Jul 25, 2008

Twelfth Night | Fabian (Character Analysis)

Fabian is one of Olivia's servants as well as a character in the play's subplot. (A subplot is a secondary or subordinate plot which often reflects on or complicates the major plot in a work of fiction such as a play.) In II.v, Fabian is invited by Sir Toby Belch to join him in spying on Malvolio when he finds and reads the phony love-note forged by Maria to look as though it were written to the steward by Olivia. Like Maria and Sir Toby, Fabian resents Malvolio for bringing him "out o' favour" with the countess and thus looks forward to Malvolio's humiliation (II.v.7-8). Fabian's main...