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THE STORY OF THE PLAY

Act I. scene i. puts us in possession of what facts concerning the Duke and Olivia? What do we learn from the conversation of Viola and the Captain in scene ii., and what course does Viola decide upon? What do we discover from scene iii. in regard to the state of things in Olivia's household? In scene iv., what relation has been established between the Duke and Viola? What three new characters are introduced in scene v., and what is the event of the scene? Act II. scene i.: What is learned of Sebastian and his intentions? In scene ii., what are shown to be the feelings of Olivia? In what previous scene was this prepared for? Does scene iii. advance the story at all? What is it taken up with? Does scene iv. advance the story? Of what scene is it almost a repetition? If it does not advance the action, what does it do? Of what previous scene is scene v. the result? What previous scene leads up to scene i. of Act III? and of what scene is it in purpose a repetition? What new turn is given to affairs in scene ii., and through whom is it brought about? Whose doings do we get a glimpse of in scene iii? Of whose plot do we see further developments in scene iv? What other issues in the progress of events come to a climax in this Act? Act IV. scene i.: Describe the complication of affairs which arises in this scene. What previous scenes do we see the result of in scene ii? and what happens that will bring about a change in the situation? What important event occurs in this scene iii? Act V. scene i.: Describe how in this scene all the complications are unravelled, and by what means all the characters are brought upon the stage. What do you think of the device to call Malvolio upon the stage? Does it not seem rather clumsy, or do you think it a further humorous touch that Viola should have to depend on Malvolio to find her 'woman's weeds again'?

What becomes evident after tracing the events of the play through in this way? That the interest of the play does not depend so much upon the story itself, as, first, upon the amusing situations resultant from the story, and, second, upon the scenes which introduce the characters in Olivia's household who are really not at all concerned in the development of the plot, but who are the occasion of many added amusing situations.

What constitutes the real interest of the two short scenes between Sebastian and Antonio? Their bearing, mainly, on scene iv. of Act III. By means of them we are shown that Antonio has an enemy in Orsino, and thus his arrest is prepared for, also how Antonio gives his purse to Sebastian, the real purpose of the arrest being to bring about a reason for Antonio's requiring his purse again from Cesario, whom he takes for Sebastian, and so to add complication to the situation arising from the resemblance between the brother and sister.

What are the situations which the story gives Shakespeare a chance to develop? On the one hand, is the Duke pouring out his love for another woman to his supposed page, who is in love with him, and thus giving rise to the series of scenes between the Duke and Viola. On the other hand, is the supposed page pressing his master's suit to a woman who loves the supposed page, and thus giving rise to the series of scenes between Viola and Olivia. Out of this love of Olivia for Viola grows the absurd situation of Viola's being obliged to fight a duel, which is made still more ridiculous through the circumstance of her challenger being a fool. Out of Viola's resemblance to her brother and her disguise grows the absurd situation of Olivia's claiming her as a husband, and that of Sir Andrew taking for his unwilling duellist the all-too-willing Sebastian.

To these situations which naturally result from the story, Shakespeare has added in Olivia's household a set of characters whose personality is such that amusing situations are multiplied. Thus we may say that the play is one of situation rather than of action, since whatever of action there is in it leads to situation, and whatever of character there is in it leads also to situation.

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