Name:_______________________________ Group: _____

Twelfth Night
By William Shakespeare

Document Pack (2023-2024)

Secondary 3 – Enriched English

Ms. Nardi
Index:

Background Information ……………………………………………………….… page 3

Themes ……………………………………………………………………………. page 3

Characters in the play …………………………………………………………… page 4

Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension/ Discussion Questions ……. pages 5-15

Passages to Recite (Act 1) …………………………………………………… page 16

Discussion Topics / Moving Discussion …………………………………….. page 17

Background Information:

Setting: ____________________________________________________________

Genre: ____________________________________________________________

What does Twelfth Night refer to?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Themes:

- Love as a cause of suffering

- The uncertainty of gender

- The folly of ambition

- Disguise

- Friendship and marriage

- Social mobility

- “Will” or Desire

- Illusion or appearance versus “reality”

- Twin characters and twin issues

Characters in the Play
Orsino

Olivia

Viola

Sebastian

Sir Toby
Belch

Sir Andrew
Aguecheek

Feste

Malvolio

Maria

Captain

Antonio
(another
captain)
Valentine

Curio

Fabian

Officers

Priest
Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension / Discussion
Questions
a) Use the play and write the definition for each word or phrase on
the document pack.
b) Answer the questions in your LITERATURE COPYBOOK.
Answer each question using complete sentences.

ACT 1
Scene 1

Surfeiting (line 2) _______________________________________________

“She purg’d the air of pestilence” (line 20) ______________________________________________

“Seven years’ heat” (line 26) _______________________________________________

Cloistress (line 28) _______________________________________________

“Eye-offending brine” (line 30) _______________________________________________

1. How is Duke Orsino characterized in the opening lines of the play (lines 1-15) ?
2. Who is Orsino pursuing?
3. What has recently happened to Olivia? How long will she mourn?
4. What does Orsino think of Olivia’s refusal to receive his messenger?

Scene 2

Elysium (line 4) _______________________________________________

“Most provident in peril” (line 12) _______________________________________________

“Fresh in murmur” (line 32) _______________________________________________

Prithee (line 52) _______________________________________________

Eunuch (line 56) _______________________________________________

1. What country are we in? Why is the Captain familiar with the country?
2. What has just happened, and who is missing?
3. What does the Captain say that gives Viola some hope?
4. How long ago did Olivia’s father die?
5. What does Viola ask the Captain to do for her? Why do you think she wants to
do this?
Scene 3

“scoundrels and substractors” (line 31) _______________________________________________

Coistrel (line 37) _______________________________________________

“By my troth” (line 53) _______________________________________________

Barren (line 72) _______________________________________________

Caper (line 123) _______________________________________________

1. Whom is Sir Toby Belch related to?

2. What is Sir Toby’s problem? Who is going to pay for his excesses?
3. What does Sir Andrew Aguecheek’s name suggest about his outward
appearance?
4. What does Sir Andrew think the word “accost” means? Explain the confusion
that occurs between Andrew, Maria, and Sir Toby.
5. What was Sir Andrew doing when he should have been learning languages?
6. Why does Sir Toby want to keep Sir Andrew around?
7. What three different dances are mentioned near the end of scene 3?

Scene 4

Gait (line 15) _______________________________________________

Clamorous (line 21) _______________________________________________

Discourse (line 25) _______________________________________________

“Grave aspect” (line 28) _______________________________________________

1. What is Cesario’s real name? How good a servant has he been? Explain.
2. What mission is Duke Orsino sending Cesario on?
3. According to Orsino, why will Olivia “attend it better” from Cesario?
4. What phrases does Shakespeare use to alert the audience that Cesario is
really a woman?
5. What surprising comment does Viola make at the end of scene 4 regarding
Orsino? How might this complicate the plot?
Scene 5

Transgresses (line 42) _______________________________________________

Folly (line 71) _______________________________________________

Kinsman (line 97) _______________________________________________

Loath (line 160) _______________________________________________

Usurp (line 175) _______________________________________________

Feigned (line 182) _______________________________________________

Recompense (line 265) _______________________________________________

Fervour (line 267) _______________________________________________

1. Why is Maria mad at Feste, Olivia’s jester?

2. What does Feste say that “Many a good hanging” prevents?
3. How does Feste try to prove Olivia the fool? What is ironic about this
conversation?
4. What is Malvolio like?
5. What does Feste say that a drunken man is like?
6. Why does Olivia decide to allow Cesario/Viola to speak to her?
7. Cesario/Viola tells Olivia it would be a shame if she died without passing on her
looks to a child. Explain Olivia’s humorous response.
8. How would Cesario love Olivia, were it her choice? What does he say he would
do if he were in love with Olivia?
9. What is Olivia’s developing problem regarding Cesario? What does she send
Malvolio to give Cesario?

ACT 2
Scene 1

Malignancy (line 4) _______________________________________________

Extravagancy (line 10) _______________________________________________

“Publish her” (line 25) _______________________________________________

“Your bad entertainment (line 29) _______________________________________________

“Manners of my mother” (line 36) _______________________________________________

 1. Who rescues Sebastian from the sea?
2. What does Sebastian think happened to his sister (Viola)?
3. Why does Antonio say he must not accompany Sebastian to Orsino’s court?
What does he decide to do?
4. How would you describe the relationship between Sebastian and Antonio
based on this scene?

Scene 2

Hither (line 3) _______________________________________________

“In your eye” (line 14) _______________________________________________

Pregnant (line 27) _______________________________________________

Waxen (line 29) _______________________________________________

Fadge (line 32) _______________________________________________

1. What evidence is there that Malvolio is a rude person?

2. How does Cesario react to the return of the ring from Olivia?
3. In her soliloquy, what does Viola come to realize about Olivia? What does she
think can unravel the problem?

Scene 3

Troth (line 3) _______________________________________________

Scholar (line 11) _______________________________________________

Leman (line 23) _______________________________________________

“Contagious breath” (line 49) _______________________________________________

“Hold thy peace” (line 61) _______________________________________________

Consanguineous (line 69) _______________________________________________

“Possess us” (line 124) _______________________________________________

“Grounds of faith” (line 135) _______________________________________________

Device (line 146) _______________________________________________

“Sport royal” (line 155) _______________________________________________

 1. What are the four elements Sir Toby speaks of in lines 7-8?
2. What message does Malvolio bring to Sir Toby from Olivia? How does Sir Toby
respond?
3. How does Maria intend to trick Malvolio? What is her plan?

Scene 4

Morrow (line 1) ______________________________________________________

“My life upon’t” (line 22) _______________________________________________

“Of your complexion” (line 25) _______________________________________________

“Mark it” (line 42) _______________________________________________

“Like the old age” (line 47) _______________________________________________

“Bide no denay” (line 122) _______________________________________________

1. What is the irony in lines 23-28 when Cesario/Viola describes the person that
he/she has fallen for?
2. How does Orsino describe the way men love versus the way women love?
Explain Orsino’s view of women’s love. What is his reasoning behind this?
3. What does Feste’s love song reflect? (theme)
4. What does Orsino instruct Cesario to do?
5. What tale does Cesario/Viola make up in response to Orsino’s declaration that
no woman is capable of love as deep as his love for Olivia? Summarize it.
Explain what Viola is indirectly revealing here.

Scene 5

“Come by some notable shame” (line 5) _______________________________________________

Control (line 63) _______________________________________________

Employment (line 76) _______________________________________________

Hand (line 80) _______________________________________________

Fustian (line 102) _______________________________________________

Cudgel (line 124) _______________________________________________

Cross-gartered (line 142) _______________________________________________

Champaign (line 148) _______________________________________________

Point-device (line 151) _______________________________________________

“Jade me” (line 152) ________________________________________________

Habits (line 157) _______________________________________________

Stout (line 158) _______________________________________________

1. What literary technique is used in this passage? Explain.

“Lie thou there, for here comes the trout
that must be caught with tickling.” (lines 18-20)
2. What is Malvolio daydreaming about in the garden?
3. How does Malvolio react to the letter forged with Olivia’s name?
4. As instructed in the fake letter written by Maria, name the four things Malvolio
must do to prove to Olivia that he returns her love. Why did Maria choose
these?

ACT 3
Scene 1

“churchman” (line 4) _______________________________________________

“troth” (line 21) _______________________________________________

“warrant” (line 24) _______________________________________________

“in my conscience” (lines 26-27) _______________________________________________

“bound to” (line 73) _______________________________________________

“enchantment” (line 108) _______________________________________________

“deplore” (line 158) _______________________________________________

1. Who does Feste think is a bigger "fool" than he?

2. What does Feste think Viola needs?
3. What is Viola's opinion of Feste? (foolery)
4. Explain Cesario/Viola's line, "Your servant's servant is your servant, madam."
(line 98)
5. What does Olivia tell Cesario/Viola about the ring?
6. After Olivia says she loves Cesario, not Orsino, what does Cesario/Viola tell
her?
Scene 2

“jot” (line 1) _______________________________________________

“venom” (line 2) _______________________________________________

“argument” (line 9) _______________________________________________

“oaths” (line 11) _______________________________________________

“cubiculo” (line 47) _______________________________________________

1. Why is Sir Andrew planning to leave Olivia's house?

2. What does Sir Toby tell Sir Andrew to do to try to win Olivia’s heart?
3. What scheme do Fabian and Sir Toby devise concerning Sir Andrew?
4. How much of Sir Andrew's money has Sir Toby spent?

Scene 3

“relics” (line 19) _______________________________________________

“’tis long to night” (line 21) ________________________________________________

“renown” (line 24) _______________________________________________

“bespeak our diet” (line 40) _______________________________________________

“have me” (line 42) _______________________________________________

“purse” (line 43) _______________________________________________

1. Although Antonio has accompanied Sebastian to the outskirts of Illyria, what

does he reveal about his previous dealings with Orsino that make it unwise for
him to accompany Sebastian into town?
2. What does Sebastian want to do while he is in Illyria? What does Antonio say
he will do?
3. What does Antonio give Sebastian before they part? Why?

Scene 4

“upon a sad occasion” (line 18) _______________________________________________

“Let me alone.” (line 89) _______________________________________________

“defy” (line 90) _______________________________________________

“carry his water” (line 95) _______________________________________________

“an improbable fiction” (line 116) _______________________________________________

“lest the device take air, and taint” (line 119)________________________________________

“commerce” (line 156) _______________________________________________

“Souls and bodies hath he divorced three” (line 216)_________________________________

“mettle” (line 250) _______________________________________________

“undertaker” (line 292) _______________________________________________

“entreat” (line 313) ________________________________________________

“… in my glass” (line 354) _______________________________________________

“in necessity” (line 361) _______________________________________________

“denying him” (line 361) _______________________________________________

1. How does Olivia react to Malvolio's actions (based on the forged letter)?
2. How does Malvolio reaction to Olivia’s reaction/comments?
3. What do Fabian, Maria, and Sir Toby decide to do with Malvolio? Why?
4. What are Sir Toby and Fabian's plan concerning the impending duel between
Sir Andrew and Cesario? Why? What does he plan to do instead?
5. What is Cesario/Viola’s reaction when he/she finds out that Sir Andrew wants a
duel?
6. What is the result of the practical joke concerning the duel?
7. Why does Antonio want to fight Sir Andrew? Why do you think Sir Toby draws
his sword on Antonio? What happens to Antonio at the end of this scene?
8. Before Antonio is led away by the officers, what transpires between him and
Cesario/Viola?
9. What conclusion does Viola reach after Antonio mistakes her for Sebastian?

ACT 4
Scene 1

“vent” (line 10) _______________________________________________

“ungird thy strangeness” (line 13) _______________________________________________

“foolish Greek” (line 16) _______________________________________________

“tarry” (line 17) _______________________________________________

“have an action of battery” (line 29) _______________________________________________

“put up your iron” (line 34) _______________________________________________

“charge” (line 39) _______________________________________________

“Will it ever be thus?” (line 41) _______________________________________________

“preach’d” (line 43) _________________________________________________

“Rudesby” (line 45) _______________________________________________

“sway” (line 46) _______________________________________________

“How runs the stream?” (line 54)________________________________________________

“would thou’dst be rul’d by me” (line 58)_______________________________________________

1. Explain the meeting between Sir Andrew and Sebastian. How does Sebastian
react?
2. Thinking Sebastian is Cesario, how does she react to the fight?
3. What does Olivia ask Sebastian? How does he respond?

Scene 2

“dissemble” (line 4) _______________________________________________

“become the function well” (line 6) _______________________________________________

“good housekeeper” (line 8) _______________________________________________

“goes as fairly” (lines 8-9) _______________________________________________

“use” (line 32) _______________________________________________

“barricadoes” (line 35) _______________________________________________

“clerestories” (line 36) _______________________________________________

“abused” (line 45) _______________________________________________

“make the trial of it in any constant question” (line 46) _______________________________

“for all waters” (line 60) _______________________________________________

“To him in thine own voice” (line 63) ____________________________________________

“upshot” (line 67) _______________________________________________

“propertied me” (line 87) _______________________________________________

“face me out of my wits” (line 89)_______________________________________________

“thy wits the heavens restore” (lines 91-92)________________________________________

“convey what I will set down” (line 106) __________________________________________

“counterfeit” (line 109) _______________________________________________

“I’ll requite it in the highest degree.” (line 113)_____________________________________

1. What do Maria and Feste plan for Malvolio? (disguise) What is the purpose
behind this plan?
2. What is Malvolio's reaction?
3. Why does Sir Toby have a change of heart concerning Malvolio? Why is he
ready to put an end to his plan?
4. Explain Feste's final act of trickery on Malvolio. What does he do to him?
5. What does Malvolio convince Feste to do?

Scene 3

“credit” (line 6) _______________________________________________

“range” (line 7) _______________________________________________

“my soul disputes well with my sense” (line 9)_________________________________

“flood of fortune” (line 11) _______________________________________________

“discourse” (line 12) _______________________________________________

“wrangle” (line 14) _______________________________________________

“trust” (line 15) _______________________________________________

“sway her house” (line 17) _______________________________________________

“command her followers” (line 17) _________________________________________

“Take and give back affairs and their dispatch” (line 18)__________________________

“chantry” (line 24) _______________________________________________

“come to note” (line 29) _______________________________________________

“fairly note” (line 35) _______________________________________________

1. What puzzles Sebastian at the beginning of this scene? Mention both Olivia
and Antonio.
2. What does Sebastian say to convince himself that Olivia is sane?
2. How does Act 4 end? What does Sebastian agree to do at the end of this
scene?
ACT 5
Scene 1

“make an ass of me” (line 15) _______________________________________________

“put you in mind” (line 36) _______________________________________________

“bounty” (line 39) _______________________________________________

“private brabble” (line 60) _______________________________________________

“apprehend him” (line 60) _______________________________________________

“drew on my side” (line 61) _______________________________________________

“put strange speech upon me” (line 62) _________________________________________

“salt-water thief” (line 64) _______________________________________________

“on base and ground enough” (line 70) _________________________________________

“redeem” (line 74) _______________________________________________

“A wrack past hope he was.” (line 74) __________________________________________

“While one would wink” (line 85) _______________________________________________

“No int’rim” (line 90) _______________________________________________

“marble-breasted” (line 119) _______________________________________________

“minion” (line 120) _______________________________________________

“ripe in mischief” (line 124) _______________________________________________

“jocund” (line 127) _______________________________________________

“unfold” (line 147) _______________________________________________

“Seal’d in my function” (line 156) ____________________________________________

“dissembling cub” (line 159) _______________________________________________

“coxcomb” (line 171) _______________________________________________

“sot” (line 190) _______________________________________________

“throw a strange regard upon me” (line 203)___________________________________

“made division of yourself” (line 213)_________________________________________

“cleft” (line 214) _______________________________________________

“his mortal act” (line 238) _______________________________________________

“maiden weeds” (line 246) _______________________________________________

“peruse that letter” (line 318) _______________________________________________

“out of question, ‘tis Maria’s hand” (line 335)____________________________________

“Taint this condition” (line 345)_______________________________________________

“Set this device against” (line 348)___________________________________________

“they baffled thee” (line 357) _______________________________________________

“notoriously abus’d” (line 366) _______________________________________________

“solemn combination” (line 370) _______________________________________________

“came to man’s estate” (line 380) _______________________________________________

1. Why has Orsino come to Olivia's?

2. When Orsino confronts Antonio about his pirating and why he is in Illyria, what
does Antonio reply? What adds to his confusion?
3. How long have Antonio and Sebastian been together? How long has
Cesario/Viola served Orsino?
4. Once Orsino realizes he has lost Olivia’s love to Cesario/Viola, what does he
threaten to do?
5. What is Cesario/Viola's response after Olivia again rejects Orsino and he starts
to leave? Explain the confusion that results from Cesario/Viola's action. What
does Olivia call him?
6. How does the priest provide both clarity and confusion?
7. What has happened to Sir Andrew and Sir Toby?
8. How do the following lines shed light on the confusion and disguise that have
been present throughout the play?
“One face, one voice, one habit, and two persons!
A natural perspective, that is, and is not!” (lines 207-208)
9. What is Viola’s initial reaction to the presence of her brother? (lines 225-228)
10. How does Olivia respond to the news that she is married to Sebastian and not
to Cesario? What does Orsino do once he realizes that Cesario/Viola is a
woman in disguise?
11. What reward does Maria receive for her part in the joke on Malvolio?
12. What does Malvolio vow to do at the end of the play?
13. Explain Feste’s song at the end of the play.
Passages to Recite (Act 1)
1) Scene 1, lines 1-15:
DUKE ORSINO
If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.
That strain again! it had a dying fall:
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound,
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more:
'Tis not so sweet now as it was before.
O spirit of love! how quick and fresh art thou,
That, notwithstanding thy capacity
Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there,
Of what validity and pitch soe'er,
But falls into abatement and low price,
Even in a minute: so full of shapes is fancy
That it alone is high fantastical.
3) Scene 5, lines 248-256:
VIOLA
Make me a willow cabin at your gate,
And call upon my soul within the house;
Write loyal cantons of contemned love
And sing them loud even in the dead of night;
Halloo your name to the reverberate hills
And make the babbling gossip of the air
Cry out 'Olivia!' O, You should not rest
Between the elements of air and earth,
But you should pity me!
2) Scene 5, lines 37-47:
FESTE
Two faults, madonna, that drink and good
counsel
will amend: for give the dry fool drink, then
is the
fool not dry: bid the dishonest man mend
himself,
if he mend, he is no longer dishonest; if he
cannot, let the botcher mend him. Anything
that's mended
is but patched: virtue that transgresses is
but patched with sin, and sin that amends is
but
patched with virtue. If that this simple
syllogism
will serve, so; if it will not, what remedy? As
there is no true cuckold but calamity, so
beauty's a flower. The lady bade take away
the fool; therefore, I say again, take her
away.
4) Scene 5, lines 269-279:
OLIVIA
‘What is your parentage?’
'Above my fortunes, yet my state is well:
I am a gentleman.' I'll be sworn thou art;
Thy tongue, thy face, thy limbs, actions and
spirit,
Do give thee five-fold blazon: not too fast:
soft, soft!
Unless the master were the man. How now!
Even so quickly may one catch the plague?
Methinks I feel this youth's perfections
With an invisible and subtle stealth
To creep in at mine eyes. Well, let it be.
What ho, Malvolio!
 Discussion Topics
Prepare to discuss the following topics.
Remember, this is a discussion; therefore, you want to add to the conversation (not just
repeat); you must also comment on what your classmates say. Asking your classmates
questions is also a great way to push the conversation forward.

1. Discuss the view that Malvolio is a character who ultimately deserves pity rather
than mockery.
2. To what extent do you agree that in Twelfth Night, Shakespeare demonstrates that
being foolish is part of being human? Be ready to provide examples.
3. Agree or disagree: While mad behaviour governs the play, by the end order and
sanity is restored.
4. Consider the lines: Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have
greatness thrust upon 'em. What does this mean to you? Discuss this in relation to
the play.
5. How are the female characters portrayed in the play? Do they think they are weak
or strong? Why?
6. Discuss the view that comic literature is subversive and undermines normal moral
and social codes.