The comic irreverence of Shakespearean comedy is transformed into virtues when chaos, insolence and asininity reign. If a comic character or hero pranks straight men and stooges, it is likely that the viewer will appreciate them. The audience reacts to this not because of the straight man suffering or the comic effect. Shakespeare’s classic charm, guile and wit are more or less infused into his plays. King Lear is shown as the Fool by his mischievous antics. He is punished for his insolence. But, he is ultimately vindicated because his foreboding proved correct.
Twelfth Night’s ensemble features two comically witty characters: Sir Toby, a playful alcoholic and Feste, who are both protected fools. The two men have a great deal of freedom. It seems that they are able to mimic the Twelfth Night atmosphere: drunkenness and merrymaking as well as a reverse of rank and authority. Sir Toby is an ostensibly nobleman who acts as a churl through the play. Similar to Sir Toby, Feste is an ostensibly nobleman who acts like a churl throughout the play. His name is a Latin derivative of malus, which means “bad/mean” and velle which means “to desire/will”. (Compare with other descriptive names like “Feste”, “Belch”, and “Aguecheek”. Malvolio is determined to rise to the rank of a County, marrying Olivia, a woman he longs for, just like other male characters. Malvolio is the victim of Sir Toby’s prank and the fool. He believes that he finally has the chance to win Olivia’s affection, but he is cruelly humiliated in front of the audience.
Act I, scene vi: Malvolio comes in to meet Feste. He uses his wits to convince Olivia that he is still a good man and not to fire her. He doesn’t flatter Olivia like many of her suitors do. Instead, he tries prove her a fool and win her back her trust as an honest and reliable “allowed fool.”
Malvolio is a responsible steward who opposes Feste. However, he also demonstrates a sarcastic sense of humor and cleverness. Malvolio uses his servility for the first few scenes. Yet, the fact that he is not able to share in Feste’s amusement establishes distance between his and the viewer’s attitudes.
Act II, scene Iii: Sir Toby, his profligate moron buddy Sir Andrew, are drinking late at Olivia’s house, bantering with each other, and singing loudly to Feste. Maria, a servant comes to their aid and requests that they keep quiet for their safety. Malvolio comes in and verbally abuses them. Andrew and Toby are threatened with being evicted. Feste, Sir Toby and their satirical song mock Malvolio are able to come up with a satirical ditty. Malvolio is coldly interrupted by Malvolio. Malvolio walks out, threatening Olivia with a tirade. The group uses this to plan against him and ruin their fun.
These two conflicts are the core of this dialog. The tension between loud guests and the homeowner of the home is the most obvious. Malvolio is faithful and respectful to Olivia in this regard. Sir Toby insinuates a second religious conflict, saying, “Art no more than a servant?” Dost Thou think that just because thou art upright there will be no more cakes and ale?” (102-104) Malvolio is accused of moralizing by Toby, who accuses him in this instance of wanting to ruin their fun with the imposition Puritan beliefs. Maria and Malvolio leave, but Maria still talks to him about his personality. Maria’s prior knowledge suggests Malvolio was haughty and pretentious. The group agrees with Malvolio to play on his vanity, opportunism.
There is an interesting comic theme that emerges between these scenes. Malvolio spoils Feste’s entertainment and then the group, which in turn spoils the enjoyment of the audience, is a comic motif. Malvolio seems to be motivated by Olivia’s protection, but Sir Toby makes the argument that Malvolio has no business spoiling the fun of Feste and later the group of men. It is clear that Malvolio wants the entertainers and witty palavers of the men to end. In short, this wouldn’t be a very funny production. Malvolio’s joke is more about the audience’s desire to see him pranked than their animosity towards him.
It is important to remember that Malvolio has been the most boring character of the play up until now. The romance plot’s main thrust is driven by silly melodramas and comical misunderstandings. This gives the characters a human touch while making them amusing. Malvolio speaks clearer than others and is a minor role model in the play. This means that there is little emotional investment.
Malvolio is given a larger role and his personality is revealed when he falls prey to the pranksters. Scene v of Act II is where Malvolio performs a lengthy soliloquy with the audience, even though he is hiding from the other characters. He is not in a relationship with his true love. However, he prefers daydreaming to taking action or listening to a lot of music. He thinks about the possibility of Olivia marrying him (20). He fantasizes about being her Count. He doesn’t intend to exploit Olivia’s inheritance. Instead, he wants to be austerely. He visualizes his revenge against Sir Toby and draws the sequence until anticlimactically revealing he wants Toby to “amend” his drunkenness.
This sequence is unusually humanizing. Malvolio has a simple fantasy, even if it seems unlikely, that contrasts with his cruel trick. Malvolio is a sad sack. The hiding men are sarcastic, but the audience must feel sorry for the steward. This situation is almost comical. An antagonist is portrayed as pathetic and a mean tactic is used against him. It’s easy to wish for the men to reconsider the situation and call the prankoff, just because of Malvolio’s pitiable nature.
Malvolio is a smuggler and his fake love letter almost makes him look ridiculous. Malvolio’s ability to make a show of himself and his willingness to be friendly with Olivia, despite his increasing haughtiness towards the servants, is a sign that he has completely transformed his personality. Malvolio’s monologue, Act III, Scene IV, heightens this pathetic aspect. He actually enjoys the bemused reaction that Olivia gives him — even clinging to it. Malvolio’s scenes with Olivia are, more importantly, funny, even though they contain dramatic irony. This is his dialogue with Olivia.
Malvolio’s behavior changes dramatically after that. He is unable to cope with Feste’s humiliating verbal torture and confinement. That scene’s transformation is amazing: Malvolio must be proving that he’s still the Puritan servant whom he used to be.
Malvolio is in essence an objectified, comical grotesque. A prig who gets its comeuppance. Malvolio is unfairly imprisoned in an extremely dark place — something dungeon like and possibly reminiscent of Richard III’s princes locked up in the Tower in Richard III. However, it is difficult to justify his actions. Malvolio, who is self-important and a bit comically deluded in his loveickness, is held in a dark room. However, it doesn’t seem appropriate for such humiliation and torture. Compare this to popular comedies of the past two centuries which show upper class elitists enjoying their comeuppance at hands of the lower classes. Malvolio also takes care of Olivia, which, although dull, can be understood as an expression of his strong sense and sense of duty.
Malvolio, despite his honest ambition, is punished entirely comically in a play. It takes its name, “The Holiday that suggests extreme social mobility”, from which Malvolio can be seen guilefully pursuing success. Malvolio is clearly the loser. Feste, Sir Toby and their cruelty can be seen as acceptable comic misbehavior. This comic plot has one lesson: Sir Toby and Feste need to be appreciated for what they do — even if only for the laughters that they bring. Some of Malvolio’s traits are acknowledged in Shakespeare’s pastorals, but here they are mocked and mistreated just to laugh. In a world of joy and laughter, ambition, hotheadedness and drunkenness are all tolerated in the play and holiday Twelfth Night. However, being boring can be enough to make one feel like a fool for the night.
