Twelfth Night (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: William Shakespeare
- First Published: 1623
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Comedy
- Time of Work: Sixteenth century
- Setting: Illyria, a region on the east shore of the Adriatic Sea
- Genres: Drama, Comedy
- Subjects: Love or romance, Marriage, Mistaken or secret identity, Servants, Shipwrecks, Sixteenth century
- Locales: Adriatic Sea, Illyria (fictive)
Characters Discussed
Viola (VEE-oh-luh), who, with her twin brother Sebastian, is shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria. The twins are separated, and a friendly sea captain helps Viola to assume male clothes and to find service as the page Cesario, with Orsino, the duke of Illyria. Her new master is pleased with her and sends the disguised girl to press his suit for the hand of Countess Olivia, with whom the duke is in love. Olivia, who has been in mourning for her brother, finally admits the page and instantly falls in love with the supposed young man. Cesario, meanwhile, has...
[The entire page is 960 words long]
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See Also:
William Shakespeare (Censorship--Ready Reference series)William Shakespeare (Cyclopedia of World Authors)William Shakespeare: The Poet (Poetry)William Shakespeare: The Dramatist (Magill’s Choice: Shakespeare)William Shakespeare: The Man (Magill’s Choice: Shakespeare)
See Also:
- - Read the Twelfth Night text online.
- - For teachers, the Twelfth Night Lesson Plan.
- - Twelfth Night summary and study guide in the eNotes.
- Add Twelfth Night to your favorites