Twelfth Night: Act II

In Act II scene i we find out that Viola's brother, Sebastion, actually survived. He, like Viola, is under the impression that his sister has died. He would have died also but Antonio saved him, "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." (II, i, lines 19-23). In this scene I found it ironic that Antonio, who apparently has never met Sebastion before, is willing to go to the place he knows he has enemies just to help this guy he just met out. "I have many enemies in Orsino's court, Else I would very shortly see there. But come what may, I do adore the so That danger shall seem sport, and I will go." (II, i, lines 45-48). It seems like people are either really, really nice in this country or (more likely) they all decide who they love extremely fast.

Scene ii is actually really important. In the beginning Malvolio brings Viola a ring from Olivia but says that Viola gave it to her first. I suppose that this is kind of how Olivia is flirting with Viola. that part isn't so important. From that Viola figures out that Olivia is in love with her. "She loves me sure," (II, ii, line 22). To me this seems like a quick leap for Viola to make but I guess it's logical in the land where everyone is always falling in love. Then she talks about how she must be both a man and a woman. "I (poor monster)" (II, ii, line 34), this line shows that since she's not really man or woman she's a beast or not human. I think that this is important to the story because it's kind of her main dilemma. Aside from her brother's death, all of her problems in this play have come from this weird twist.

In scene iii Toby and Andrew devise a plan. After forcing the clown to entertain them for a while Maria comes in. All of them get annoyed by Malvolio who is yelling at Toby and Andrew for being drunk. "Do ye make and alehouse of my lady's house, that ye squeak out your coziers' catches without any mitigation or remorse of voice? Is there no respect of place, persons, nor time in you?" (II, iii, lines 89-93). By the time he leaves he has insulted all three of them. They decide to leave him a fake letter from Oliva that is actually written by Maria, "I can write very like my lady your niece; on a forgotten matter we can hardly make distinction of our hands." (II, iii, lines 159-161)They plan to convince Malvolio that Olivia loves him. As if this play doesn't have enough people in love already.

Scene iv is pretty funny to me. As the reader, or idealy viewer since this really should be a play, we know that Viola is a woman and is in love with Orsino. Orsino however doesn't know this. Viola and Orsino have this long disscusion about the woman Viola loves. "Of your complexion." (II, iv, line 26), and "About your years, my lord." (II, iv, line 28) obviously tell the reader what they already know. Who could expect Orsino to guess the truth though? Even though Viola is giving herself away a little it would take a whole lot of evidence to get Orsino to switch such a basic knowledge from Cesario to Viola.

Scene v is also very funny. We get to see Maria's letter go into action. Toby and Fabian hide in the bushes while Malvolio reads the fake love letter. He is totally convinced and plans to do everything the letter tells him to. Maria then says that everything the letter has told him to do is designed to make him seem like a horribly weird person to Olivia. "He will come to her in yellow stockings, and 'tis a color she abhors, and cross-gartered, a fashion she detests; and he will smile upon her which will now be so unsuitable to her disposition, being addicted to a melancholy as she is, that it cannot but turn him into a notable contempt." (II, v, lines 199-205). One small thing in this act was the quote, "Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." (II, v, lines 143-145). This is a pretty famous quote and I'm not sure if it originally came from this play or if Shakespeare took it from somewhere. Either way this seems like a quote that's used much more seriously than it is in this instance.