Twelfth Night Summary

 

William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a play about love, gender, and identity. It was first performed in 1602 and published in 1623 after Shakespeare’s death. The title Twelfth Night comes from the twelfth night of Christmas, a festive holiday full of celebrations. The subtitle What You Will suggests freedom and choice.

Twelfth Night: Summary

Act 1

Scene 1: The play opens in the court of Orsino, the Duke of Illyria. He is languishing in his love for the beautiful countess Olivia. He listens to music, famously declaring, “If music be the food of love, play on,” but his mood is restless and melancholic. His mood is explained when his servant, Valentine, returns from Olivia’s house with news: Olivia is deep in mourning for her recently deceased brother and has vowed to veil her face and avoid all company, including the Duke’s, for seven years. Rather than discourage him, this display of devoted grief makes Orsino adore her more, imagining how intensely she will love when she finally turns her affections to a suitor.

Scene 2: On the seacoast of Illyria, a young woman, Viola, washes ashore after a shipwreck. The ship’s Captain tells her they are in Illyria and that he saw her twin brother, Sebastian, tie himself to a mast during the storm, giving her hope he may also have survived. Hearing of the Duke Orsino and his unrequited love for Olivia, Viola decides to disguise herself as a young man, to be called “Cesario,” and enter Orsino’s service. The Captain agrees to help her conceal her identity.

Scene 3: In Olivia’s house, we meet her unruly uncle, Sir Toby Belch, and her quick-witted gentlewoman, Maria. Sir Toby is chastised for his late nights, drunkenness, and his choice of companion, the foolish Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a wealthy knight Sir Toby is encouraging to woo Olivia (likely to keep funding his revels). Sir Andrew is dim-witted, vain about his dancing and hair, and easily manipulated. Maria cleverly mocks them both before exiting. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew decide to continue their carousing.

Scene 4: Some time has passed. Viola, now perfectly disguised as Cesario, has become a great favorite of Duke Orsino. He praises Cesario’s youth and smooth looks, comparing him to a woman. Trusting him completely, Orsino tasks Cesario with a crucial mission: to go to Olivia and passionately plead his love. Viola, who has herself fallen in love with Orsino, reluctantly agrees, lamenting in a soliloquy the difficult position she is in: “I’ll do my best / To woo your lady. Yet a barful strife! / Whoe’er I woo, myself would be his wife.”

Scene 5: In Olivia’s household, the clown, Feste, engages in a battle of wits with Maria and then with Olivia herself. Olivia’s stern steward, Malvolio, disapproves of Feste’s nonsense. Their conversation is interrupted by news of a young messenger (Cesario) from Orsino at the gate. Sir Toby is sent to deal with him but returns saying the messenger is stubborn and insists on speaking to Olivia. Intrigued, Olivia veils her face and agrees to see him.
Viola (as Cesario) enters and delivers a eloquent, prepared speech extolling Orsino’s love. Olivia is unmoved by the message but is instantly captivated by the messenger. She unveils, and through witty repartee, it becomes clear she is fascinated by Cesario. After Cesario leaves, Olivia invents a pretext to send Malvolio after him with a ring, claiming Cesario left it behind as a token from Orsino. Once alone, she confesses her sudden, powerful attraction: “Even so quickly may one catch the plague?” She is in love with Cesario.

Act 2

Scene 1: Elsewhere in Illyria, we meet Sebastian, Viola’s twin brother, who is alive and has been rescued by a sea captain, Antonio. Sebastian is grieving for his sister, believing her drowned. Antonio, who has developed a deep and protective affection for Sebastian, offers to accompany him, but Sebastian, wishing to be alone with his sorrow, declines. He reveals his name and destination: Orsino’s court. Antonio, revealing he has many enemies in Orsino’s court, decides to follow Sebastian secretly despite the danger.

Scene 2: Malvolio catches up to Viola and rudely throws the ring on the ground, delivering Olivia’s false message that she wants nothing to do with Orsino. Viola picks up the ring and, in a soliloquy, realizes the truth: Olivia has fallen in love with her male disguise. She pities Olivia and understands the hopelessness of the entire situation: her love for Orsino, his for Olivia, and Olivia’s for her. She concludes that only time can untangle this “knot.”

Scene 3: Late at night, Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Feste are drinking, singing raucous songs, and disturbing the household. Maria comes to quiet them but is drawn into the merriment. The noise summons the puritanical Malvolio, who scolds them arrogantly and threatens to tell Olivia. After he leaves, the offended revelers, led by Maria, plot their revenge. She devises a scheme to forge a love letter in Olivia’s handwriting that will make Malvolio believe Olivia is in love with him. The letter will instruct him to behave in ways Olivia despises (smiling constantly, wearing yellow stockings, and being cross-gartered). They anticipate that his absurd behavior will make a complete fool of him.

Scene 4: Back at Orsino’s palace, the Duke calls for a melancholic song about love. He then talks to Cesario about love, insisting that men’s love is deeper and more constant than women’s. Viola, speaking from her concealed perspective, gently contradicts him, telling a story about her “father’s daughter” who pined away from a concealed love, just as she is doing. Orsino, missing the point, sends Cesario back to Olivia one more time.

Scene 5: Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and their friend Fabian hide in the garden to watch Malvolio. As they spy, Malvolio enters, daydreaming aloud about marrying Olivia and becoming “Count Malvolio,” lording it over Sir Toby. He finds the letter Maria has planted. Recognizing what he believes to be Olivia’s handwriting, he reads it. The letter, full of cryptic phrases like “M.O.A.I.” (which he twists to fit his name), instructs him to be bold, proud, and to wear yellow stockings and cross-garters. He instantly resolves to follow every command, convinced of his imminent rise to greatness.

Act 3

Scene 1: Viola (as Cesario) returns to Olivia’s estate and encounters Feste. They exchange witty wordplay before Cesario meets with Olivia. Olivia immediately dismisses her attendants and openly declares her love for Cesario. Viola tries to deflect, insisting her heart belongs to no woman, but Olivia persists, pleading for some hope. Viola can only respond with pity before departing.

Scene 2: Sir Andrew Aguecheek is furious, having witnessed Olivia’s clear favoritism toward Cesario. He decides to leave, but Sir Toby and Fabian convince him that Olivia was only flirting with the messenger to make him jealous and provoke him to a display of valor. They persuade the cowardly Sir Andrew to challenge Cesario to a duel. Sir Andrew writes a ridiculous challenge, which Sir Toby has no intention of delivering, planning instead to frighten both the “young men” (Cesario and Andrew) with exaggerated tales of the other’s ferocity.

Scene 3: Sebastian, in Illyria, is welcomed by Antonio. The devoted Antonio gives Sebastian his purse for safekeeping and arranges to meet him at an inn called the Elephant, though he must hide due to his past conflicts with Orsino.

Scene 4: Olivia, longing for Cesario, sends for Malvolio, who has followed the letter’s instructions to the letter. He enters, smiling grotesquely and dressed in yellow, cross-gartered stockings. He speaks in pompous, cryptic riddles, quoting the forged letter. Olivia is convinced he has gone mad and orders her servants to look after him. Sir Toby, Maria, and Fabian take this as an opportunity to intensify the trick, treating him as a violent lunatic and eventually locking him in a dark room.
Olivia then meets with Viola/Cesario, but their conversation is interrupted by Sir Toby and Fabian, who tell Cesario that the furious Sir Andrew Aguecheek is waiting to fight him. Viola, who is no fighter, is terrified. Sir Toby then tells Sir Andrew that Cesario is a formidable duelist, terrifying him. They maneuver the two terrified “combatants” toward each other.
Just as they are about to duel, Antonio arrives. Mistaking Viola for Sebastian, he intervenes to protect his friend. Officers arrive and arrest Antonio for his past crimes against Orsino. Antonio, believing he is asking Sebastian, begs for his purse back. Viola, of course, does not know him and offers him half her money but denies him. Antonio is shocked by this apparent betrayal as he is dragged away, cursing Sebastian’s ingratitude. This confuses everyone but gives Viola a spark of hope that her brother may be alive. Sir Toby, however, is now convinced Cesario is a dishonorable coward.

Act 4

Scene 1: Feste encounters Sebastian and mistakes him for Cesario. Sebastian is confused by the Fool’s addressed nonsense. Sir Andrew arrives and, also mistaking him for Cesario, strikes him. Sebastian, a capable fighter, decisively beats Sir Andrew. Sir Toby intervenes, and he and Sebastian draw their swords. Olivia enters, breaks up the fight, and, mistaking Sebastian for Cesario, apologizes profusely for her kinsman’s behavior. She invites the bewildered Sebastian into her house. Intrigued by this beautiful woman’s passionate attention, Sebastian agrees, thinking he must be in a dream.

Scene 2: Feste, disguised as the curate “Sir Topas,” visits the imprisoned Malvolio in the dark room. He pretends to examine him, insisting the room is full of light and windows, and that Malvolio is truly mad. Sir Toby, worried the joke has gone too far, allows Feste to return in his own voice. Malvolio pleads with the Fool for light, paper, and ink so he can write to Olivia to clear his name. Feste agrees to help.

Scene 3: Sebastian, in Olivia’s garden, is baffled but delighted by his good fortune. He cannot believe that Olivia, a powerful and beautiful noblewoman, is showering him with affection and gifts (like a precious pearl). He reasons that it must be some error, but it is a fortunate one. Olivia arrives with a priest. Worried she might lose him, she proposes an immediate secret marriage. Sebastian, though he barely knows her, joyfully agrees, and they go to the chapel to be married.

Act 5

Scene 1: Outside Olivia’s house, the threads of the plot converge. Feste and Fabian bicker over Malvolio’s letter. Orsino arrives with Viola/Cesario. They meet Antonio, who is being led by officers. He accuses Cesario of betrayal, which further confuses Orsino. Olivia enters and treats Cesario as her beloved, further angering Orsino. The chaos peaks when Olivia calls Cesario her “husband,” shocking Orsino, who feels doubly betrayed.
At this moment, Sir Andrew and Sir Toby enter, wounded from their fight with Sebastian, and they accuse Cesario of injuring them. Viola denies everything. The ultimate resolution arrives with the entrance of Sebastian. The twins stand face to face, creating amazement and clarity. Sebastian and Viola recognize each other with joy and confirm their identities. Sebastian confirms he has just married Olivia. Orsino, realizing the truth, understands that his faithful Cesario is actually the woman Viola. He immediately transfers his love to her, asking to see her in “woman’s weeds” and calling her his “mistress.”
Finally, Malvolio’s letter is brought and read aloud, revealing his unjust treatment. Fabian explains the entire trick, revealing that Maria wrote the letter and has since married Sir Toby as her reward. Malvolio is freed, but he is humiliated and furious, vowing revenge on the whole pack of them before storming off. Olivia promises to pursue a reconciliation.
Orsino proclaims that Viola shall be his wife once she is dressed as a woman again. He invites everyone inside to celebrate the twin reunions and the forthcoming marriages: himself to Viola, and Sebastian to Olivia. The play ends with Feste singing a melancholic yet resilient song about the stages of life and the constant presence of hardship (“the rain it raineth every day”), bringing the comedy to a thoughtful close.