Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare: Character List

 Twelfth Night – Character List

William Shakespeare

👉 Twelfth Night – About the story of the play

William Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night is a very popular amusing and romantic story. There is a variety of humorous situations in this story. But its appeal lies in the wonderful combination of light, shadow and harmony.

This is an authentic romantic story. The heroine of this story is Viola. She fell in the face of the shipwreck. She is separated from her brother Sebastian. They were twin siblings. They look exactly the same. After the sinking, Viola arrives in an unknown country called Ilaria.

She disguises herself as her brother. Viola began working under the disguise of a male servant named Cesario to Orsino, the Duke of that country. The Duke trusts his fellow servant. Meanwhile, Duke Orsino is in love with a countess named Olivia. But Olivia doesn't care about Duke. She is saddened by the death of her beloved brother. The Duke sends his servant Cesario to Olivia.

Cesario (who is actually Viola) becomes mentally weak towards Duke. But he (Cesario) does his duty well. But he (Cesario) can't disturb Olivia. Rather Olivia is upset to see him. This time the complexity is deep. Viola is in crisis. Olivia became desperate for love. Just then Sebastian entered the stage. Viola looks at him and thinks Cesario. They are married.

Meanwhile the Duke comes to see Olivia. He gets angry at Caesario. But in the end everything can be understood. Orsino feels Viola's intense silent love for him. Viola is rewarded. His love is successful. The marriage of Duke and Viola is consummated. In fact, life is like that. No one can say what happens in life. After the rain comes the bright sunlight. This is the story of reunion.

👉 Twelfth Night – Character of Viola

Viola was an aristocratic young woman and the protagonist of the play. Floating on the shores of Illyria when her ship is destroyed in a storm, Viola decides to make her own way according to her wish in this world. She disguised herself as a young man, called herself "Cesario" and became a pageant of Duke Orsino. She falls in love with Orsino even Olivia, the woman whom Orsino is going to marry, falls in love with Cesario. Thus, Viola sees that her cute disguise is holding her back: she can't tell Orsino that she loves him, and she can't tell Olivia why she, (a man disguised as Cesario) can't love her. Her emotional dilemma was the central theme in the play.

👉 Twelfth Night – Character of Orsino

Orsino was a powerful nobleman of the country, Illyria. Orsino falls ill in love with the beautiful Lady Olivia, but his handsome new Page Boy, Cesario, who is actually a woman — likes Viola even more. Orsino is the vehicle through which the play explores the absurdity of love: one of the most arrogant, Orsino complains about how uncomfortable he is with Olivia, when it is clear that he falls in love with the idea of ​​falling in love and enjoys making one. Her attraction to the male Caesario in her own glasses apparently imposes sexual ambiguity on her character.

👉 Twelfth Night – Character of Olivia

Olivia was a wealthy, beautiful, and noble Illyrian lady. Olivia was adopted by Orsino and Sir Andrew Aguech, but to each of them she insisted that she was in mourning for her brother, who had recently died and would not be married for seven years.  He and Orsino are similar characters that everyone seems to be enjoying drowning in their own grief. Viola's arrival in Cesario's masculine disguise enables Olivia to free herself from her selfless grief. Olivia seems to have no difficulty in shifting her affections from one love interest to another, however, her romantic feelings, like most of the emotions in the play, suggest not going deep.

👉 Twelfth Night – Character of Sebastian

Sebastian was Viola's lost twin brother. When he arrives in Illyria, traveling with his close friend and Protector Antonio, Sebastian discovers that most of the people think they know him. Moreover, the beautiful Lady Olivia, whom he had never met, wanted to marry him. Sebastian is not as round as a character like his sister. He seems to exist to play the role Viola plays in Cesario's disguise — for example, Olivia's partner.

👉 Twelfth Night – Character of Malvolio

Malvolio was the stress-stricken steward of the Lady Olivia’s family. Malvolio is very skilled but very self-righteous and has a bad opinion about drinking, singing and having fun. His arrogance and arrogant attitude make him hostile to Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Maria, who play a cruel trick on him, convincing him that Olivia has fallen in love with him. In imagining marrying his concubine, he expresses a strong desire to rise above his social class.

👉 Twelfth Night – Character of Feste

Feste was the clown or fool of Olivia's family. Feste moved between Olivia and Orsino's house. He makes his living by making subtle jokes, singing old songs, being generally witty, and giving good advice behind the scenes. Despite being a professional fool, Fest is often regarded as the wisest character in drama.

👉 Twelfth Night – Character of Sir Toby  

Sir Toby was Olivia's uncle. Olivia lets Sir Toby Belch stay with her, but she doesn't approve of his rude behavior, practical jokes, heavy drinking, deep night carousing, or friends (especially stupid Sir Andrew). Sir Toby additionally acquires the anger of Malvolio. But Sir Toby has an ally, and finally a companion, Olivia's sharp-witted waiting gentlewoman Maria. Together they bring about the triumph of chaotic consciousness, which Sir Toby embodies and destroys the controlling, self-righteous Malvolio.

👉 Twelfth Night – Character of Maria

Maria was Olivia's clever, courageous young waiting gentlewoman. Maria bears a striking resemblance to her opponent, Malvolio, who aspires to rise in the world through marriage. But Maria succeeds where Malvolio fails — perhaps because she is a woman, but perhaps because she is more in tune with Malvolio than with the anarchic, Topsy-Turvy consciousness that animates the play.

👉 Twelfth Night – Character of Sir Andrew Aguecheek

Sir Andrew Aguecheek was a friend of Sir Toby. Sir Andrew Aguchek tried to get Olivia to court, but he did not get the chance. He thinks he is intelligent, brave, young and good at language and dance, but he is actually a fool.

👉 Twelfth Night – Character of Antonio

Antonio is the man who rescued Sebastian after his shipwreck. Antonio adored Sebastian without a doubt, dealt with him, went with him to Illyria, and helped him with cash - all on account of an adoration so solid that it appeared to be heartfelt in nature. Of course, Antonio's attraction to Sebastian never paid off. Despite the vague and changing gender roles in the play, Twelfth Night remains a romantic comedy where the characters are scheduled for marriage. However, homo-erotic attraction cannot be fulfilled in such a world.

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