Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a comedy by William Shakespeare. Comedy is the use of humor in the form of theater, where it simply referred to a play with a happy ending, in contrast to a tragedy. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

The play is named after the Twelfth Night holiday. It was written to be performed as part of Twelfth Night celebrations and first performed at Candlemas, February 2, which was then the culmination of the long winter feast, at Middle Temple Hall, London by Shakespeare's company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men. Twelfth Night (January 5th? 6th?) is a holiday marked by some branches of Christianity, marking the 12th and final night of the Christmas season. ... Candlemas is the last festival in the Christian year that is dated by reference to Christmas; subsequent holidays are calculated with reference to Easter, so Candlemas marks the end of the Christmas and Epiphany season. ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The Middle Temple is one of the four Inns of Court around the Royal Courts of Justice in London. ... Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7. ... It has been suggested that Lord Chamberlains Men be merged into this article or section. ...

The story

Like so many of Shakespeare's comedies, this one centres on mistaken identity. The leading character, Viola, is shipwrecked in the shores of Illyria (today Albania) during the opening scenes. She loses contact with her twin brother, Sebastian, whom she believes dead. Masquerading as a young page under the name Cesario, she enters the service of Duke Orsino. Orsino is in love with the bereaved Lady Olivia, and unsuccessfully uses Viola as an intermediary. Shakespearean comedies are one of the three (sometimes four) genres of plays by William Shakespeare. ... In classical history, Illyria or Illyricum or Illyrikon was a region in the western part of todays Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the tribes and clans of Illyrians, an ancient people who probably spoke an Indo-European language (the Illyrian languages). ...

Orsino and Viola by Frederick Richard Pickersgill

Olivia, believing Viola to be male, falls in love with her. Viola, in turn, falls in love with the Duke, who believes that Viola is male. When Sebastian arrives on the scene, confusion ensues. Mistaking Sebastian for Viola, Olivia asks him to marry her. The play ends in a declaration of marriage between the Duke and Viola, Toby and Maria, and Olivia and Sebastian, though the marriage is never actually seen. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Marriage is a relationship between individuals which has formed the foundation of the family for most societies. ...

Much of the play is taken up with the comic subplot, in which several characters conspire to make Olivia's pompous head steward Malvolio believe that the lady Olivia wishes to marry him. It involves Olivia's uncle Sir Toby Belch, her would-be suitor the silly squire Sir Andrew Aguecheek, her handmaiden Maria, another servant Fabian, and her father's favorite fool, Feste. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew disturb the peace of their lady's house by keeping late hours and perpetually singing catches at the very top of their voices. Sir Toby even attempts to provoke Sir Andrew (whose hair "hangs like flax upon a distaff") to make a sexual overture towards the prickly Maria. Sir Toby Belch is a comic character in William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night. He is fat, crude, and spends the entire play drunk. However, Sir Toby is also witty and intelligent, making many jokes and puns. In character, he can be compared to an earlier Shakespearean character, Falstaff. A subplot is a series of connected actions within a work of narrative that function separately from the main plot. ... The terms steward or stewardess can refer to a number of different professional roles. ... A jester or fool is a specific type of clown mostly associated with the Middle Ages. ... A catch refers to music written for three voices, sung as a round. ...

The company convinces Malvolio that Olivia is secretly in love with him, and writes a letter in Olivia's hand, asking Malvolio to wear yellow stockings cross-gartered, be rude to the rest of the servants, and to smile under all circumstances. Olivia, saddened by Viola's attitude to her, asks for her chief steward, and is shocked by a Malvolio who has seemingly lost his mind. She leaves him to the contrivances of the group above.

Although this is one of Shakespeare's most popular and funniest comedies, it has a dark side, as the behaviour of Sir Toby and Feste towards Malvolio becomes increasingly cruel towards the end. Malvolio is locked in a dungeon for alleged madness and forced to swear his submission to the heretical doctrines of Pythagoras, played by a disguised Feste. Malvolio departs in a bad humor, vowing revenge "on the whole pack of you." Orsino dispatches several servants to attempt to placate him. The dungeon of Bothwell Castle seen from the Great Hall A dungeon (derived from the Old French donjon, from the Latin dominus, lord), in its original medieval usage, was the keep, the main tower of a castle which formed the final defensive position the garrison could retreat to when outer... Heresy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the ‘catholic’ or orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. ... This topic is considered to be an essential subject on Wikipedia. ...

Film and television adaptions

There have been a number of notable adaptions of the play, including two recent versions, both of which modernise the setting. The first, a 1996 film adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn, was set in the 19th century and starred Helena Bonham-Carter as Olivia, and featured Mel Smith as Sir Toby, Richard E. Grant as Sir Andrew and Ben Kingsley as Feste. The second, a 2003 telemovie adapted and directed by Tim Supple, was set in the present day. It featured David Troughton as Sir Toby, and was notable for its multi-ethnic cast including Parminder Nagra as Viola. Among other interesting touches, its portrayal of Viola and Sebastian's arrival in Illyria is reminiscent of news footage of asylum seekers. Also, an upcoming film entitled She's the Man modernizes the story, as 10 Things I Hate About You did to The Taming of the Shrew. This is a list of film-related events in 1996. ... Sir Trevor King (born 14 January 1940) is a loser and film director. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Helena Bonham Carter (born May 26, 1966; surname: Bonham Carter) is a British actress renowned for her portrayal of pre- and early 20th century female characters, particularly in Merchant Ivory films. ... Mel Smith Mel Smith is an English actor, film director, writer, producer born in London on December 3, 1952) He attended New College, Oxford. ... Richard E. Grant Richard E. Grant (born Richard Grant Esterhuysen on May 5, 1957) is a British actor, born in Mbabane, Swaziland. ... Sir Ben Kingsley (born Krishna Bhanji on Friday, December 31, 1943) is a British actor of Indian (Gujarati Hindu) and Russian-Jewish descent. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Tim Supple is an English theatre and opera director, with a reputation for breathing new life into familiar stories. ... David Troughton (born June 9, 1950 in Hampstead, North London, England) is a respected Shakespearean actor on the British stage. ... Shes the Man is an upcoming film directed by Andy Fickman. ... 10 Things I Hate About You film poster 10 Things I Hate About You is an American romantic comedy film, released March 31, 1999. ... Taming of the Shrew by Augustus Egg The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare. ...

On May 14, 1937, the BBC Television Service in London broadcast a thirty-minute excerpt of the play, the first known instance of a work of Shakespeare being performed on television. Produced for the new medium by George More O'Ferrall, the production is also notable for having featured two young actresses who would later go on to win Academy Awards – Peggy Ashcroft and Greer Garson. As the performance was transmitted live from the BBC's studios at Alexandra Palace and the technology to record television programmes did not at the time exist, no visual record survives other than still photographs.^[1] May 14 is the 134th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (135th in leap years). ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... BBC One (or BBC1 as it was formerly styled) is the oldest television station in the world. ... Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... Dame Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft, DBE (22 December 1907–14 June 1991) was an English actress. ... Greer Garson Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson (September 29, 1904 – April 6, 1996) was an Academy Award winning actress, most known for being the leading lady in many pictures co-starring Walter Pidgeon. ... Live television refers to television broadcasts of events or performances as they are happening, or on a delay of several seconds, rather than from video recordings or film. ... Alexandra Palace from the east Alexandra Palace was built on a hill in Muswell Hill in North London in 1873 as a public entertainment centre. ...

The play on the stage

When the play was first performed, all female parts were played by men or boys, but it has been the practice for some centuries now to cast women or girls in the female parts in all plays. The company of Shakespeare's Globe, London, has produced many notable, highly popular all-male performances, and a highlight of their 2002 season was Twelfth Night, with the Globe's artistic director Mark Rylance playing the part of Olivia. This season was preceded, in February, by a performance of the play by the same company at Middle Temple Hall, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the play's premiere, at the same venue. This article is about the Globe Theatre of Shakespeare, both the original and its modern reconstruction. ... Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7. ... 2002 (MMII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mark Rylance (* January 18, 1960) is an internationally well-known actor and theatre director. ...

References

1. ^ Vahimagi, Tise. British Television: An Illustrated Guide. Oxford. Oxford University Press / British Film Institute. 1994. ISBN 0-19-818336-4. (Page 8).

Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... Oxford University Press (OUP) is a highly-respected publishing house and a department of the University of Oxford in England. ... The British Film Institute (BFI) is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to encourage the development of the arts of film, television and the moving image throughout the United Kingdom, to promote their use as a record of contemporary life and manners, to promote education about film, television and... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

External links

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Twelfth Night, or What You Will

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	The works of William Shakespeare
Tragedies:	Romeo and Juliet | Macbeth | King Lear | Hamlet | Othello | Titus Andronicus | Julius Caesar | Antony and Cleopatra | Coriolanus | Troilus and Cressida | Timon of Athens
Comedies:	A Midsummer Night's Dream | All's Well That Ends Well | As You Like It | Cardenio (lost) | Cymbeline | Love's Labour's Lost | Love's Labour's Won (lost) | Measure for Measure | The Merchant of Venice | The Merry Wives of Windsor | Much Ado About Nothing | Pericles, Prince of Tyre | Taming of the Shrew | The Comedy of Errors | The Tempest | Twelfth Night | The Two Gentlemen of Verona | The Two Noble Kinsmen | The Winter's Tale
Histories:	King John | Edward III (attributed) | Richard II | Henry IV, part 1 | Henry IV, part 2 | Henry V | Henry VI, part 1 | Henry VI, part 2 | Henry VI, part 3 | Richard III | Henry VIII
Other works:	Sonnets | Venus and Adonis | The Rape of Lucrece | The Passionate Pilgrim | The Phoenix and the Turtle | A Lover's Complaint
See also:	Shakespeare on screen | Titles based on Shakespeare | Shakespearean characters