An Overview

The plot of William Shakespeare's comedy is as follows:


Twin Brother and sister, Sebastian and Viola, are traveling on a ship when a terrible storm hits and wrecks the ship entirely. Viola is washed ashore but no one else is found. Viola, grief stricken, immediately assumes that he brother has been drowned in the storm and begins trying the figure out a solution. She immediately starts to think of where she could start working to provide for herself. A friendly sea captain shows up shortly thereafter and tells her about a city near by and of a wealthy woman named Olivia and a Duke named Orsino.


Orsino is in love with Olivia but she had just tragically lost her brother and was mourning, therefore she had no desire to be with anyone. Viola realizes that Olivia has no desire to work with any strangers and, as a last act of desperation, disguises herself as a man and goes by the name Cesario so that she may go work for the Duke Orsino.


Viola (disguised as Cesario) wins over Orsino with ease and soon is made Orsino's page. This would all have been fine, except that Viola had started to fall in love with Cesario but could not act on anything because he thought that she was a man. Orsino is also still in love with Olivia and continues to send her messages of love. When Orsino sends "Cesario" to take Olivia more love messages, Olivia falls in love with the page, thinking her to be a young man.


On the side, there are many other members of the household. She has a loud, drunk, obnoxious uncle, Sir Toby. As well as his friend, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, who is trying in his own pathetic way to win the affections Olivia; Olivia’s woman in waiting, Maria; Malvolio, uptight servant of Olivia’s household, and Feste, the rather awkward clown who at times can be really inappropriate. When Sir Toby and the others get angry at Malvolio for constantly trying to spoil their fun, Maria comes up with a trick to play on Malvolio so he'll think that Olivia loves him. She forges a letter from Olivia, addressed to him, telling him that if he wants to earn her favor, he should dress in yellow stockings and crossed garters, act risque, never stop smiling, and refuse to tell anyone about what's going on. Malvolio finds the letter, believes every word it says, and does exactly what it says. His behavior is so weird that, when he acts this way in front of Olivia, she thinks he's completely crazy. Also, Sir Andrew sees that Olivia is in love with Cesario (Viola in disguise) and because he is struck with jealousy and anger (and perhaps the influence of alcohol) challenges Cesario to a duel. Sir Toby, her uncle, finds this to be extremely entertaining and is all for the duel.


While all this takes place, we find out that Sebastian is in fact still alive. He arrives in Illyria (where all of this has been taking place) with his friend Antonio. Sebastian believe his sister to be dead just as she assumed the same about him. Sebastian and Antonio make their way to Orsino's home, even though Antonio knew Orsino years ago and the two are not fond of each other at all.


When Sir Andrew looks to find Cesario for the duel, he actually finds Sebastian, thinking that he is Cesario because the two look exactly alike. When Olivia sees this, she immediately makes the same mistake. Sebastian is really confused at this point, as he has never even seen or met any of these people. However, because Olivia is beautiful and clearly very wealthy, he accepts as if he has known her for years.


As this happens, Antonio has been arrested by Orsino's guards. As he is being taken away, he sees Cesario, but thinks it is Sebastian. He begs for help, but Cesario denies that he knows him. Antonio screams out that Sebastian has betrayed him as he is dragged off by Orsino's men. This is horrible, but at the same time, fills Viola with new hope that perhaps her brother is alive after all.


Eventually, after more fooling with Malvolio by Maria and others, and more confusion and torment amongst Viola, Orsino, Antonio and pretty much every other character in the play, we reach the end. Orsino and Cesario go to Olivia's house and Olivia thinks that Cesario is Sebastian (who she just got married to). Orsino of course is outraged until Sebastian shows up. Viola and Sebastian are ecstatic to see one another alive, Viola reveals herself to be a woman, Orsino realizes her loves her and all is well.


Shakespear, William. Twelfth Night: Or What You Will. Rev. Folger Shakespear Library, 2004. 272. Print.