Twelfth Night Plot Summary in Quotations!
1.1 ORSINO O when mine eyes did see Olivia! My desires e’er since pursue me.
1.2 VIOLA lands on the shore of Ilyria My brother is drowned though I myself was saved after our ship did split. Conceal me what I am and be my aid. I’ll serve this Duke Orsino … disguises herself as a servant boy
1.3 SIR AGUECHEEK/TOBY BELCH Your niece Olivia will not be seen since the death of her brother.
1.4 VIOLA (disguised as) CESARIO I’ll do my best to woo your lady, Olivia. [ASIDE] Yet I myself want to be Orsino’s wife.
1.5 OLIVIA to Viola I cannot love your lord; let him send no more messengers, unless he send you.
[ALONE] Methinks I feel this youth’s perfections.
2.1 SEBASTIAN with Antonio on shore Alas the day, my sister drowned! I must go to Orsino’s court.
2.2 VIOLA alone Poor Olivia. She had better love a dream. My master loves her dearly. And I poor monster fond as much on him; and she, mistaken, seems to dote on me.
2.3 MALVOLIO to Sir Andrew and Sir Toby Belch
Malvolio: My masters, are you mad? Do you make an alehouse out of my mistress, Olivia’s house?
Maria: the devil a puritan that he is. We shall make an ass of him.
2.4 DUKE ORSINO with Viola
Viola: Say that some lady has for your love as much a pang of heart as you have for Olivia. You cannot love her; must she not then be answered?
Orsino: Make no comparison between that love a woman can bear me and that I owe Olivia.
2.5 MALVOLIO with Maria, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew
(finds and reads letter) Every reason excites to this: my lady Olivia loves me!
Maria: He will come to her in yellow, cross-gartered stockings and will smile upon her, which cannot but turn him into a notable contempt.
3.1 OLIVIA to Viola Never speak of Orsino. I beg, tell me what thou think’st of me.
3.2 SIR TOBY to Sir Andrew Challenge Orsino’s servant to a fight.
3.3 SEBASTIAN to Antonio I’ll be your purse bearer and leave you for an hour
3.4 MARIA to Olivia Malvolio is sure possessed, the man is tainted in’s wits. Let this fellow be looked after. OLIVIA to Viola: Wear this jewel for me. Tis my picture.
SIR TOBY to Viola: Strip your sword, the knight, Sir Andrew is incensed against you, even to a moral combat.
4.1 SEBASTIAN
I prithee vent thy folly somewhere else. Thou know’st not me. Are all the people mad?
Sir Toby: put up your sword!
Olivia (to Sebastian) Go with me to my house.
Sebastian: I am mad. Or else this is a dream. If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep.
Olivia: Wouldst thou’dst be ruled by me. / Sebastian: Madam, I will.
4.2 MARIA and FESTE torment Malvolio
I am not mad! Do not think I am mad; they have laid me here in hideous darkness.
4.3 SEBASTIAN Though ‘tis wonder that enwraps me thus, yet it is not madness. This may be some error, but no madness, yet I am ready to distrust mine eyes, and my reason persuades me that I am mad, or else the lady’s mad.
Olivia: go with me into the church and pledge me the full assurance of your faith.
5.1 ALL the characters appear in this scene apart from Maria.
Viola (to Orsino): Willingly, to do you rest, a thousand deaths I would die.
Olivia (to Viola) Where are you going?
Viola: After him I love, more than I love these eyes, more than my life… than ever I shall love wife.
Olivia: How I am beguiled! She sends for the priest who confirms the marriage.
Orsino (to Viola) Farewell, and take her; but direct thy feet where thou and I henceforth may never meet.
Enter Sir Andrew (to Viola) You broke my head!
Viola: I never hurt you.
Enter SEBASTIAN, to general amazement…
Antonio: An apple cleft in two is not more twin than these two creatures. Which is Sebastian?
Sebastian: Thrice welcome drowned Viola! (to Olivia) Lady you have been mistook.
Orsino: If this be true, I shall have share in this most happy wreck. Give me thy hand. Let me see thee in thy women’s weeds.
Olivia to Malvolio: Alas poor fool how they have baffled thee.
Malvolio: I’ll be revenged on the whole pack of you.