Act 1 Questions – English 9 – Twelfth Night

What is Duke Orsino Like? Why does he feel this way? Orsino is powerful, but emotional. He is in love with Olivia.
Why is Olivia in mourning and how long will it last (1.1.25-31)? Olivia is in mourning because her father and brother died, she says she will mourn for 7 years.
What has just happened to Viola? Who does she think of first (1.2.3-4)? Olivia was just in a shipwreck where she lost her brother, she thinks of him first as she holds a picture of the two of them together.
Why does Viola want to serve Olivia (1.2.32-40)? What does she finally decide to do? Viola wants to serve Olivia because she believes she can keep her identity private if she serves her. She decided to cut her hair and change her appearance to that of her brother’s in order to look like a boy and be able to serve.
Who is Sir Toby and what is his relation to Olivia? What is his attitude toward life? Sir Toby is Olivia’s uncle. He is a drunkard and wild.
Who is Sir Andrew Aguecheek and why is he there? When he appears at line 41, does he fit the description given of him earlier? What does he plan to do (1.3.84-85)? Why doesn’t Sir Toby want him to leave? (Hint: see 1.3.20.) Sir Andrew is Toby’s friend who is a knight. Sir Andrew believes he has a chance with Olivia, but Toby really just desires his company. At first it is made to believe he is intelligent, but it is revealed that he can’t speak well and does not catch humor.
Who is Cesario and what is his relation to Duke Orsino? What is Cesario being sent to do? Cesario is Viola dressed as a man. His relation is servant or musician to Orsino. Cesario is sent to Olivia to get persuade her to be with Duke Orsino.
What does Orsino think he sees when he looks at Cesario (1.4.30-34)? What does he really see without knowing that he does?When Orsino looks at Cesario and notes that he looks and acts feminine. He is the first to see that she has female characteristics and is really a woman.
Why is Feste (the Clown) in trouble and how does he get out of it? Festee is in trouble because he has not been keeping up his work duties, but he gets out of it by flattering Olivia.
From what we see of her up to 1.5.93, how seriously is Olivia mourning? Olivia is not really mourning at all.
What does Malvolio think of Feste (1.5.78-84)? What does Olivia think of Malvolio and Feste (1.5.85-91). What is an “allowed fool” (line 89)? Malvolio thinks Feste is stupid. Olivia does not think that Malvolio should be rude about Feste’s lack of intelligence. An allowed fool is someone who is a fool, but is allowed under the power of a superior.
How does Maria describe the young man at the gate (1.5.94-98)? How does Sir Toby describe him (lines 111-123)? How does Malvolio describe him (lines 133-155, especially 150-155)? Have any of them seen who is really there? Have any of them come close? (Remember Orsino at 1.4.30-34.) Who is “the young man at the gate”? Maria describes the young man at the gate as a “tis a fair young gentleman, well attended” while Toby just refers to him as a gentleman and Mavolio says he is not a man nor a boy. Mavolio was close in his description as Cesario is the one at the gate and he is really a female.
July 27, 2019