Where does Shakespeares play Twelfth Night get its name?
What's Up with the Title? You might have guessed that Twelfth Night, or What You Will ( Will iam Shakespeare's only play with an alternate title) has something to do with the popular song "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Twelfth Night (January 6) marks the Feast of the Epiphany, a holiday in Western Christian theology that celebrates the day that the magi (a.k.a. three wise men) presented gifts to the newborn Jesus.
Who are the main characters in Twelfth Night?
- Viola (Cesario)
- Orsino
- Olivia
- Sebastian
- Captain
Why did Shakespeare title his play Twelfth Night?
Shakespeare titled his play Twelfth Night because it was written as a celebration of the twelfth night of Christmas. This was the last night of the Christmas season, sometimes called the Eve of ...
Where was the first performance of Twelfth Night?
The play uses mix-ups, pranks, and comic dialogue to achieve its effect. Shakespeare wrote Twelfth Night between 1600 and 1602. Its first documented performance was on February 2, 1602, at the hall of London's Middle Temple, a facility that housed and educated aspiring lawyers.
Where does the Twelfth Night take place?
Many of Shakespeare's comedies are set in Italy, and most of the characters in Twelfth Night have Italian names, suggesting the play is set in the vicinity of Italy. Viola and Sebastian refer to their homeland as Messaline.
What era was the Twelfth Night written in?
Twelfth Night, in full Twelfth Night; or, What You Will, comedy in five acts by William Shakespeare, written about 1600–02 and printed in the First Folio of 1623 from a transcript of an authorial draft or possibly a playbook.
Why is 12th night called 12th night?
The title of Twelfth Night refers to the twelfth night of Christmas, also referred to as the eve of Epiphany, a day that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus and is often celebrated with a temporary suspension of rules and social orders.
Why is Twelfth Night set in Illyria?
It is possible that William Shakespeare chose Illyria as the setting for Twelfth Night for this reason, and because Illyria has a mild climate and was remote and exotic. Shakespeare also mentioned Illyria in Henry VI, Part II, where he claimed it was known for piracy.
How old is Viola in Twelfth Night?
Viola's exact age is never mentioned in the Shakespeare play Twelfth Night; however, she is most often played by a young woman and is portrayed to be...
How old is Olivia in Twelfth Night?
Olivia's exact age is never revealed in the play Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. However, she is a young woman, most likely in her 20s.
What do you eat on Twelfth Night?
If there was ever a valid excuse to eat cake, it's Twelfth Night. Its official cake is known as a King Cake (interestingly, a treat also associated with Mardi Gras), customarily a spiced fruitcake with a hidden pea and bean baked inside.
Why do Christmas decorations come down on 12th night?
Why do people take their Christmas decorations down then? According to tradition, Christmas trees and decorations should be taken down on either Twelfth Night or Epiphany to avoid bad luck after the season of merriment.
Is the 12th day of Christmas January 5 or 6?
Date. In many Western ecclesiastical traditions, Christmas Day is considered the "First Day of Christmas" and the Twelve Days are 25 December – 5 January, inclusive, making Twelfth Night on 5 January, which is Epiphany Eve.
What is the elephant in Twelfth Night?
“In the south suburbs, at the Elephant, is best to lodge.” It's often been said that this line – from one of Shakespeare's best-loved comedies, Twelfth Night – refers to lodgings in Elephant and Castle.
What does Viola disguise herself as?
Instead Viola disguises herself as a boy and goes to work as a servant to Orsino. Calling herself Cesario, Viola makes a good impression on the Duke who sends her to woo Olivia on his behalf.
Where is Viola from in Twelfth Night?
shores of IllyriaViola is a young woman who is shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria. She disguises herself as a young man called Cesario and goes to work for Orsino. Olivia is a wealthy heiress in Illyria. Her father and brother have recently died.
When is the old twelfth night?
Old Twelfth Night. In some places, particularly South West England, Old Twelfth Night is still celebrated on 17 January. This continues the custom of the Apple Wassail on the date that corresponded to 6 January on the Julian calendar at the time of the change in calendars enacted by the Calendar Act of 1750.
What is the 12th night called?
In Spain, Twelfth Night is called Cabalgata de Reyes ("Parade of Kings"), and historically the "kings" would go through towns and hand out sweets.
What is the last night of the Twelve Days of Christmas?
Twelve Days of Christmas. Christmastide. Epiphany. Epiphanytide. Twelfth Night (also known as Epiphany Eve) is a festival in some branches of Christianity that takes place on the last night of the Twelve Days of Christmas, marking the coming of the Epiphany.
What is the holiday of the 12th night?
Twelfth Night (holiday) This article is about the holiday. For Shakespeare's play, see Twelfth Night. For other uses, see Twelfth Night (disambiguation). Twelfth Night (also known as Epiphany Eve) is a festival in some branches of Christianity that takes place on the last night of the Twelve Days of Christmas, marking the coming of the Epiphany. ...
What is the tradition of the Theatre Royal?
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London has had a tradition since 1795 of providing a Twelfth Night cake. The will of Robert Baddeley made a bequest of £100 to provide cake and punch every year for the company in residence at the theatre on 6 January. The tradition still continues.
What is the tradition of Christmas after the 12th?
A superstition in some English-speaking countries suggests it unlucky to leave Christmas decorations hanging after Twelfth Night, a tradition also variously attached to the festivals of Candlemas (2 February), Good Friday, Shrove Tuesday, and Septuagesima.
What is the last night of the 12 days?
On the last of the twelve days, called Twelfth Night, various cultures developed a wide range of additional special festivities. The variation extends even to the issue of how to count the days. If Christmas Day is the first of the twelve days, then Twelfth Night would be on January 5, the eve of Epiphany.
Where is the setting of Twelfth Night?
setting (place) The mythical land of Illyria (Illyria is a real place, corresponding to the coast of present-day Albania—but Twelfth Night is clearly set in a fictional kingdom rather than a real one) protagonist Viola.
Who wrote the play "Twelfth Night"?
At a Glance: full title Twelfth Night, or What You Will. author William Shakespeare. type of work Play. genre Comedy. language English. time and place written Between 1600 and 1602, England. date of first publication 1623, in the First Folio. publisher Isaac Jaggard and Edward Blount.
Where is the setting of the 12th Night?
The Overall Setting of Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night is set in in Illyria, a real place from classical antiquity, that existed as far back as the tenth century B.C.E. During Shakespeare's time, the area, off the Adriatic Sea, was controlled by the Venetian republic. Today, Illyria makes up modern-day Croatia.
Where was Shakespeare's play set?
Shakespeare's audience only knew that the play was set in Illyria because his character, Captain, tells Viola they washed up in the country of Illyria in Act 1, scene 2. Lesson Summary. Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is set in an exotic place in which the audience member or reader can easily imagine it.
Why did Shakespeare choose Illyria?
According to critics and scholars, Shakespeare probably chose the setting Illyria for Twelfth Night because it was a distant place that most Elizabethans had very little knowledge of, including Shakespeare himself.
What did the Elizabethans learn about the world?
Elizabethans were learning more about the world and hearing of far off places. Shakespeare uses his audience's interest in the unknown and the concept of rebirth in Twelfth Night. For example, one of his main characters, Viola, comes to a new land and pretends to be a man, so she is effectively reborn as someone else.
Where does the land of Illyria take place?
The main scenes take place in a few locations within Illyria, including Duke Orsino's palace, Olivia's house, Olivia's gardens, and the sea shore on the Adriatic Sea.
What was the Renaissance period?
The Renaissance period spanned over two centuries from the late fourteenth to the early sixteenth century. The word 'renaissance' means 'rebirth.'. During this time, particularly in England, theater and acting became very popular. William Shakespeare (1564-1616) lived during the last part of the Renaissance period, also known as the Elizabethan Age.
Is Illyria a fictional place?
Today, Illyria makes up modern-day Croatia. However, with the exception of the name, Illyria, Shakespeare's setting is completely fictional. To begin with, two of the main characters of Twelfth Night are shipwrecked in the land of Illyria.
What is the significance of the 12th night?
As in the play, Twelfth Night revels in the overturning of convention and general merriment. In the Church of England, the Twelfth Night (or the eve of the Epiphany) was celebrated on January 5th, when celebrants sang songs, defaced doors with chalk, and ate Three Kings’ or Twelfth Night cake.
What is the tradition of the 12th night?
One of the most popular Twelfth Night traditions was to hide a pea and a bean within the cake. The man who discovered the bean would be proclaimed Lord or King of Misrule, while the lady who found the pea would be Lady or Queen of Misrule.
What is the 12th night of Christmas?
The title of Twelfth Night refers to the twelfth night of Christmas, also referred to as the eve of Epiphany, a day that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus and is often celebrated with a temporary suspension of rules and social orders .
What does Feste's song at the end of the play mean?
Feste’s song at the end of the play suggests the reintroduction of reality – once the festivities are over, the audience will face a long, bleak winter in which social norms are back in place and debauchery is frowned upon. Previous section Context Next section Commedia dell’Arte.
Who leaves Antonio in Twelfth Night?
Sebastian leaves Antonio. Antonio in the 2009 production of Twelfth Night. Photo by Ellie Kurttz. Browse and license our images. Viola’s brother, Sebastian, was rescued from the sea by Antonio, who has grown very fond of him. Sebastian tells Antonio that he believes his twin sister drowned in the shipwreck.
Who does Orsino talk to in Twelfth Night?
Orsino talks to Cesario while Olivia watches in the 2017 production of Twelfth Night. Photo by Manuel Harlan. Browse and license our images. When Olivia arrives, Orsino becomes angry that she is still not interested in him and is more interested in his servant.
Who is Sebastian confronted by in 12th night?
Sebastian and Olivia in the 2012 production of Twelfth Night. Photo by Keith Pattison. Browse and license our images. Sebastian is confronted, first by Feste and then by Sir Andrew, Sir Toby and Fabian, who all mistake him for ‘Cesario’. Sir Andrew strikes him and Sebastian strikes back, thinking everyone is mad.
Who smiles at Olivia in Twelfth Night?
Malvolio smiles at Olivia. Malvolio in the 1998 production of Twelfth Night. Photo by Mark Douet. Browse and license our images. Olivia sends for Malvolio and is very confused to see him dressed in yellow stockings and smiling.
Overview
Date and text
The full title of the play is Twelfth Night, or What You Will. Subtitles for plays were fashionable in the Elizabethan era, and though some editors place The Merchant of Venice's alternative title, The Jew of Venice, as a subtitle, this is the only Shakespeare play to bear one when first published.
The play was probably finished between 1600 and 1601, a period suggested b…
Characters
• Viola – a shipwrecked young woman who disguises herself as a page named Cesario
• Sebastian – Viola's twin brother
• Duke Orsino – Duke of Illyria
• Olivia – a wealthy countess
Synopsis
Viola is shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria and she comes ashore with the help of a Captain. She has lost contact with her twin brother, Sebastian, whom she believes to be drowned, and with the aid of the Captain, she disguises herself as a young man under the name Cesario and enters the service of Duke Orsino. Duke Orsino has convinced himself that he is in love with Olivia, who is mourni…
Setting
Illyria, the exotic setting of Twelfth Night, is important to the play's romantic atmosphere.
Illyria was an ancient region of the Western Balkans whose coast (the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea which is the only part of ancient Illyria which is relevant to the play) covered (from north to south) the coasts of modern-day Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania. It included the city-state of the Republic of Ragusa which has been proposed as the …
Sources
The play is believed to have drawn extensively on the Italian production Gl'ingannati (or The Deceived Ones), collectively written by the Accademia degli Intronati in 1531. It is conjectured that the name of its male lead, Orsino, was suggested by Virginio Orsini, Duke of Bracciano, an Italian nobleman who visited London in the winter of 1600 to 1601.
Another source story, "Of Apollonius and Silla", appeared in Barnabe Riche's collection, Riche his …
Themes
Viola is not alone among Shakespeare's cross-dressing heroines; in Shakespeare's theatre, convention dictated that adolescent boys play the roles of female characters, creating humour in the multiplicity of disguise found in a female character who for a while pretended at masculinity. Her cross dressing enables Viola to fulfil usually male roles, such as acting as a messenger betwe…
Performance history
Twelfth Night, or What You Will (to give the play its full title) was probably commissioned for performance as part of the Twelfth Night celebrations held by Queen Elizabeth I at Whitehall Palace on 6 January 1601 to mark the end of the embassy of the Italian diplomat, the Duke of Orsino. It was again performed at Court on Easter Monday in 1618 and on Candlemas night in 1623.
Overview
Twelfth Night (also known as Epiphany Eve) is a Christian festival on the last night of the Twelve Days of Christmas, marking the coming of the Epiphany. Different traditions mark the date of Twelfth Night as either 5 January or 6 January, depending on whether the counting begins on Christmas Day or 26 December.
Origins and history
In 567, the Council of Tours "proclaimed the twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany as a sacred and festive season, and established the duty of Advent fasting in preparation for the feast." Christopher Hill, as well as William J. Federer, states that this was done to solve the "administrative problem for the Roman Empire as it tried to coordinate the solar Julian calendar with the lunar calendars of its provinces in the east."
Date
In many Western ecclesiastical traditions, Christmas Day is considered the "First Day of Christmas" and the Twelve Days are 25 December – 5 January, inclusive, making Twelfth Night on 5 January, which is Epiphany Eve. In some customs, the Twelve Days of Christmas are counted from sundown on the evening of 25 December until the morning of 6 January, meaning that the Twelfth Night falls on the evening 5 January and the Twelfth Day falls on 6 January. However, in some c…
In literature
It is unknown whether Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night, or What You Will was written to be performed as a Twelfth Night entertainment, since there is no record of the circumstances of its composition. The earliest known performance took place at Middle Temple Hall, one of the Inns of Court, on Candlemas night, 2 February 1602. The play has many elements that are revers…
See also
• Christmas Eve
• Pantomime
• Theophany
Further reading
• "Christmas". Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22 December 2005. Primarily subhead Popular Merrymaking under Liturgy and Custom.
• Christmas Trivia edited by Jennie Miller Helderman, Mary Caulkins. Gramercy, 2002
• Marix-Evans, Martin. The Twelve Days of Christmas. Peter Pauper Press, 2002
External links
• Epiphany on Catholic Encyclopedia
• The Twelve Days of Christmas at The Christian Resource Institute
• William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night