orsino. Turning to Cesario, whom he takes to be Sebastian, he asks for his purse. Confused, Cesario denies all knowledge of it but offers Antonio half of his “coffer.” Antonio is heartbroken by his friend’s betrayal, claiming “Thou hast, good Sebastian, done good feature shame,” before being taken off to prison. Viola realizes that Sebastian may still be alive and rushes off to find him, followed by Sir Andrew who thinks that Cesario is running away from the duel.
ACT 4 SCENE 1
    Feste, believing Sebastian to be Cesario, is trying to get him to go to Olivia and becoming increasingly angry at Sebastian’s claims not to know him. Sir Andrew arrives and, mistaking Sebastian for Cesario, strikes him. Sebastian retaliates and he and Sir Toby draw upon each other as Olivia enters. She orders Sir Toby to “hold” and “be gone,” which he does, accompanied by Sir Andrew and Fabian. Olivia begs“dear Cesario” to “Be not offended” and asks him to accompany her back to the house to be told of Sir Toby’s many faults and to learn to “smile at this.” Sebastian questions whether he is “mad” or whether it is “a dream”—both repeated images of love in the play—as he willingly submits to Olivia’s request.
ACT 4 SCENE 2
    Maria helps Feste to disguise himself as “Sir Topas the curate” and he asks “what is ‘that’ but ‘that’ and ‘is’ but ‘is’?”—an ironic question given that very little within the play “is” “that” which it seems to be. Sir Toby takes him to see Malvolio who is locked up. Malvolio begs the “priest” to believe he is not mad, but Feste toys cruelly with him: when Malvolio says that he is in “hideous darkness,” Feste tells him that he is in a room full of windows and must be mad. Sir Toby then tells Feste to speak to Malvolio as himself to see if the joke might be ended without trouble as he fears Olivia’s reaction. Feste then converses with Malvolio as himself and as “Sir Topas,” increasing the confusion of his identity. He agrees to bring light, ink, and paper so that Malvolio can write to Olivia.
ACT 4 SCENE 3
    Bewildered, Sebastian wonders whether he “Or else the lady’s mad,” as he contemplates Olivia’s love for him. He wonders where Antonio is as he would like to discuss the situation with him, but when Olivia arrives with a priest he agrees to marry her.
ACT 5 SCENE 1
    Lines 1–97: Fabian wants to read Malvolio’s letter, but Feste refuses to let him. Orsino and Cesario ask for Olivia and Feste goes to fetch her. Antonio is brought in by the officers. Cesario tells Orsino that this is the man who rescued him from the duel and the officers explain that it is “that Antonio / That took the
Phoenix.”
Orsino asks what foolish boldness has brought a “Notable pirate” to Illyria. Antonio claims that he “never yet was thief or pirate” and explains thathe was drawn there by “witchcraft,” enchanted by Sebastian, whom he believes to be standing next to Orsino. He calls Cesario a “most ingrateful boy” and accuses him of “false cunning.” Orsino and Cesario are confused, explaining that Cesario has been in Illyria for the last three months.
    Lines 98–152: Olivia arrives and demands to speak to Cesario, believing that she has just married him in secret. Orsino tries to woo her but she flatly rejects his suit and refuses to listen to any more of his wooing, claiming that it is as “fat and fulsome” to her ear “As howling after music.” Stung, Orsino threatens to kill Cesario despite the fact that he, too, cares deeply for him. Cesario declares that he would die for Orsino because he loves him, at which point Olivia cries, “Cesario, husband, stay.” Cesario denies any knowledge of their “marriage.”
    Lines 153–208: The priest arrives and, believing Cesario to be Sebastian, confirms that he is

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