Twelfth Night Flash Cards

Why won’t Olivia pursue a romance with Orsino/ The Duke? Because she made a vow to not date 7 years.
Why is Viola in Illyria? She is there because of the ship wreck.
What does she know of her brother? She knows he tied himself to the mast and may be alive.
In the beginning of Scene III, why does Maria scold Toby? Because Toby is drunk all the time.
Who is Andrew Aguecheek? Friend of Toby.
Why does Andrew decide to stay longer? To be with Olivia.
What does Orsino ask Viola to do in the beginning of Scene IV? Go and try to go get Olivia to like him. If she likes him he’ll give her money.
How does Viola/Cesario finally get to talk to Olivia? Viola says she would stay at the gate until Olivia would talk to her.
How does Viola describe Orsino’s feelings for Olivia? Viola says Orsino loves Olivia to the ends of the earth.
What do you learn about the Duke from Olivia’s description of him? He only loved the idea of love and doesn’t actually love Olivia.
What does Olivia ask Malvolio to do at the end of Act I? Why? Olivia asks Malvolio to go find Viola. She makes Malvolio give Viola a ring saying she’s giving it back to Orsino just so Viola can come back the next day.
Who is Sebastian? Sebastian is Viola/Cesario’s twin brother
What does Sebastian think happened to Viola? He thinks Viola drowned.
Where is Sebastian headed? He is headed to Orsino’s house.
What does Viola say to Malvolio about the ring? She says she’s not taking that back because she didn’t bring it.
What does Viola realize about the ring? Olivia loves her and Viola loves Orsino.
Who does Malvolio scold in Act II, sc.3, lines 87-93? Why? Malvolio scolds at Toby, Andrew, and the clown, because they’re loud when a woman is mourning in the house.
What does Maria say about Malvolio’s personality? Maria says he’s full of himself and he’s a puritan (afraid to go beyond the rules).
What plan does Maria express in Act II, sc.3, lines 21-25? Why does she want to do this? She is going to send a love letter, make it seem to be from Olivia and send it to Malvolio to make him think Oliva loves him because he is so in love with himself
In the opening of Scene IV, what does Orsino request? A song about love
What does Orsino say to Viola in lines 21-15? He asks her if she has ever been in love.
How does she respond? She says yes and talks about the Duke, but he doesn’t realize.
What debate do the Duke and Viola have about the feelings of men and women in love? Lines 80-119 They have a debate about who loves more men or women.
The end of this act revolves around a letter. Who wrote it? Who reads it? Maria wrote the letter to look like Olivia’s handwriting. Malvolio reads the letter.
What are the contents of the letter? To wear yellow stockings, cross- gartered, always smile, be snobby, and always talk about politics.
What are Toby, Maria, and Andrew up to at the end this act? They’re going to follow him to see how it plays out.
What does poetry that is written in unrhymed iambic pentameter called? Blank Verse
“If a mean would save his life, he must lose it”. This statement is an example of what? Paradox
A collection of papers or works bound together is what? Folio
What is a major division of play? Acts
What is a long speech delivered onstage alone so that the audience can understand the thoughts, feelings and emotions of a character? Soliloquy
“Let her hand me. He that is well hanged in this world needs to fear no colors (or collars).” This statement is an example of what? Pun
This always ends in marriage. Shakespearean Comedy
A simplified or stock character who conforms to a fixed pattern or is defined by single trait? Stereotype
A character proved a sharp contrast to the qualities of the main character. Foil
What does the Clown say that demonstrates the major theme of the play? He says that words are like a glove and can turn it inside out. Words can also come back to haunt you.
What does Viola/ Cesario mean when she tells Olivia, “Your servant’s servant is your servant, madam”? Viola mean that Orsino wants to be available to her (like her boyfriend) as if he was at her service.
Shakespeare uses many simile’s and metaphors in his writing. What is an example of a simile and a metaphor in sc. I? A glove is like words they can turn words inside and outs. Pg. 57, sc. I, line 159 also has a good metaphor.
Viola/ Cesario learns from the Clown to chose her very carefully. What is an example of how she is able to tell Olivia the truth about herself, without telling Olivia that she is really a female? She says “think you not I am not what I am.”
In this play, there are 2 distinct plot lines. One is the romantic plot line revolving round the Duke, Olivia, and Viola. Which character do you think are part of the comic plot line? Maria, Toby, The Clown, Malvolio, Andrew, and Fabian
How does Fabian manage to convince Sir Andrew that he still has a chance of winning Olivia as his wife? Fabian says Olivia was trying to make him jealous.
Why does Sir Andrew decide to show his love for Olivia by challenging Viola/ Cesario to a duel? Because Toby told him too and also Olivia might think he is brave.
How is Maria’s practical joke on Malvolio progressing at this point in the story? Very good he is following the rules of the letter.
What are examples of hyperbole and litotes in the end of Act III? An example of hyperbole is when they said he has so much that its the same amount of the foot of a flea.
What are 2 reason Antonio follows Sebastian to the Duke’s court? Antonio follows Sebastian because he wants to help him and he follows him for protection.
Why doesn’t Antonio accompany Sebastian when Sebastian decides to look around the town? Because it is a dangerous place also Antonio stole things and if anyone saw him, he would go to jail.
Which type of “greatness” does Malvolio imagine for himself, as expressed in the dialogue he has with Olivia? Why do you think he does not realize that Olivia is baffled by his behavior? He imagines that he is in charge. He think she’s doing it on purpose to company to the letter.
What evidence is there in sc. IV that Olivia is compassionate woman? She doesn’t fire Malvolio instead she makes him stay with Sir Toby.
What passage in sc. IV where Malvolio is acting superior to Sir Toby, Maria, and Fabian? Malvolio tells them to all hang themselves.
What is an example of Shakespeare’s use of irony and explain the irony. When Malvolio is told to go to bed by Olivia, but he miss interprets.
What do Sir Toby and Fabian plan to do to Malvolio? They’re are planning to tell everyone that he is mad and possessed by the devil.
What figure of speech does Fabian use when he says, “More matter for a May morning”? He mean more crazy people in the world (Andrew). He used alliteration.
Why does Sir Toby not want to give Cesario Sir Andrew’s Letter? He thinks the letter is not enough.
Orsino has been shown to be a man who enjoys pining away over his unrequited love to great excess. What does the following passage from the play say about Olivia’s tendency toward excessive behavior? “A fiend like thee might bear my soul to hell” She means she will do whatever it takes to be with Cesario. If he was the Devil she will go with him.
What is Viola’s first reaction to the news that a fierce knight is waiting in the orchard to fight him? What does she ask Sir Toby to do? Confused, she asks him to fix the problem.
Why does Sir Andrew want Sir Toby to offer Cesario his horse? He’s too scared to fight.
How does Sir Toby manage to get Sir Andrew to agree to the duel? He tricks Andrew to agree to the duel.
Why does Antonio want to fight Sir Andrew? Why do you think Sir Toby draws his sword at Antonio? Because he mistaken Cesario for Sebastian. Sir Toby this if Antonio stands up for Cesario, he’ll stand up for Sir Andrew.
What happens to give Viola the idea that her brother is still alive? Because Antonio mention Viola’s twin brother Sebastian.
What do you think is happening in his mind when Sir Andrew says, “Now, sir, have I met you again? there’s for you”? He think it’s Cesario. He tells other he’ll beat up Cesario next time he sees him.
Why would the Clown’s line, “Nothing that is so is so,” be good for a title for sc. I? Because nothing is what it seems he thinks Sebastian is Cesario/Viola.
What is Olivia asking Sebastian in the the following passage? “Nay, come, I prithee; would thou’dst be ruled by me” She wants Sebastian to rule over her
Why does Maria want the Clown to disguise himself as Sir Topas, the curate? To trick Malvolio
What philosophical statement does the Clown, pretending to be Sir Topas, make about darkness? Darkness is like hell
Scene II can be very difficult to follow when it is read. Try to imagine it on stage. Ho do you suppose the Clown is able to let the audience know when he is speaking to Malvolio as himself and when he is speaking as Sir Toby? The changes in his tone.
Why does Sir Toby want to end the practical joke on Malvolio? He thinks they’re taking it too far.
What possible explanation does Sebastian offer to try and explain Olivia’s proposal of marriage He thinks someone is crazy because this doesn’t happen.
Why does Olivia want Sebastian to accompany her and the priest into the church? So they can get married.
It is important the audience believes that is it possible for Olivia to be unable to tell the difference between Sebastian and Viola. For what reasons do you think the audience is willing to accept this scenario? They would need 2 people who really look alike.
Why does the Clown believe he is “the better for my foes and the worse for my friends”? His friends are using him and are mean.
At what point do you think the Duke realizes that Olivia is interested in Cesario. the beginning of the play.