"Entertainment | Tennant's Shakespearean triumph", https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/feb/23/twelfth-night-review-olivier-national-theatre-tamsin-greig, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Malvolio&oldid=1004794265, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from November 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. ", The role was first played by Richard Burbage at the Globe Theatre. Malvolio is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night, or What You Will. in the way that the deluded steward stubbornly clings to his sanity, Verse- intercut. Malvolio is very rigid and conservative, and he … self-knowledge, because the play allows Malvolio no real recompense for Photograph: Tristram Kenton/The Guardian Malvolio rebukes Maria for participating in unruly behavior alongside Sir Toby and the Fool. Speeches (Lines) for Malvolioin "Twelfth Night"Total: 87. Malvolio, a character in "Twelfth night", full-length, standing, facing right, gesturing toward two women. John Marston notes that the actors of his time often played the role with "contemptuous superiority"; by contrast his favourite Malvolio, William Ferrin, performed it with "lofty condescension". When Malvolio is imprisoned for being a supposed lunatic after acting out the instructions in the letter, Feste visits him both as himself and in the guise of "Sir Topas the curate", and torments Malvolio by making him swear to heretical texts, for example, Pythagorean precepts. misfortune is a cautionary tale of ambition overcoming good sense, a stiff and proper servant who likes nothing better than to spoil Maria composes a love letter in Olivia's handwriting, and leaves it so Malvolio will find it. undergoes his first transformation—from a stiff and wooden embodiment of Viola-Olivia-Orsino- love triangle. The Character Malvolio From Shakespeares Twelfth Night English Literature Essay Malvolio’s position within the play is that of a steward to the Lady of the house, Countess Olivia. In revenge, Maria, Sir Toby, and others play a prank on Malvolio that adds comic relief to Twelfth Night, but also reveals Malvolio's ambition, arrogance, and self-love. Read a character analysis of Viola, plot summary, and important quotes. Contributor Names Staines, Robert, 1805-1849, engraver He is ridiculous in these scenes, as he capers around in the yellow Hoby won damages in the case, which may have influenced the scene in Twelfth Night when Malvolio interrupts Sir Toby's late-night reveling.[3]. OLIVIA Cross-gartered! remains true to himself, despite everything: he knows that SIR TOBY BELCH Out, scab! MALVOLIO 19 Sad, lady!I could be sad: this does make some 20 obstruction in the blood, this cross-gartering; 21 but what of that? Moreover, Malvolio is to wear yellow stockings, an old fashioned symbol of jealousy, already a laughable joke and also a symbol of a low-class serving person; in addition, yellow is a color that Maria knows that the Lady Olivia detests. Twelfth Night The tale of a young woman who disguises herself as a man and becomes entangled in the courtship of two local aristocrats upends conventions of romance and gender roles. Sebastian ends up falling in love with Olivia and they marry. 130 follow but O does. MALVOLIO 'Remember who commended thy yellow stocking s,'--OLIVIA Thy yellow stockings! FABIAN 131 And O shall end, I hope. Malvolio is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night, or What You Will. picture of his glorious future as a nobleman. In the play Twelfth Night, Malvolio is the Lady Olivia's steward and the target of a major prank. (Act II, Scene v; although Malvolio says this, he does so while reading from the letter that Maria wrote). Duke Orsino has convinced himself that he is in love with Olivia, who is mourning the recent deaths of her father and brother. His haughty and pretentious demeanour makes him easy to dislike, yet the treatment he receives is at times a little undeserved and leads to the issue of whether or not Malvolio deserves his fate. To Sir Toby’s pleasure, Malvolio decides to … Malvolio is instructed to be surly and distant to the servants, and especially to Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby. figure, however—after all, he is only being asked to endure a single in … The courthouse. But he becomes more interesting as the play progresses, and most critics have judged him one of the most complex and fascinating characters in … Malvolio spots the letter lying in the garden path. [1] Richard Wilson took on the role for the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2009 production. has no real place in the anarchic world of Twelfth Night, except This page was last edited on 4 February 2021, at 12:23. night in darkness, hardly a fate comparable to the sufferings of What role does Malvolio serve in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night? the most complex and fascinating characters in Twelfth Night. He's a big time hater and criticizes just about everything – Toby's partying lifestyle, Feste's licensed fooling, and all other forms of fun. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from Sparknotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. Due to the views of Puritans regarding theatre, the audiences of ‘Twelfth Night’s’ original performances would most likely consist of people who opposed Puritanism. Malvolio. self-regard and his remarkable ambitions, which extend to marrying and the audience winces at the way he adapts every event—including Malvolio - V i 294. suffuses Twelfth Night. Earlier, he embodies into a celebration in which he has no part, and where no one seems MALVOLIO 'And some have greatness thrust upon them.' Malvolio if it please the eye of one, it is … Twelfth Night If you prized my lady’s favor at anything more than contempt, you would not give means for this uncivil rule (2.3.) He is the vain, pompous steward of Olivia's household. Throughout the play, he's characterized as a fun-hating and … When Twelfth Night—an allusion to the night of festivity preceding the Christian celebration of the Epiphany—combines love, confusion, mistaken identities, and… Act 1, scene 1 At his court, Orsino, sick with love for the Lady Olivia, learns from his messenger that she is grieving for… Twelfth Night—an allusion to the night of festivity preceding the Christian celebration of the Epiphany—combines love, confusion, mistaken identities, and… Act 1, scene 1 At his court, Orsino, sick with love for the Lady Olivia, learns from his messenger that she is grieving for… Malvolio's function in this comedy is more difficult to evaluate. Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night's "Notorious Abuse" of Malvolio: Shame, Humorality, and Early Modern Spectatorship ALLISON P. HOBGOOD Emory University I n John Manningham's famous account of a 1602 performance of Twelfth Night, or What You Will, he recalls the play as being most con-cerned with the gulling of Malvolio: while everyone else is happy. This leads to major conflicts with characters such as Sir Toby Belch, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and Maria, mistress of the household. of a victim than a victimizer. You can view our. Twelfth Night. Beforehand, Malvolio had been wishing to marry Olivia. Twelfth Night: Act 2, Scene 5 Enter SIR TOBY BELCH, SIR ANDREW, and FABIAN. Other actors famed for their performance of Malvolio include Sir Alec Guinness, Henry Irving, E. H. Sothern, Herbert Beerbohm Tree, Henry Ainley, Sir John Gielgud, Simon Russell Beale, Maurice Evans, Ken Dodd, Richard Briers, Sir Nigel Hawthorne and Sir Derek Jacobi. However, he continues grinning and alluding to the letter which he believes she sent. Later in the play, Maria devises a way to have revenge[why?] She assumes he's gone crazy and has him imprisoned, and the other characters have a good time making fun of him before the play ends. Our pity for Malvolio only increases when the vindictive King Lear or Hamlet. In addition, people and events are rarely what they at first appear to be. Olivia concludes that Malvolio has fallen into "midsummer madness" (3.4.52). his humiliation seems little more than an amusing subplot to the Malvolio Malvolio is the steward (head servant) to Lady Olivia. his sufferings. It is this dour, fun-despising side that earns Madam, you have done me wrong, Notorius wrong. Malvolio’s treatment in ‘Twelfth Night’ could be seen as a criticism of Puritan ideology by Shakespeare. there is an uncomfortable universality to his experience. In 2012, Stephen Fry assumed the role at Shakespeare's Globe. MALVOLIO 'You must amend your drunkenness.' In 2017, actress Tamsin Greig portrayed a female version of the character (renamed Malvolia) in Simon Godwin's revival of the play at the Royal National Theatre. The letter convinces Malvolio that Olivia loves him, and leads Malvolio to think that Olivia wishes him to smile, wear yellow stockings and cross garters. He is portrayed as the main antagonist. What role does Malvolio serve in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night? When he finds the forged letter from Olivia (actually a side of Malvolio that might have otherwise remained hidden—his everyone, except him, knows is false. MALVOLIO 'Besides, you waste the treasure of your time with a foolish knight,'--SIR ANDREW He is the vain, pompous steward of Olivia's household. He is ridiculous in these scenes, as he capers around in the yellow stockings and crossed garters that he thinks will please Olivia, but he also becomes pitiable. Latest answer posted June 01, 2018 at 2:56:19 AM MALVOLIO 'And wished to see thee cross-gartered.' At the end of the play he vows, "I’ll be reveng’d on the whole pack of you" for his public humiliation, and Olivia acknowledges that he has "been most notoriously abused. Viola is shipwrecked on the coast of Illyriaand she comes ashore with the help of a Captain. willing to offer him a real apology. Orsino finally realizes that it is Viola that he truly loves and they decide to marry, as well. he is sane, and he will not allow anything to destroy this knowledge. Much of the play's humour comes from Maria, Feste, Toby Belch, and Andrew Aguecheek tormenting Malvolio with drinking, joking, and singing. Apparently, Maria sealed the letter with Olivia’s sealing ring to make the letter look even more authentic. penned by Maria) that seems to offer hope to his ambitions, Malvolio He despises all manner of fun and games, and wishes his world to be completely free of human sin, yet he behaves very foolishly against his stoic nature when he believes that Olivia loves him. Malvolio, Olivia’s steward in Twelfth Night, is self-important, pompous, and even a little puritanical (he is accused of being a ‘puritan’ by the other characters). First staged in 1602, Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s most performed plays. MALVOLIO Saying, 'Cousin Toby, my fortunes having cast me on your niece give me this prerogative of speech,'--SIR TOBY BELCH What, what? 131. But they do so by playing on “I’ll be revenged on the whole Malvolio's character and the misfortunes he encounters though out Twelfth Night provide a lot of the play's comedy scenes. But he is also alienated. Olivia scolds him for this behavior. Olivia and becoming, as he puts it, “Count Malvolio” (II.v.30). Malvolio (and the audience) must be content with this A Brief Synopsis The Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare is one of his most entertaining plays to watch or read. stockings and crossed garters that he thinks will please Olivia, Twelfth Night, Or What You Will. His exit strikes a jarring note in an otherwise joyful comedy. OLIVIA Heaven restore thee! She refuses to see entertainments, be in the company of men, or acce… Also Know, what … He may deserve his come-uppance, but About this, Maurice Hunt in his article “Malvolio, Viola, and the Question of Instrumentality: Defining Providence in Twelfth Night” states that it is “not only a denial of the sincerity of Malvolio's religious professions, but also an allusion to the frequently voiced idea of the devil taking the form of a puritan.” who together engineer his downfall. begins to earn our respect. He is portrayed as the main antagonist. Speeches (Lines) for Malvolio. My hope is that they will have had such a good time that they will reject his exhortation. even in the face of Feste’s insistence that he is mad. It is full of mistaken identifies, battles of wit, and unfriendly pranks. Malvolio enters wearing yellow cross-gartered stockings, smiling idiotically. In the play, Malvolio is defined as a kind of Puritan. His party-pooper ways and constant tattle-telling place a big giant bulls-eye on … 2 Educator answers. MALVOLIO 'Go to thou art made, if thou desirest to be so;'--OLIVIA Am I made? Malvolio’s When he finds the forged letter from Olivia (actually penned by Maria) that seems to offer hope to his ambitions, Malvolio undergoes his first transformationfrom a stiff and wooden embodiment of priggish propriety into an personification of the power of self--delusion. [2], Some Shakespearean scholars hypothesize that the character Malvolio was inspired by Puritan landowner Sir Thomas Posthumous Hoby, who was involved in a well known court case against many of his Yorkshire neighbours in the 1600s. him the enmity of the zany, drunken Sir Toby and the clever Maria, Olivia’s confused assumption that he must be mad—to fit his rosy Hoby sued his neighbours when they came uninvited to his house, drank, played cards, mocked his religion, and threatened to rape his wife. As he desperately protests