twelfth night character list

viola A young woman of aristocratic birth, and the play’s protagonist. Washed up on the shore of Illyria when her ship is wrecked in a storm, _____ decides to make her own way in the world. She disguises herself as a young man, calling herself “Cesario,” and becomes a page to Duke Orsino. She ends up falling in love with Orsino—even as Olivia, the woman Orsino is courting, falls in love with Cesario.
orsino A powerful nobleman in the country of Illyria. _____ is lovesick for the beautiful Lady Olivia, but becomes more and more fond of his handsome new page boy, Cesario, who is actually a woman—Viola.
olivia A wealthy, beautiful, and noble Illyrian lady, _____ is courted by Orsino and Sir Andrew Aguecheek, but to each of them she insists that she is in mourning for her brother, who has recently died, and will not marry for seven years. She and Orsino are similar characters in that each seems to enjoy wallowing in his or her own misery. Viola’s arrival in the masculine guise of Cesario enables _______ to break free of her self-indulgent melancholy.
sebastion Viola’s lost twin brother. When he arrives in Illyria, traveling with Antonio, his close friend and protector, _______ discovers that many people think that they know him. Furthermore, the beautiful Lady Olivia, whom he has never met, wants to marry him.
malvolio The straitlaced steward—or head servant—in the household of Lady Olivia. _____ is very efficient but also very self-righteous, and he has a poor opinion of drinking, singing, and fun. His priggishness and haughty attitude earn him the enmity of Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria, who play a cruel trick on him, making him believe that Olivia is in love with him.
feste The clown, or fool, of Olivia’s household, _____ moves between Olivia’s and Orsino’s homes. He earns his living by making pointed jokes, singing old songs, being generally witty, and offering good advice cloaked under a layer of foolishness. In spite of being a professional fool, _____ often seems the wisest character in the play.
sir toby belch Olivia’s uncle. Olivia lets ____ live with her, but she does not approve of his rowdy behavior, practical jokes, heavy drinking, late-night carousing, or friends (specifically the idiotic Sir Andrew)
maria Olivia’s clever, daring young waiting-gentlewoman. _____ is remarkably similar to her antagonist, Malvolio, who harbors aspirations of rising in the world through marriage. But _____ succeeds where Malvolio fails—perhaps because she is a woman, but, more likely, because she is more in tune than Malvolio with the anarchic, topsy-turvy spirit that animates the play.
sir andrew aguecheek A friend of Sir Toby’s. _____ attempts to court Olivia, but he doesn’t stand a chance. He thinks that he is witty, brave, young, and good at languages and dancing, but he is actually an idiot.
antonio A man who rescues Sebastian after his shipwreck. _____ has become very fond of Sebastian, caring for him, accompanying him to Illyria, and furnishing him with money—all because of a love so strong that it seems to be romantic in nature.
July 6, 2019