Act 1: Orisno, Duke of Illyria, is in love with Olivia, a wealthy noblewoman, but she is in mourning because of the death of a brother and will not even receive the Duke's emissary. Olivia's aloofness merely fans the ardor of the Duke, who takes into his service a youth called Cesario and asks him to pay court to her on his behalf. In reality, Cesario is a maiden named Viola who was shipwrecked on the Illyrian coast after being separarted from her brother. Having decided to wear male attire and seek temporary employment with the Duke, she now finds herself in love with him.
Olivia's prolonged mourning is not to the liking of her riotous uncle, Sir Toby Belch, who is warned by her maid Maria that Olivia is displeased with his late hours and excessive drinking. Maria is also critical of Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a foolish but affluent knight whom Sir toby has advanced as a candidate for his niece's hand. Sir Andrew is willing to concede defeat, but Toby persuades him to stay a month longer. Other members of Olivia's household include her clown, Feste, and her conceited and ill-tempered steward, Malvolio. When Viola arrives to woo Olivia in the Duke's name, she gains entrance only with difficulty. Olivia again rejects the Duke's suit, but is so charmed by the youthful envoy that she invents an excuse for giving him her ring.
Act 2: Sir Toby and Sir Andrew are enjoying a bibulous evening, enlivened by Feste's singing, when Maria enters to complain about their "caterwauling." She is soon followed by Malvolio who declares that Olivia has threatened to evict Toby if he does not mend his ways. Annoyed at the steweard's impertinence, Sir toby demands, "Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?" When Malvolio departs, Maria derides him as "an affectioned ass" who considers himself irresistible. She proposes that they take advantage of his failing by leading him to believe that Olivia has fallen in love with him.
Duke Orsino luxuriates in his passion for Olivia and, undaunted by previous failures, bids Viola to renew his suit. He scoffs at her suggestion that some woman may be as deeply in love with him as he is with Olivia; no feminine heart, he claims, could hold a passion as large as his.
Sir Toby and his fellow conspirators can barely restrain their anger when they overhear Malvolio consider the possibility of marrying Olivia and lording it over his uncle. His ruminations are cut short when he comes across a love letter written in a hand that resembles Olivia's, but is actually Maria's. He convinces himself that he is the unidentified man to whom it is addressed and resolves to follow its instructions for winning Olivia's favor: to be surly with the servants, to smile in her presence, and to wear yellow stockings cross-gartered. The eavesdroppers chortle as Maria points out that Olivia loathes yellow and will undoubtedly find Malvolio's smiles at variance with her melancholy air.
Act 3: Viola, still in the guise of Cesario, pays another visit to Olivia, who makes no secret of her infatuation. The favors that she bestows on Cesario offend Sir Andre3w, who is persuaded by Sirt Toby and Fabian, another of Olivia's servants, to challenge the youth to a duel. Sir Toby is confident, however, that neither Sir Andrew nor Cesario has enough courage to fight the other.
meanwhile, Viola's twin brother, Sebastian, who was saved from drowning by a sea captain called Antonio, has arrived in Illyria. Though Antonio is sought by the Illyrian authorities for an old offense, he not only insists on accompanying Sebastian, but gives him his purse as well.
A smiling Malvolio, clad in yellow stockings, appears before Olivia and archly quotes passages from her letter. She concludes that he is mad. Sir Toby's fun with Sir Andrew also proceeds apace. The aggrieved suitor pens a letter challenging Viola, but Toby, finding it unsatisfactory, expresses the knight's displeasure himself. Viola is naturally puzzled by the challenge and protests that she is no fighter. Sir Toby, however, reports that Cesario is a skilled swordsman, causing the timorous Sir Andrew to regret his challenge. Just as the reluctant duelists have drawn their swords, Antonio appears and tries to end the dispute, but is himself arrested by some officers. Mistaking Viola for Sebastian, he asks for his money and is dismayed when she replies that she does not know him.
Act 4: On the street before Olivia's house Sebastian is accosted by Sir Andrew, who strikes him. Sebastian is about to retaliate when Olivia invites him into her home. She later appears with a priest and asks Sebastian to accompany her to the chapel so that they can be secretly married. Despite his bewilderment, he meekly complies.
Meanwhile, Feste, pretending to be good Sir Topas the curate, interrogates Malvolio, who has been locked in a dark room. When Toby proposes that they end their prank because of Olivia's displeasure with him, Feste agrees to bring Malvolio a light and writing materials.
Act 5: While the Duke and Viola are waiting for an interview with Olivia, the officers return with Antonio, who accuses Viola of the basest ingratitude. Olivia compounds Viola's confusion by reproaching her for faithlessness. When the priest supports Olivia's assertion that Cesario is her husband, even the Duke spurns Viola. Sir Andrew and an inebriated Sir Toby burst in, loudly calling for a surgeon. They claim that Cesario, who they believed was a coward, has given them a thorough thrashing. The mystery is dispelled when Sebastian enters to apologize for his attack on Olivia's kinsman. He and Viola soon realize that they are brother and sister.
Olivia is reminded of Malvolio, who is released and shows her the letter that has been
the cause of his woes. Upon seeing the handwriting, she guesses that the author was
Maria. Fabian explains that Maria was incited by him and Sir Toby, who has married
her in recompense. Malvolio vows revenge on the lot of them, but the Duke hopes that
he can be pacified. To Viola he predicts that when he sees her in feminine clothes,
she will become "Orsino's mistress and his fancy's queen."
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