'If music be the food of love play on' Twelfth Night Act 1 Scene 1
Hello!
I have finished Twelfth Night ...it felt a little speedy for a Bard play but after hiking through Hamlet previous i suppose anything would feel brief! its strange actually because it took me a little while to edge my self back into a less high voltage piece, at first i felt a little board...but it didn't last long - Twelfth Night is belter!
I found this lovely photo of Anne Hathaway playing Viola...she is so beautiful!
Anne Hathaway: Photo: Sara Krulwich/The New York Times
The title Twelfth Night is thought to have come from the celebration of the twelfth night after Christmas, where social conformity's are turned up side down. Well that's the case for sure, this play turns social classes and gender on its head. Woman pretending to be men (the beautiful and smart Viola sports a pain of trousers and 'does it like a brother, does it like a dude*) and the upper class shack up with the lower class (Maria and Sir Toby and Olivia and Sebastian). It challenges lots of social stereotyping and i like the fact that it explores lots different pairings, friendships and human interaction (whether it be pleasant interaction or not in the case of Maria and Malvolio).
* 'Do it like a dude'- Jessie J
The sheer amount of mistaken identity had me a little boggled on a few occasions but i think i finally got it:
- Viola to be Cesario but gets mistaken for her brother Sebastian
- Sebastian in turn gets mistaken for Viola (Cesario) by Olivia
- Feste pretends to be Sir Topas to fool poor Malvolio (i feel a bit sorry for Malvolio - but i will get to that)
- Antonio thinks that Viola (Cersario) is Sebastian
...i think that is all of them (is there more???)...i really enjoyed the freedom that the Bard gives the characters to explore gender, love and friendship in a non-restricted heterosexual way, particularly the friendship between Anthony and Sebastian. It is quiet clear that Anthony has strong feelings for Sebastian and although not completely reciprocated its a really interesting dynamic for the play.
I first noticed this blossoming in Act 2 Scene 1:
ACT II
SCENE I. The sea-coast.
Enter ANTONIO and SEBASTIAN
ANTONIO
Will you stay no longer? nor will you not that I go with you?
SEBASTIAN
By your patience, no. My stars shine darkly over
me: the malignancy of my fate might perhaps
distemper yours; therefore I shall crave of you your
leave that I may bear my evils alone: it were a bad
recompense for your love, to lay any of them on you.
ANTONIO: Let me yet know of you whither you are bound.
SEBASTIAN
No, sooth, sir: my determinate voyage is mere
extravagancy. But I perceive in you so excellent a
touch of modesty, that you will not extort from me
what I am willing to keep in; therefore it charges
me in manners the rather to express myself. You
must know of me then, Antonio, my name is Sebastian,
which I called Roderigo. My father was that
Sebastian of Messaline, whom I know you have heard
of. He left behind him myself and a sister, both
born in an hour: if the heavens had been pleased,
would we had so ended! but you, sir, altered that;
for some hour before you took me from the breach of
the sea was my sister drowned.
ANTONIO
Alas the day!
SEBASTIAN
A lady, sir, though it was said she much resembled
me, was yet of many accounted beautiful: but,
though I could not with such estimable wonder
overfar believe that, yet thus far I will boldly
publish her; she bore a mind that envy could not but
call fair. She is drowned already, sir, with salt
water, though I seem to drown her remembrance again with more.
ANTONIO
Pardon me, sir, your bad entertainment.
SEBASTIAN
O good Antonio, forgive me your trouble.
ANTONIO
If you will not murder me for my love, let me be
your servant.
SEBASTIAN
If you will not undo what you have done, that is,
kill him whom you have recovered, desire it not.
Fare ye well at once: my bosom is full of kindness,
and I am yet so near the manners of my mother, that
upon the least occasion more mine eyes will tell
tales of me. I am bound to the Count Orsino's court: farewell.
Exit
ANTONIO
The gentleness of all the gods go with thee!
I have many enemies in Orsino's court,
Else would I very shortly see thee there.
But, come what may, I do adore thee so,
That danger shall seem sport, and I will go.
it struck me that this play holds so much positivity for homosexuality...Olivia is attrackted to Viola in drag and its OK and the Duke is also attracted to her in drag and its OK... its a big love triangle!
my favourite characters are....
THE COMMON FOLK RULE! .... FUN LOVIN SINNERS!
Maria
She is so cleaver and funny, all her lines fly off the page at me! I really like all her interaction with the fellas of the play, she really gives them a run for their money, out witting them and telling them tales. Sir Toby calls her Penthesilea ...
Note: This is Penthesilea - she was an Amazonian Woman
Her mischievous ways are so exciting and she really pushes the narrative, when she plays the trick on Malvolio, forging Olivia's hand writing and penning a letter which informs him:
Remember who commended thy
yellow stockings, and wished to see thee ever
cross-gartered: I say, remember.
it feels like she is the leader of the folly with the men following wide eyed behind her.
i love it when Sir Toby and Sir Andrew are in owe of her after Malvolio reads the letter:
Act 2 Scene 5
SIR TOBY BELCH
I could marry this wench for this device.
SIR ANDREW
So could I too.
SIR TOBY BELCH
And ask no other dowry with her but such another jest.
SIR ANDREW
Nor I neither.
its like they have never met a funny woman before? maybe they haven't?...though i find that hard to believe ,maybe its just that they never gave woman the chance before? This part would have been played by a bloke originally so I'm not sure where that puts us on Bards representation of funny woman, but i like to think he thought actual woman where funny not just funny men,in frocks being funny woman.....(Oh gosh there i go again, shpeeling on and not concluding! )...can anyone help me on this one?
Note to self : invest in woman playing Shakespeare book....Any suggestions?
Feste
i recently read* that one of the reasons for Shakespearean Language is due to the fact that in the times the Bard wrote these master pieces there where no music, fancy lighting and elaborate sets to help build the atmosphere on the stage so it was the words that the actor spoke that had to take on this task...singing!
Ben Kingsly playing Feste singing 'O Mistress Mine'
Any who the point i am trying to make is that Feste and his constant singing really help separate him from everyone else.I haven't spoke to anyone about Twelfth Night that haven't mentioned the clown Feste! He truly is the a cleaver little so and so, he has an answer for everything and a comical quip about any subject thrown at him ( i would love to have seen him on 'Mock the Week'...Frankie Boyle would be shaking in his boots...or rather shoes,not sure he wares boots?). his songs although not directly linked to the action always hover close by accenting the feelings of the play.
My favourite Feste and Maria bit.....this is full of fantastic black humour, i could watch these two for a full length play of their own! The adventures of Feste and Maria?
Act1Scene 5
Enter MARIA and Clown
MARIA
Nay, either tell me where thou hast been, or I will
not open my lips so wide as a bristle may enter in
way of thy excuse: my lady will hang thee for thy absence.
Clown
Let her hang me: he that is well hanged in this
world needs to fear no colours.
MARIA
Make that good.
Clown
He shall see none to fear.
MARIA
A good lenten answer: I can tell thee where that
saying was born, of 'I fear no colours.'
Clown
Where, good Mistress Mary?
MARIA
In the wars; and that may you be bold to say in your foolery.
Clown
Well, God give them wisdom that have it; and those
that are fools, let them use their talents.
MARIA
Yet you will be hanged for being so long absent; or,
to be turned away, is not that as good as a hanging to you?
Clown
Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage; and,
for turning away, let summer bear it out.
MARIA
You are resolute, then?
Clown
Not so, neither; but I am resolved on two points.
MARIA
That if one break, the other will hold; or, if both
break, your gaskins fall.
Clown
Apt, in good faith; very apt. Well, go thy way; if
Sir Toby would leave drinking, thou wert as witty a
piece of Eve's flesh as any in Illyria.
MARIA
Peace, you rogue, no more o' that. Here comes my
lady: make your excuse wisely, you were best.
Exit
Clown
Wit, an't be thy will, put me into good fooling!
Those wits, that think they have thee, do very oft
prove fools; and I, that am sure I lack thee, may
pass for a wise man: for what says Quinapalus?
'Better a witty fool, than a foolish wit.'
i really love the highlighted quote!
* in Mrs Scraggs book - Discovering Shakespeare's Meaning- An introduction to the study of Shakespeares Dramatic structure by Leah Scragg. It might be worth mentioning that i met Leah when i was performing in the Rivals over Christmas, her lovely son Tim was in the show playing the dashing Jake.....oh and the this book is fantastic! Thank you Mrs Scragg!
Favourite Scenes :
Act 2 Scene 5
this is the bit where Maria, Sir Toby and Fabian set Malvolio up and he reads the letter...its comedy gold! I found myself particularly giggly when Malvolio is reading the letter out loud and making little excited comments about how this letter must me to him....
MALVOLIO
M, O, A, I; this simulation is not as the former: and
yet, to crush this a little, it would bow to me, for
every one of these letters are in my name. Soft!
here follows prose.
Reads
'If this fall into thy hand, revolve. In my stars I
am above thee; but be not afraid of greatness: some
are born great, some achieve greatness, and some
have greatness thrust upon 'em. Thy Fates open
their hands; let thy blood and spirit embrace them;
and, to inure thyself to what thou art like to be,
cast thy humble slough and appear fresh. Be
opposite with a kinsman, surly with servants; let
thy tongue tang arguments of state; put thyself into
the trick of singularity: she thus advises thee
that sighs for thee. Remember who commended thy
yellow stockings, and wished to see thee ever
cross-gartered: I say, remember. Go to, thou art
made, if thou desirest to be so; if not, let me see
thee a steward still, the fellow of servants, and
not worthy to touch Fortune's fingers. Farewell.
She that would alter services with thee,
THE FORTUNATE-UNHAPPY.'
Daylight and champaign discovers not more: this is
open. I will be proud, I will read politic authors,
I will baffle Sir Toby, I will wash off gross
acquaintance, I will be point-devise the very man.
I do not now fool myself, to let imagination jade
me; for every reason excites to this, that my lady
loves me. She did commend my yellow stockings of
late, she did praise my leg being cross-gartered;
and in this she manifests herself to my love, and
with a kind of injunction drives me to these habits
of her liking. I thank my stars I am happy. I will
be strange, stout, in yellow stockings, and
cross-gartered, even with the swiftness of putting
on. Jove and my stars be praised! Here is yet a
postscript.
Reads
'Thou canst not choose but know who I am. If thou
entertainest my love, let it appear in thy smiling;
thy smiles become thee well; therefore in my
presence still smile, dear my sweet, I prithee.'
Jove, I thank thee: I will smile; I will do
everything that thou wilt have me.
ExitI do feel a little bit sorry for Malvolio... bless him! people seem to bully him a little too much for my liking, maybe he is a bit annoying but does he really deserve all this kidding? When they lock him in that dark room and tell him he is mad i felt like they went over the top with the joke...this is defiantly the darkest (in themes as well as literally!) part of this otherwise light play.... not sure the play would be as funny if they were nice to him though.....
M, O, A, I; this simulation is not as the former: and
yet, to crush this a little, it would bow to me, for
every one of these letters are in my name. Soft!
here follows prose.
Reads
'If this fall into thy hand, revolve. In my stars I
am above thee; but be not afraid of greatness: some
are born great, some achieve greatness, and some
have greatness thrust upon 'em. Thy Fates open
their hands; let thy blood and spirit embrace them;
and, to inure thyself to what thou art like to be,
cast thy humble slough and appear fresh. Be
opposite with a kinsman, surly with servants; let
thy tongue tang arguments of state; put thyself into
the trick of singularity: she thus advises thee
that sighs for thee. Remember who commended thy
yellow stockings, and wished to see thee ever
cross-gartered: I say, remember. Go to, thou art
made, if thou desirest to be so; if not, let me see
thee a steward still, the fellow of servants, and
not worthy to touch Fortune's fingers. Farewell.
She that would alter services with thee,
THE FORTUNATE-UNHAPPY.'
Daylight and champaign discovers not more: this is
open. I will be proud, I will read politic authors,
I will baffle Sir Toby, I will wash off gross
acquaintance, I will be point-devise the very man.
I do not now fool myself, to let imagination jade
me; for every reason excites to this, that my lady
loves me. She did commend my yellow stockings of
late, she did praise my leg being cross-gartered;
and in this she manifests herself to my love, and
with a kind of injunction drives me to these habits
of her liking. I thank my stars I am happy. I will
be strange, stout, in yellow stockings, and
cross-gartered, even with the swiftness of putting
on. Jove and my stars be praised! Here is yet a
postscript.
Reads
'Thou canst not choose but know who I am. If thou
entertainest my love, let it appear in thy smiling;
thy smiles become thee well; therefore in my
presence still smile, dear my sweet, I prithee.'
Jove, I thank thee: I will smile; I will do
everything that thou wilt have me.
ExitI do feel a little bit sorry for Malvolio... bless him! people seem to bully him a little too much for my liking, maybe he is a bit annoying but does he really deserve all this kidding? When they lock him in that dark room and tell him he is mad i felt like they went over the top with the joke...this is defiantly the darkest (in themes as well as literally!) part of this otherwise light play.... not sure the play would be as funny if they were nice to him though.....
Act 3 Scene 4 : funny misunderstandings and foolery!
The amount of misunderstanding is brilliant...Mavolio turning up in the crazy yellow stocking ensemble stands alone as a fantastic comic image...add Olivia's bewilderment and Maria's naughtiness and its just the sort of scene i could read again and again!
Malvolio surprising poor Olivia and a chuckling Maria.
next stop....I haven't decided yet...any suggestions?
Peace Out
Love
Sam
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