Study Questions

1. What is the major theme of the play?

2. With whom is the Duke in love?

3. In what kinds of poetry does the Duke express his love?

4. Is it entirely true that the Duke is “in love with love”?

5. What type of metaphor does the Duke use when he addresses the “spirit of love”?

6. What is the subtitle of the play?

7. Toward what does the title Twelfth Night orient the reader?

8. What recreation does Curio ask the Duke about?

9. What is “Twelfth Night”?

10. What kind of part does love play in the festival atmosphere of the play?

Answers

1. Love is the major theme of the play.

2. The Duke is in love with Olivia.

3. The Duke’s poetry contains metaphors, puns, synesthesia, and similes.

4. No, it is not completely true because the Duke is clearly in love with Olivia, a specific person.

5. He uses a metaphor drawn from falconry when he addresses the “spirit of love.”

6. The subtitle of the play is “What You Will.”

7. The title orients the reader toward the playful and festive atmosphere of the action.

8. Curio asks the Duke if he is going hunting.

9. “Twelfth Night” is a holiday and occasion for merriment.

10. Love plays an important part as the characters meet and pair off.