Twelfth Night – Character of Olivia and her arrogant steward Malvolio Essay Example

your ladyship takes delight in such a barren rascal" "unless you laugh and minister occasion to him, he is gagged" Olivia thinks this to be a bit harsh and replies "O, you are sick of self-love, Malvolio, and taste with a distempered appetite" I think this response takes Malvolio by surprise and he is unsure how to reply to such a statement. This also annoys Malvolio, but he is more annoyed with himself than Olivia seeing as he has feelings for his employer and is always trying to be the best he can for her. He thinks he has a real chance with Olivia despite his age and her mourning.

When Viola (disguised as Cesario) arrives at the gates of Olivia's house, Malvolio is sent to deal with him "Go you, Malvolio. If it be a suit from the count, I am sick, or not at home - what you will to dismiss it" When he returns Malvolio gives a report of the young man at the gate "Not yet old enough for a man, nor young enough for a boy". From what Malvolio says about Cesario, there is the impression that he finds the messenger rude and stubborn due to his unwillingness to go until he has spoke with Olivia "he says he'll stand at your door like a sheriff's post, and be the supporter of a bench, but he'll speak with you"

It seems that, although the messenger is allowed through, Malvolio is determined to keep Cesario away from Olivia because he thinks that it is quite possible for the Lady Olivia to fall for this suit of the Count. Malvolio is slightly jealous of

Feste due to the relationship he has with Olivia and he will jump at the first chance to get him removed from Olivia's household. In the middle of the night Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Feste decide to have a little get together but, as usual, after a large consumption of alcohol they became very load and rowdy!

So much so that Maria comes down to see what all the noise is about "What caterwauling do you keep here! " She's tries very hard to keep them calm and to lower the noise level but to no avail. She knows that sooner or later there extremely audible manner will awaken the lady Olivia or Malvolio. After a while Malvolio heads for the source of the noise, already knowing what the creator of it is. He enters the room and says "My masters, are you mad? Or what have you?

Have you no wit, manners, nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night" Malvolio does not approve of this type of behaviour, especially at this hour and will do everything within his power to stop this ludicrous bunch which have, in his mind, turned his lady's house into an ale house. He addresses Sir Toby in a threatening tone "Sir Toby, I must b round with you. " It seems like he chooses the word round on purpose as in insult to Sir Toby's physical appearance.

Malvolio goes on to say that Olivia has told him that if Sir Toby does not amend his drunken ways then she is willing to remove him from her estate. "She is very willing to bid you farewell" Sir

Toby does not believe that his cousin would confide such a thing within a contemptuous steward such as Malvolio. Sir Toby' reacts to this by taunting Malvolio (with Feste) by dancing round him and singing, but after a few verses Sir Toby stops abruptly and confronts Malvolio and says to him that he is no more than a steward and that he has no authority over the Knights.

Art thou any more than a steward? " Sir Toby backs off and asks the servant Maria for a glass of wine, she starts towards the wine only to be interrupted by Malvolio who says that if Maria respected Olivia's house and the Lady herself she would not encourage these knights into their drunken states "If you prized my lady's favour at any thing more than contempt, you would not give means for this uncivil rule"

Maria decides she has had enough of Malvolio and his puritanical attitude. She comes up with a ploy that will publicly humiliate Malvolio. She will plant a forged letter in the path of Malvolio that will declare Olivia's love for him and tell him how to act around her and other members of the household. Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Fabian (who also has a grudge against the steward) lay in wait for Malvolio to appear and find the letter.

Soon enough he comes strolling down the garden path talking to himself as he goes, saying how Olivia treats him with a different kind of respect than the others and what things would be like if he was the Count "Calling my officers about me, in my branched velvet gown; having come from my

day-bed, where I have left Olivia sleeping" These comments aggravate Sir Toby and lead to little outburst's which the other hidden two have to control in order make sure there position is not revealed to Malvolio.

On several occasions they only just manage to keep Sir Toby from doing this and passing up there chance of seeing the steward being fooled by the letter. This would amuse the Shakespearean audience, and the way it is portrayed in different renditions of Twelfth Night it is almost like slap stick comedy. After a while Malvolio spots the letter "What employment have we here? " He is at first not sure who the letter is for, but after reading through it he becomes convinced that it is defiantly for him.

The letter asks him to do many things differently, such as where his yellow stockings, but have them cross gartered and to smile when in the presence of the lady Olivia. Olivia is in a melancholic state and summons Malvolio because his attitude best suits her mood, but when he arrives she is shocked and some what confused at what she finds "Why, how dost thou, man? What is the matter with thee? " Malvolio has entered smiling and strutting around baring his cross gartered stockings.

He quotes statements of the letter to Olivia which jus confuses her more, but the steward truly believes that this is how she is suppose to act, that she has planned it this way. Olivia becomes very worried about this strange behaviour and calls upon Sir Toby, again Malvolio thinks this is planned to give him the opportunity to fulfil other commands in the letter.

Sir Toby, seeing his chance, decides to bring Malvolio up to an even higher state of humiliation. Sir Toby and the others imprison him for being a lunatic.

Feste is made to look like a priest called Sir Topas and goes to see Malvolio in his cell and plays with his a mind. Malvolio complains of the dark, dank conditions he is in, but Feste insists that he is in a light upper room. Malvolio pleas with the "priest" saying "Good Sir Topas, do not think I am mad; they have laid me here in hideous darkness" Even though Malvolio is very arrogant, contemptuous and believes in a puritanical way of life he does not deserve such treatment as this. Playing with his emotions was one thing but imprisoning him and leading him to believe that the devil has control over him is taking it a bit far.

When Malvolio is finally released he is outraged and leaves almost immediately. After having left, the lady Olivia receives a letter which expresses the steward's anger and announcing his resignation from his duties at the estate. When he returns to confront the lady Olivia he learns that it was a prank set up by Maria, and Fabian confesses that he was involved along with Sir Toby. Malvolio, rightly so, is furious and swears revenge on all those who had a part in this farce that caused great upset and anger to him.