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the story wasn't actually that interesting, though. it was not more than i expected, and it was not less. i thought it was a good story. kind of boring, since the reader can sort of guess the ending to the play. it was the same sort of shakespearian writing, and folger does a pretty good job of defining terms. as usual, i loved how folger put famous quotes at the end of the book, because i find that quoting shakespeare is a lot of fun. i agree with critics that this wasn't one of shakespeare's best plays. my favorite quote is the love rhyme that cesario does for olivia.
Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare's finest plays and has a plot that is amusing and serious all at the same time. Take a woman disguised as an eunuch, a court jester who is anything but funny, a poetic king and family members looking to find each other and you have Twelfth Night. I highly recommend this novel.
Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare's best loved and most accessible comedies. A brisk, comic farce, it hinges around two plots running concurrently - aristocrats mistake their lovers' gender, and a pompous steward is sent up by some clowns. Watching this play recently (in London, with the sublime Derek Jacobi in the role of Malvolio the Steward), I was struck by how much this play can be seen as a satire on the aristocracy - both the Duke Orsino and the wealthy bereaved Olivia are moronic in their gulliability - they mistake Viola and Sebastian, twins separated by shipwreck, cannot tell their gender, fall for them anyway, and when their true identities are revealed don't seem to care much, so long as their lovers are of 'noble' blood. Timeless comedy from the Bard.
Olivia's head servant, Malvolio isn't as smart as he thinks he is, but Feste, the fool, is smarter than anyone thinks he is. And frequently all the same person. And Cesario isn't the man that Olivia and the Duke think he is (but it turns out that Cesario has a crush on the Duke.).I can see why this one is considered one of Shakespeare's best. A cross-dressing young lady yclept Viola carries Duke Orsino's messages of undying love to Olivia. Olivia hurls harsh word at the Duke as her reply, and in the end gets her desire. It's got confused identities, room for slapstick, bawdy word play, swordplay, a girl disguised as a boy (but originally played by a boy; I bet he didn't know whether to sit or stand after rehearsal), and all those traits of Shakespeare's best.I loved it.E.M. Van Court
The Folger Shakespeare edition of this play gives it a leg up on other versions as far as homeschooling goes. In the closing material, the editors have included textual notes, an essay entitled "*Twelfth Night*: A Modern Perspective" by Catherine Belsey, an annotated list for further reading, and a key to famous lines in the play. First, the text of the play appears on the right-hand pages, leaving the left-hand pages for glosses, text notes, and illustrations that clarify numerous allusions in the play. Second, sections in the introductory material explain Shakespeare's language, life, and theater, as well as the print history of the play. Most useful for homeschooling, perhaps, are the lesson plans available at the Folger web site in either PDF or print version. This play served as the basis of the popular movie *She's the Man*, which can be viewed as a follow-up for comparison and discussion.
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