Twelfth Night or What You Will Setting-The action of the play is set in Illyria Written early 1600s The first recorded performance was on 2 February 1602 Play was written near the end of Queen Elizabeth's life. Written while Shakespeare was going through his dark era.

12th Night The end of the 12 days of Christmas (January 6th)

Characters Orsino: Duke of Illyria. He thinks he is in love with his neighbor, Olivia, but has trouble gaining her attention. His so-called love for her is fickle and frivolous, however. Later, he falls in love with Viola, who is disguised as a male.  Viola: Shipwreck survivor who disguises herself as a male to get work as a page to Duke Orsino. She calls herself Cesario.  Olivia: Neighbor of Duke Orsino who ignores his attentions but becomes enamored of the disguised Viola, thinking he is a man.   Sebastian: Twin brother of Viola who also survives the shipwreck, although Viola thinks he has drowned.  

Valentine, Curio: Gentlemen attending Duke Orsino.   Sir Toby Belch: Merrymaking uncle of Olivia. Sir Andrew Aguecheek: Bumbling knight.   Malvolio: Pompous steward of Olivia who thinks she loves him. He wears yellow stockings to impress her.   Feste: Clown and servant of Olivia.  Fabian: Servant of Olivia.  Maria: Olivia's handmaiden.   Antonio: A sea captain and friend of Sebastian.  Another Sea Captain: Friend of Viola.  Minor Characters: Lords, priests, sailors, officers, musicians, attendants. 

The names of several characters appear to be metaphors or symbols. Malvolio means bad desires or bad intentions. (The prefix Mal means bad or evil, as in malicious; volio means I wish or I desire, from the Latin volo.) 

Sir Toby Belch is a mug of beer given to burping Sir Toby Belch is a mug of beer given to burping. (A toby is a jug or mug resembling a fat man; a belch is an expulsion of gas from the mouth.)

Feste is jolly, festive, celebrating the joy of the moment.

Viola, who disguises herself as a man, is the name of a musical instrument with a deeper tone than a violin's–in other words, a more masculine tone.

One may fairly speculate that Sebastian is named after Saint Sebastian, who was ordered killed because he was Christian. However, after archers pin cushioned him with arrows and abandoned him, he remained alive and was nursed back to health. In Twelfth Night, Sebastian is presumed dead after a shipwreck but, like Saint Sebastian, survives.

The name Aguecheek is a combination of ague, meaning fever, and cheek, meaning the fleshy side of the face. Thus, Sir Andrew Aguecheek is wine-drinking, red-cheeked fellow. 

Olivia may represent the olive tree, famous for its exquisite beauty. 

Love as a Cause of Suffering

Motifs Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.