Tales from Shakespeare
Twelfth Night
by William Shakespeare
Q: 1.
1. Who were Sebastian and Viola?
= Sebastian was a handsome youth and his sister Viola was a lovely lady. They were identical twins.
2. Where were they sailing?
= They were sailing down to the coast of Illyria.
3. What happened when their ship was wrecked?
= A sudden storm arose and their ship was wrecked. Many sailors were drowned. Viola managed to reach the shore safely in a small boat, together with the captain and a few sailors. Her brother floated away tied to a mast.
Q: 2.
1. Who was the lady Olivia?
= Lady Olivia was the daughter of a count. Her father died about a year ago, leaving her in the care of her brother. That brother died soon after his father. His death was a great grief to the lady. She's never left her house since the day he died. Nor she will see any visitor.
2. How did the captain help Viola?
= The captain found a suit of boy's clothes for Viola. Viola put it on. She looked so much like her brother Sebastian. Then he took her to the Duke Orsino.
3. Who knew that Cesario was really Viola?
= The captain knew that Cesario was really Viola.
Q: 3.
1. How did Viola serve the Duke?
= Viola did her best to please the Duke. She waited on him. She sang to him. She cheered him up when he was sad. She listened to the Duke's story of his love for the lady Olivia and she pitied him.
2. Why did Viola go to see Olivia with "a heavy heart"?
= Viola went to see Olivia with "a heavy heart" because she had fallen for the Duke but the Duke loved the lady Olivia.
3. What made Olivia wished to see Duke's messenger?
= Olivia wished to see Duke's messenger as soon as she heard that "a very pretty youth" had come to meet her. She was curious to see this "pretty youth" and ordered her servant to bring him to her.
Q: 4.
1. Why did Olivia send her ladies away?
= Olivia sent her ladies away because Viola told her to do so as her message was for Olivia's ears only.
2. What would Viola do if she loved Olivia as her master did?
= If Viola would loved Olivia as her master did, she would built a hut at her gates. She would live there. She would spend all her days calling her name, writing songs, and singing them to her. She would not stop till she pitied her an listened to her love.
Q: 5.
1. What message did Olivia send after Viola?
= Olivia called her servant and gave him a ring to hand it over to Viola and say her that Olivia would not marry her master and she will tell her the reason the next day, if she comes. So, she should surely come on the following day.
2. What did Viola guess after getting Olivia's message and her ring?
= Viola instantly guessed that the lady had fallen in love with her after getting Olivia's message and her ring.
3. What "tangle" were they in?
= They were in a "tangle" as she loved the Duke. The Duke loved Olivia. Olivia loved her.
Q: 6.
1. What was in Viola's mind when she said, "My father had a daughter who loved a man."?
= Viola was supressing her love for the Duke and making him understand this in a sarcastic way when she said, "My father had a daughter who loved a man."
2. What did Olivia tell Viola?
= Olivia told Viola that she was the one whom she loved.
3. What answer did Viola give Olivia?
= Viola answered Olivia that she should never marry any women.
Q: 7.
1. What had happened to Sebastian after the shipwreck?
= After the shipwreck, a worthy sea-captain Antonio saved him from drowning. He had taken him on board his ship and had become his friend. For three months, Sebastian had sailed with him to different ports on the coast of Illyria.
2. Why was Antonio unable to accompany Sebastian?
= Antonio was unable to accompany Sebastian because he had wounded the Duke's nephew in a sea-fight some time ago. If he went into the city, he would be arrested immediately.
3. What did Antonio give Sebastian?
= Antonio gave Sebastian his well-filled purse.
Q: 8.
1. Who was Sir Toby Blech?
= Sir Toby Blech was Olivia's uncle.
2. Who was Sir Andrew Aguecheek?
= Sir Andrew Aguecheek was the friend of Sir Toby Blech. He was a foolish, boastful fellow and a great coward.
3. What trick did Sir Toby play on Sir Andrew and Viola?
= Sir Toby told Viola that Sir Andrew was the bravest and strongest knight that he had ever known. On the other hand, he said to Sir Andrew that Viola was the most deadly swordsman in the world. As a result, the cowardly Sir Andrew was as full of fear of Viola as Viola was of Sir Andrew.
Q: 9.
1. Who saved Viola from fighting the duel?
= Antonio saved Viola from fighting the duel.
2. By what name did Antonio call Viola?
= Antonio called Viola by the name Sebastian.
3. What did Antonio tell the officers?
= Antonio told the officers that he had saved that boy's life. He had been his true friend. He followed him there at the risk of his own life, and then the boy refused to give him back the purse that he had lent him. He even pretended that he did not know him.
Q: 10.
1. What happened when Sir Andrew saw Sebastian?
= When Sit Andrew saw Sebastian, he took him for Cesario. Cesario had shown himself a coward. Sir Andrew, therefore, felt brave enough to hit him hard on the head. Sebastian, however, was no coward and instantly he returned the blow. They were ready to fight a duel.
2. How did Olivia treat Sebastian?
= Olivia took Sebastian for Cesario. She took him to her indoors. She kept on speaking to him as if she loved him.
3. Why did Olivia call a priest?
= Olivia called a priest to marry Sebastian.
Q: 11.
1. Who came up to Duke while he was waiting at Olivia's gate?
= The Duke's officers came up to him, with their prisoner, Antonio while Duke was waiting at Olivia's gate.
2. What did Antonio tell the Duke?
= Antonio took Viola for Sebastian and told the Duke of his ingratitude. For the past three months he had been Sebastian's true friend. That very morning they had landed in Illyria. He had followed Sebastian to the city although he knew that he would be arrested if he were discovered. He said Sebastian had refused to return his purse to him and had even pretended not to know him.
3. What made the Duke call Antonio "mad"?
= The Duke called Antonio "mad" because Viola had been serving the Duke as his page for the past three months.
Q: 12.
1. What could the Duke "not fail to see"?
= The Duke could "not fail to see" that Olivia loved his page Viola.
2. What question did Olivia ask the priest? What answer did the priest give?
= Olivia asked the priest if he had or not marry her and Cesario. The priest answered that he did it less than two hours ago.
3. Why were Viola and Olivia "deeply distressed"?
= Viola and Olivia were "deeply distressed" as the Duke became very angry and forbade Viola to come to him.
Q: 13.
1. Why did no one speak when Sebastian came?
= No one spoke when Sebastian came because Sebastian and Viola were so much alike that no one could say which was Sebastian and which was Cesario.
2. What did Sebastian say to tease Olivia?
= To tease her, Sebastian said to Olivia that she had fallen in love with a woman and married a man by mistake.
3. Whom did the Duke marry?
= The Duke Orsino married Viola.