Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (Key Facts)

 

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare (Key Facts) 

 Full Title: Twelfth Night, or What You Will

 

 Author: William Shakespeare

 

 Type of Work: Play

 

 Genre: Comedy

 

 Language: Early Modern English

 

 Time and Place Written: Likely written between 1601 and 1602, in England.

 

 Date of First Publication: The play was first published in the First Folio of 1623.

 

 Publisher: The First Folio was published by William Jaggard and Edward Blount.

 

 Tone: The tone of Twelfth Night is light, playful, and filled with romance and mistaken identities, with elements of satire and comedy.

 

 Setting (Time): The play is set in the mythical kingdom of Illyria. The exact time is not specified but reflects a Renaissance like setting.

 

 Setting (Place): The play takes place primarily in the court of Duke Orsino and the household of Lady Olivia, as well as various locations in Illyria.

 

 Protagonist: The play does not have a single protagonist but rather multiple central characters including Viola (disguised as Cesario), Duke Orsino, and Olivia. Viola’s journey is central to the plot.

 

 Major Conflict: The major conflict involves Viola's disguise as Cesario, which creates romantic entanglements and misunderstandings among the characters. Viola loves Duke Orsino, who is in love with Olivia, who in turn falls for Viola (as Cesario).

 

 Rising Action: The rising action includes Viola's arrival in Illyria, her disguise as Cesario, the romantic pursuits and misunderstandings, and the subplot involving the comical schemes of Sir Toby Belch, Maria, and others against Malvolio.

 

 Climax: The climax occurs when the various mistaken identities and romantic entanglements come to a head in a series of confrontations, misunderstandings, and revelations, especially in Act V.

 

 Falling Action: The falling action follows the resolution of the misunderstandings, the revealing of true identities, and the reconciliation of the characters.

 

 Themes: Major themes include the nature of love, disguise and deception, the folly of ambition, and the confusion between appearance and reality.

 

 Motifs: Common motifs include mistaken identity, cross-dressing, and the idea of love as both a source of joy and suffering.

 

 Symbols: Symbols in the play include the letter Maria writes to trick Malvolio, which symbolizes the theme of deception, and the rings that symbolize romantic commitment and mistaken identity.

 

 Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing is present in the early references to disguises and mistaken identities, hinting at the ensuing chaos and complications in the relationships among the characters.