![]() ![]() In Roman times, Illyria was the home of a great number of pirates who would pillage Roman ships but, in Shakespeare's time, Illyria was a group of city-states under the control of Venice. The play's action occurs in the mythical land of Illyria, the name taken from an ancient area on the Adriatic coast, opposite Italy. Viola is sent away at last, and Olivia has Malvolio go after Viola, with a ring and an invitation to come back tomorrow. Viola tries to make Orsino's suit, though Olivia counters this with elusive and witty remarks Olivia begins to show interest in Viola as Cesario in this scene, and still insists that she cannot love Orsino. Viola is brought in to meet Olivia, who finds out Viola is a messenger on Orsino's behalf, and Olivia discourages Viola from wooing her for the Count. Viola/ Cesario arrives at Olivia's house, and is admitted after much waiting, and being examined by both Sir Toby and Malvolio. ![]() Olivia enters, with her attendants, and is somewhat displeased and short with Feste Feste says she is a fool for mourning her brother, if she knows that her brother is in heaven. Scene 5:įeste's first appearance in the play unlike Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, who make wordplay by mincing each other's meanings, Feste is more perceptive and quick-witted, and gets into an entertaining argument with the equally quick-witted Maria. Viola says she will obey, although she confesses in an aside that she already feels love for Orsino, and would rather be his wife than try to woo Olivia for him. Orsino asks Viola to go to Olivia and make Orsino's case to the lady he believes that Viola/ Cesario, being younger and more eloquent than his other messengers, will succeed. Valentine remarks that Orsino and Viola, as Cesario, have become close in the short time that Viola has been employed indeed, Orsino has already told Viola of his great love for Olivia. Viola has now disguised herself as a boy, Cesario, and has been taken into the service of Count Orsino. Maria exits, and Sir Toby and Sir Andrew continue to quibble, with some amusing results at last, they decide to start drinking. Sir Toby attempts to introduce Sir Andrew to Maria wordplay ensues from a series of misunderstandings, puns, and differing usages of words. Sir Toby has great affection for Sir Andrew, but Maria does not she believes that Sir Andrew is a drunkard and a fool, and not to be suffered. Maria also objects to one of Sir Toby's drinking buddies, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a rather foolish man who Sir Toby has brought as a potential suitor to Olivia. Sir Toby, Olivia's drunken uncle, is approached by Olivia's handmaiden, Maria, about his late hours and disorderly habits. The Captain agrees to help her, and he leads her to Orsino. Viola proposes that she serve Orsino, since he is a good and just man she conspires with the Captain that she may be presented to Orsino as a eunuch, and that her true identity as a foreign woman be concealed. As it happens, the Captain is from Illyria, and tells Viola of Count Orsino, and of his love for Lady Olivia the Captain also mentions Olivia's recent loss of both her father and her brother, and Viola, having lost her brother as well, commiserates with Olivia's situation. The Captain recalls seeing her brother in the water after the shipwreck, clinging onto a mast, and riding above the waves. Viola hopes that her brother was saved, as she was the Captain, who also managed to get ashore, tries to console her of the hopes of finding her brother alive. Viola lands in Illyria, after a terrible shipwreck in which she was separated from her twin brother, Sebastian. Orsino laments that Olivia does not hold the same deeply felt love that he professes to have. Orsino's servant Valentine, whom Orsino sent to give his affections to Olivia, returns Valentine was not allowed to speak directly to Olivia, but Olivia sent a message, via her handmaiden, that Olivia will continue to mourn her dead brother, and will neither allow Orsino to see her or to woo her. His servant, Curio, asks Orsino if he will go and hunt Orsino answers with another lovelorn reply, about how his love for the Lady Olivia has been tearing him apart. Count Orsino of Illyria is introduced he laments that he is lovesick, and wishes that "if music be the food of love," he could kill his unrequited love through an overdose of music. ![]()
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