Study Questions
1. How is Olivia feeling at the opening of the scene?

2. What does Olivia commend about Malvolio?

3. What influence sways Malvolio’s mind as he speaks with Olivia?

4. In what words does Malvolio try to dismiss Sir Toby when he enters?

5. What does Sir Toby indicate his attitude toward Malvolio will be when the trick is done?

6. What does Sir Andrew return with?

7. How receptive is Cesario to Olivia’s love?

8. With what news does Sir Toby alarm Cesario?

9. What does the knowledge of Sebastian’s existence make of this scene?

10. How can we characterize Malvolio’s dialogue with Olivia?

Answers
1. Olivia is out of sorts.

2. Olivia commends Malvolio’s nature.

3. The commands of the letter sway Malvolio’s mind as he speaks with Olivia.

4. Malvolio tries to dismiss Sir Toby with “Go off; I discard you.”

5. Sir Toby indicates that he will show mercy on Malvolio when the trick is done.

6. Sir Andrew returns with the letter he wrote.

7. Cesario is not receptive to Olivia’s love.

8. Sir Toby alarms Cesario with the report that Sir Andrew is preparing to attack him.

9. Knowledge of Sebastian’s existence makes this a climactic scene.

10. We can characterize Malvolio’s dialogue with Olivia as comic and perverse.