Erin Carr Explore and debate the function of Feste, the fool. To what extent does he offer honest insight to at least one other character and to the audience? There are typically two types of fool; licensed and natural. Licensed fools are paid to joke about their world in a satirical manner and natural fools are often lower class with no common sense. However, they surprisingly have the ability to reveal great truths. What is interesting is that Feste is actually an overlap of the two types of fool
Shakespeare, Feste's role in the play extends beyond providing comic relief. Feste is Lady Olivia's court jester, and is characterized as being wise, witty, foolish, and humorous. However, in the play Feste also plays the function as the play’s wise observer. As the result of Feste not being involved in any of the play's conflicts, compared to other characters. He also gives useful advice to aid characters in the novel. Feste observes the foolishness of the other characters and says that Olivia is foolish
presents Feste as sympathetic and gentle choric figure. It is Feste who allows the audience to see the films respect for the original play, and the existing issues within it. This includes the defencelessness of women, and the attractive, but dangerous, qualities of altering one’s true sexual identity. Interestingly, unlike the original script, Nunn opens his first scene with Feste observing Viola struggle to shore after the shipwreck she has experienced. In this context, Kingsley’s Feste is revealed
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
Feste and Malvolio in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night In Shakespeare's play, Twelfth Night, there are many very different characters. Feste and Malvolio are two good examples of characters, very different from each other. One is someone who acts like a puritan and scolds others when they do not act in the same way, whereas the other is someone who gets scolded for being clever with his words and for enjoying singing. This does not mean I would like the play more if one of the two characters
Feste is a jester, clown or fool who moves between the homes of Olivia and Orsino. During the Renaissance, monarchs and some noble families had fools or clowns in their households as entertainers- to sing, make witty observations and play practical jokes. Shakespeare usually includes at least one clown in most of his comedies. This is how Feste earns his living, along with giving other characters shrewd advice. Despite being a professional fool, Feste often seems the most intelligent person in Twelfth
spirit of the festival turns the normal hierarchies of the social sphere upside down and unacceptable behaviour becomes acceptable (as established by Barber in 'Shakespeare's Festive Comedy'). The character Feste attacks authoritative figures during the days of the Christmas period. As Feste can be seen as a mock mayor he often makes absurd declarations aimed at Olivia and Orsino as he points out that Olivia's excessive mourning is over-indulgent and ‘fool[ish]’ and notes Duke Orsino's extreme moodiness
The character of Malvolio is treated too cruelly for Twelfth Night to be classed as a comedy. Malvolio is constantly humiliated and has some of the major elements of a tragic character. The revenge served to him is extremist and is not an equal reaction to his behavior. Malvolio's puritan nature and extreme unwillingness to be social with his peers upsets certain characters more than others. Sir Toby and Maria show carelessness for his person as he has a strict adherence to rules, contrasting with
by Feste (as Sir Topaz), Malvolio is adamant that the room he is in is dark, yet Feste unyieldingly pursues the point that the room is not dark, notifying Malvolio that the room "hath bay windows transparent as barricadoes" and "clearstores" are as "lustrous as ebony". To reinforce his façade, Feste uses a strong simile between Malvolio 's "Ignorance" and the "Egyptians in their fog", which would likely force him to reconsider his reality; his perception of the darkness is shattered by Feste who
"desires to season a brother's dead love" (1.1.31). Feste knows that mourning is the not real reason for her refusal to marry Orsino. Clown: Good madonna, why mourn'st thou? Olivia: Good fool, for my brother's death. Clown: I think his soul is in hell, madonna. Olivia: I know his soul is in heaven, fool. Clown: The more fool, madonna, to mourn for your brother's soul, being in heaven. Take away the fool, gentlemen. (1.1.64-70) Feste shows Olivia the foolish nature of mourning over
emotions and to express the power of raw beauty. Shakespeare uses this imagery through all of his characters in the play, but especially the two characters of Viola and Feste. The perfect example of the use of the masking imagery can be seen through Feste. Acting as a wiseman and not the fool, Feste shows the development of masks. Feste tries to 'conceal [him] for what [he] is';(1.2) because he knows that if the people knew that he was a wiseman, than he would not be called upon to sing his songs, symbols
the Duke. Viola has fallen in love with the Duke. Scene Five Maria and Feste the clown are talking when Olivia enters with
superiors and genuinely believes he has won the affection of the rich countess Olivia, despite him being her servant. Furthermore malvolio’s foolishness is evidenced by the fact that his is easily deceived by others, particularly Maria, Sir Toby, and Feste. Malvolio is a fool to believe that he is above his status. In the elizabethan era it was
Feste, the fool character in Twelfth Night, in many ways represents a playwright figure, and embodies the reach and tools of the theater. He criticizes, manipulates and entertains the other characters while causing them to reflect on their life situations, which is similar to the way a playwright such as Shakespeare interacts with his audience. Furthermore, more so than the other characters in the play he accomplishes this in a highly performative way, involving song and clever wordplay that must
Twelfth Night introduces a wise fool named Feste. As a licensed fool, Feste plays an integral role within the plot of the play. Feste acts as the voice of truth in a play filled with cross-dressing, disguises, confusion, trickery, and chaos. Feste has the ability to break down the barrier between the cast on stage and the audience members, while also embodying the festivities of the feast of the Epiphany and the beginning of Carnival. Even though Feste maintains a position as a licensed fool, he
William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare's most famous comedies, involving complex plots, which result in hilarious outcomes. The main plot of Twelfth Night tells of Count Orsino's efforts to woo the Lady Olivia who does not return his affection. Instead, Olivia is smitten with Orsino's servant Cesario, unaware of his true identity. Cesario is actually shipwrecked Viola who, believing her brother has drowned, dresses up as a man to work for Orsino. Viola consequently
types of fool in the play, namely Feste the professional jester who is in fact quite intelligent, and the non-jester fools, who are not fools but act like fools. Since Feste is the only designed fool in the play, the role of Feste will be explored in the following. Feste is more of the comic truth of the comedy. Since Feste is a licensed fool, his main role is to speak the truth. Feste plays the role of a humble jester employed by Olivia's father. "Feste the jester... a fool that the Lady
” the Feste the clown is the man at the end of that yellow brick road, showcases his comedic genius of other characters behavior toward life. Sometimes the characters do not seem to realize or understand his hidden message, the reader can instantly understand Feste's use of structure, through words like “dissemble” (4.2.4) which means to disguise, which in fact is present in every scene which he appears. From singing to Orsino, or arguing with Malvolio, to messing around with Viola, Feste always
The Role of Malvolio in Twelfth Night The main storyline in Twelfth Night is love between Cesario, Orsino, Olivia and later on in the play Sebastian. Malvolio’s part in the play is a backdrop situation separate from the main story. He brings a level of both humour and sympathy to the play. Malvolio is one of the main sources of humour in Twelfth Night. In the later part of the play a different side of him is exposed. Malvolio is Olivia’s steward and his job is to manage Olivia’s house;
audience develop a negative first impression and see a rude and conceited man. Malvolio calls Feste ‘a barren rascal’ with ‘no more brain than a stone’ suggesting Feste is a worthless idiot; belittling and demeaning him. Shakespeare shows that Feste holds a grudge on what Malvolio has said to him and this is revealed later in the play when Feste gives Malvolio his come-uppance. Malvolio felt superior over Feste and so he treated him unsympathetically. Shakespeare makes Malvolio part of a harsh practical