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Resume Of Twelfth Night - Research Paper

Resume Of Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night was the festival held on the night of the 5th January (12th night after Christmas), and the night before the Epiphany, the time the Three Wise Men visited Jesus. This gives rise to its French name, "La Nuit Des Rois".
In medieval and Tudor times, this festival was by tradition very rowdy (it is possible that 12th Night was derived from the Roman festival of "Saturnalia", held in December, which was renowned for its revelry). One of the activities was a masquerade, in which everyone wore masks to conceal their identity, therefore also concealing their rank in society. Another activity was mock "King-for-a-Day", in which a member of each household was chosen by lottery to be ...

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gives rise to the theory put forward by Leslie Hotson, in his book, "The Fist Night of Twelfth Night", that this particular William Shakespeare play was specially written for that occasion.
All the activities of the festival have parallels in the play. There is the suspension of normal relations between servants and masters, the equivalent of the mock "King-for-a-Day" in the festival. The servants and masters fall in love with someone of the opposite class. Olivia (master) loves Cesario (servant), Cesario loves Orsino (master), Malvolio (servant) loves Olivia and also enjoys the fantasy of dominating Sir Toby Belch, his master. Sir Toby is in love with Maria (servant), and she with him.
The masquerade is represented by the impersonations that take place in the play. Viola impersonates Cesario and she also, involuntarily, impersonates her brother, Sebastian, and vice-versa. Feste impersonates the priest, Sir Topas, while Maria impersonates Olivia via her handwriting. Antonio denies ...

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Resume Of Twelfth Night. (2008, November 7). Retrieved January 11, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Resume-Of-Twelfth-Night/92658

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 11/7/2008 12:24:03 AM
Category: English
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 615
Pages: 3

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