Twelfth Night Essay: Feste is No Fool

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Feste is No Fool in Twelfth Night

In most Shakespearean romantic comedies, there is a character that plays the part of a truth-teller. And in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night it is no different. Feste, a clown, through his mixed up words and songs enlightens the other characters whilst playing the role of the truth-teller. Through aiding the Duke with his patience, helping Viola with her love problems, and having a major role in Malvolio's downfall, Feste holds one of the primary parts of the play.

Although Feste is a clown, he seems to be the most perceptive and knowledgeable of all the characters. He has an ability to be able to understand people and their problems. Throughout the play, the clown acts as the main link between the characters, clearing up any problems that arise. Willbern states that "a bit of Feste's seeming nonsense clarifies the situation" (87). Proud of his expert skill, Feste attests that "...

... middle of paper ...

...h of the characters throughout the play. Although, he is a "fool", he proves to be the farthest of all the characters, from being a fool.

Works Cited and Consulted

Bradley, A. C.. Shakespearean Tragedy. New York: Penguin, 1991.

Mack, Maynard. Everybody’s Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993.

Shakespeare. Othello. The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Ed. Rossi. New York: Longman, 1999.

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