The Hilarious Prank on Malvolio in Twelfth Night

TLDRIn Twelfth Night, Sir Toby, Maria, and Sir Andrew play a prank on Malvolio by tricking him into dressing inappropriately and embarrassing himself in front of Olivia.

Key insights

😂Pranks and comedic elements play a significant role in Act 2 Scene 5 of Twelfth Night.

🎭Characters eavesdropping on each other is a common device used by Shakespeare.

📜Malvolio interprets a letter meant for someone else as if it were about himself, leading to hilarious consequences.

🧑‍🎨Maria orchestrates the prank on Malvolio, showcasing her creativity and wit.

🌈Malvolio is tricked into dressing inappropriately, highlighting his gullibility and foolishness.

Q&A

Why do Sir Toby and Maria play a prank on Malvolio?

Sir Toby and Maria play a prank on Malvolio as revenge for his self-righteous behavior and constant attempts to spoil their fun.

What does the letter that Malvolio reads say?

The letter, written by Maria, is meant to make Malvolio believe that Olivia is in love with him and wants him to dress inappropriately to win her affection.

Why does Malvolio imagine himself as a count married to Olivia?

Malvolio fantasizes about marrying Olivia and gaining power and control over others, reflecting his inflated ego and desire for status.

Why does Maria want to embarrass Malvolio?

Maria wants to teach Malvolio a lesson and humiliate him for his arrogance and constant meddling in others' affairs.

How does the prank on Malvolio contribute to the comedic elements of the play?

The prank on Malvolio adds humor and absurdity to the storyline, creating comedic chaos and highlighting the folly of human nature.

Timestamped Summary

00:09In act 2 scene 5 of Twelfth Night, Sir Toby, Maria, and Sir Andrew plan a prank on Malvolio.

00:30Malvolio enters the garden, daydreaming about marrying Olivia and describing his imagined life with her.

00:57Malvolio finds and reads a letter that he believes is from Olivia, but it is actually part of the prank orchestrated by Maria.

01:18Maria anticipates Malvolio's approach to Olivia, knowing that he will be dressed inappropriately and embarrass himself.

02:05Malvolio expresses his desire to make the letter resemble something about himself, falling right into the trap set by Maria.