Twelfth Night Quotes

Critical reading about Orsino’s passion

“Orsino’s initial passion, although he claims it is for Olivia, is rather for the spectacle of himself in love”

Critical Reading about Malvolio

“Malvolio is a joyless, self-styled ‘Puritan’… a class-jumping climber”

Excess Love and Desire - Orsino

“If music be the food of love, play on”

symbolism

Excess Love and Desire - Viola

“She sat like patience on a monument, smiling at grief, was not this love indeed?”

Personification

Excess Love and Desire - Olivia

“Love sought is good, but giv’n unsought is better”

Parallelism

Subplot - criticised by Sir Toby

“Art any more than a steward? Dost thou think that because thou art virtuous there shall be no more cakes and ale?”

Rhetorical question

Subplot - Maria introduces Malvolio to Olivia

“He’s coming madam, but in very strange madam. He is sure possessed madam.”

Supernatural imagery

Subplot - moment of anagnorosis

“I’ll be revenged on the whole pack of you.”

Anticlimax ending

Disguise - Viola’s first arrival of Illyria

“Conceal me what I am, and be my aid, for such disguise as haply shall become the form of my intent”

Dramatic irony

Disguise - Viola and Malvolio’s first interaction

“Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness wherein the pregnant enemy does much”

Religious Imagery

Disguise - Feste mistakes Sebastian for Cesario

“Nothing that is so is so”

Paradox/paradoxical phrase