What does Malvolio represent in Twelfth Night?
Malvolio’s misfortune is a cautionary tale of ambition overcoming good sense, and the audience winces at the way he adapts every event—including Olivia’s confused assumption that he must be mad—to fit his rosy picture of his glorious future as a nobleman.
How are the Puritans represented in Twelfth Night?
Indeed, Puritans were depicted in the play as being selfish, idiot, hypocrite, and killjoy. In the same way, many other writers of different generations, obviously influenced by Shakespeare, have espoused his views and consequently contributed to promote this anti-Puritan literature, which is still felt today.
What is Maria’s take on the idea that Malvolio is a Puritan?
As she explains to Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, Malvolio is a puritan, but at the same time his biggest weakness is his enormous ego: he believes that everybody loves him. Maria will use that weakness to get her revenge on him for spoiling their fun.
What religion is Malvolio?
Puritan
In the play, Malvolio is defined as a kind of Puritan. He despises all manner of fun and games, and wishes his world to be completely free of human sin, yet he behaves very foolishly against his stoic nature when he believes that Olivia loves him.
What is Olivia opinion of Malvolio?
Olivia rebukes Malvolio for his “self-love” and says that Feste’s insults are only “birdbolts” that do no damage (I.v.77–79).
How does Malvolio represent Puritanism?
Another notable characteristic of Malvolio is that he is an avid Puritan. Historically, Puritans opposed plays and theatres, seeing them as magnets for vices and immorality.
How does Malvolio represent Puritan beliefs?
The Puritans disapproved of many things in Elizabethan society, and one of the things they hated most was the theater. Shakespeare’s most famous Puritan character is Malvolio in Twelfth Night. Shakespeare portrays Malvolio as a killjoy and a hypocrite with social ambitions.
Why do the others dislike Malvolio so much?
In Twelfth Night, Malvolio is disliked because of his stiffness, priggishness, and insufferable self-regard. He is easily fooled by Maria’s “love letter” that he believes is from Olivia, giving in to his pride and vanity as he fantasizes about becoming Count Malvolio.
Who does Olivia fall in love with?
Cesario
Olivia is in mourning at the start of the play, but seems to forget her loss rather quickly. She refuses to meet with any suitors, but with a little persistence from Cesario (Viola) she gives in. Olivia then falls in love with Cesario (Viola). At the end of the play Olivia marries Viola’s twin brother, Sebastian.
Why did Shakespeare use Malvolio as a Puritan?
Shakespeare uses Malvolio’s religious position as a “kind of puritan” to present him as an unfortunate natural fool, yet a different interpretation could be that Shakespeare also conceals his own opinion of Puritanism through characters in Twelfth Night.
Why does Maria Animalize Malvolio in the Puritan plays the Fool?
Maria animalizes Malvolio, calling him “the trout that must be caught with tickling”, showing how the other characters perceive him as being witless and easily tamable. It is clear to see that whilst the others mock Malvolio, he is blatantly unaware of this and is therefore made into the laughing stock of the scene.
Where did the character of Malvolio come from?
Some Shakespearean scholars hypothesize that the character Malvolio was inspired by Puritan landowner Sir Thomas Posthumous Hoby, who was involved in a well known court case against many of his Yorkshire neighbours in the 1600s.
How is the Puritan described in the play?
In the play we do not a have a clear physical description, the only detail that is clearly given is that he is a Puritan.