He points out that Olivia's excessive mourning is over-indulgent and "foolish" and notes Duke Orsino's extreme moodiness when he compares Orsino's mind to an "opal" that changes color. Even while he clowns around with the rowdy Sir Toby, he also provides some shrewd commentary about Toby's excessive and dangerous behavior. So what? Well, this seems to place Feste both inside and outside the play. He's very much a part of Twelfth Night 's rowdy activity, but he's also able to stand outside the world of Illyria, looking in.
In this way, Feste seems to break down the barrier between the audience and the characters on stage. Parents Home Homeschool College Resources. Study Guide. Levin In order to speak truth, Feste sacrifices the ability to do as he pleases; his words may be his own, but his actions are dictated by the moods of his mistress. He must perform to her liking, to please her, because he is ultimately still a servant, and fooling is his occupation. His freedom, then, is limited, if not mostly illusion, and indeed is limited only to speech; he has far less freedom in action.
That is to say, what pleasure Feste gets out of life he must get from playing with words and twisting them to suit his purposes. His strength lies particularly in language, and it is in this way that he can, on occasion, escape from the cage he resides in. Most of the people he interacts with on a daily basis are not nearly a match for his tongue.
Olivia is mostly content to be amused. This is not to be taken lightly; Feste is the master of words, and the tiredness he feels from a lack of challenge to his skills is briefly lifted during his encounter with Viola. This encounter, however, does not occur until half-way through the play. This sort of melancholy points to a decrease in his interest in what occurs in his life. Had Olivia not been willing to be entertained, Feste might have found himself out wandering the lonely roads of the world outside of Illyria.
And yet, as J. With this in mind, then, perhaps Feste ventured out on what would become a long absence trusting in Olivia to take him back. He has, after all, been with her for a long time, and is almost a part of her extended family. Indeed, a Fool cannot truly be foolish if he hopes to cater successfully to his mistress. Feste, whose livelihood depends on keeping his mistress and others pleased with his witticisms, knows that as long as he is capable of teasing a smile out of Olivia he is in little danger of losing his position.
It is a strange irony that a man who makes his living keeping others amused and in good spirits might himself not be particularly happy. We are allowed glimpses into the minds of nearly every character other than Feste, whose mask stays firmly in place.
In other words, the title does not make the man. There is more to Feste than fooling, but that is all most people see. He never tells where he has been, gives no details. Unlike the others that move about Illyria, Feste is world-weary, worn down with knowledge of things that do not trouble anyone else, as occupied as they are with love and games of love.
It seems he fears that, especially after having been away for so long, his ability to jest and make Olivia laugh, particularly as he is out of favour, may not come as readily as it has in the past.
I saw him put down the other day with an ordinary fool that has no more brain than a stone. The accusation of barrenness by one, however mean-spirited, means that there are likely others who have perceived his skills as failing, which does not bode well for his position: there is no need for a Fool who cannot provide good fooling. Is Antonio in love with Sebastian? Why does Malvolio believe Olivia is in love with him? Why is Olivia melancholy at the beginning of the play? Why is Orsino so willing to marry Viola?
Quotes Fools and Foolishness. But as well?
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