Countess will now be very cold towards him – she will no longer care for him. The reference to the Dutchman’s beard is a topical (contemporary) reference to the Dutch explorers who investigated the Arctic regions in 1596. Fabian suggests that the only way Sir Andrew can win the Countess now is to perform some extremely brave or clever act. Of course, this will be difficult for Sir Andrew, who is neither brave nor clever.
Sir Toby then suggests that the best course of action is for Sir Andrew to challenge Cesario to a duel and that Sir Andrew should immediately write a letter of challenge in an “eloquent” and inventive manner to provoke the youth into accepting that challenge (lines 35-42).
After Sir Andrew leaves to go and write his letter, Sir Toby and Fabian exchange the following dialogue:
FABIAN This is a dear manikin to you, Sir Toby.
SIR TOBY I have been dear to him, lad, some
two thousand strong or so. (45-47)
Fabian recognizes that Sir Andrew is a fop or a fool, and he describes Sir Andrew with the metaphor of a manikin (or puppet). He is suggesting that Sir Andrew is empty inside and incapable of anything. Fabian is hinting that Sir Toby should have a more worthy companion. The dialogue contains a pun on the word dear. Fabian uses the word sarcastically or ironically to mean cherished or esteemed. Sir Toby uses the word to mean expensive. Sir Toby blatantly admits that he has taken over two thousand pounds (an extremely large sum of money) from Sir Andrew. Sir Toby can endure the company of Sir Andrew because Sir Andrew provides for his needs (especially his need for drink).
Sir Toby does admit to Fabian that he has no intention of delivering the letter of challenge to Cesario and that he does not believe anyone could get the cowardly Sir Andrew to ever actually fight a duel. Sir Toby strongly believes there will never be a duel. Sir Toby and Fabian are just simply playing a joke on Sir Andrew.
The second scene ends with Maria entering the stage and informing Sir Toby about the success of her love letter to Malvolio. Maria reveals that the foolish Malvolio is behaving exactly in all of the dreadful manners that she had written in the letter. Sir Toby is excited by this and wants to see Malvolio for himself.
Earlier, in the dialogue between Viola and Feste, there was the suggestion that words often do not mean what they appear to mean on the surface (part of the language theme). This scene indicates two examples of that idea. Maria’s love letter to Malvolio was a set of lies written to fool the proud Puritan, and Sir Toby and Fabian’s comments to Sir Andrew were also mistruths spoken to fool the gullible Sir Andrew. Playing tricks and fooling people contributes to the carnivalesque atmosphere of the play [noted earlier in the Introduction, pages 14-15]. Everybody in the play is either mad or ready to engage in fun and frolicsome behavior.
Sebastian, the brother of Viola, is now in the city of Illyria with his companion Antonio. Sebastian wants to go sight-seeing. He wants to see what is novel or interesting in the town. Antonio, however, explains that he cannot join them because of the recent wars between his own country and Illyria. Antonio was a fierce soldier; and, because of that, he is well known to the soldiers of Illyria. If they should see him, they would immediately take him prisoner. So, Antonio decides to keep himself hidden while Sebastian explores the town.
And, because Sebastian has no money of his own, Antonio lends him his money bag (purse). Antonio tells Sebastian to meet up with him later at an inn (a tavern and lodging house) called The Elephant. The scene sets up a difficulty for Antonio later in the play. Antonio does not think he will need any money during the time that he is away from Sebastian. Antonio, though, is very much mistaken.
In order to proceed with her plan, Maria warns the Countess that Malvolio has been acting strangely and even madly in recent days. When the Countess meets up with the steward, he is wearing yellow stockings and cross-garters. Moreover, he continually wears a large and foolish grin on his face. In explanation, Malvolio subtly alludes to the love letter (line 25). Of course, the Countess has no idea what he is talking about. Olivia believes that Malvolio is acting a little crazy and needs some rest:
OLIVIA Wilt though go to bed, Malvolio? MALVOLIO [kissing his hand] To bed? Ay, sweetheart, and I’ll come to thee. (27-29)
Olivia wants her steward to get some sleep. However, Malvolio pounces on the word bed, thinking that Olivia wants to sleep with him. Malvolio continues to act in an inexplicable and irrational manner, and the Countess has no idea what has happened to him. Thus, she exclaims …
Why, this is very midsummer madness. (52)
In England, Midsummer Eve occurs on June 23. Twelfth Night, on the other hand, occurs on January
6. However, neither date is really important. Shakespeare uses Twelfth Night and Midsummer Eve as symbols to indicate times of holiday and carnival – times when people celebrate and engage in foolish and even mad behavior. Olivia is simply declaring Malvolio to be acting madly. So, the Countess asks Maria to take good care of him.
After the Countess and Maria exit, Malvolio presents a soliloquy in prose. In his foolishness and pride, he believes that he is being successful in his suit of love for the Countess. And he thanks “Jove” for that success (line 76). Jove is another name for Jupiter (the Roman king of the gods and the equivalent to the Greek god Zeus). Malvolio is using Jove as a substitute for fate. Malvolio believes that fate has chosen to make him prosperous and successful.
Malvolio has gone mad because of his foolish hopes and desires. Sir Toby, Maria, and Fabian come to attend to him; but Malvolio acts wildly and crazily. In fact, they even think that Malvolio possibly is “bewitched” (93). They also think that possibly the devil is affecting the steward. So, Sir Toby warns Malvolio:
What man, ‘tis not for gravity to play at the cherry pit with Satan. Hang him, foul collier! (105-06)
The reference to cherry-pit refers to a children’s game in which cherry pits were thrown into a hole. Of course, if the devil is at the bottom of that hole, such a game would be dangerous. Sir Toby is warning Malvolio that he should stay away from Satan. Sir Toby also curses the devil. The word collier literally refers to a workman who digs coal or delivers coal. Such workmen usually became covered in black coal dust. In Renaissance imagery, Satan was usually depicted to be black and living in the fiery pits of hell. Thus, calling Satan a collier is a way of disgracing him.
Sir Toby and the others agree to lock Malvolio up in a “dark room” (121). Since the Countess already believes Malvolio to be mad, they can tell her that they are locking up Malvolio for his own safety and that of others. Of course, they really wish to get revenge against Malvolio for all of the mean-spirited words that he had spoken against them.
Sir Andrew returns to the stage at this point with his letter challenging Cesario to a duel. Sir Toby reads the letter out loud and commends Sir Andrew for writing such a fine challenge. Sir Toby then tells Sir Andrew to go out to the orchard and watch for Cesario. After Sir Andrew exits, Sir Toby states a much different opinion of the letter:
Therefore this letter, being so excellently ignorant, will breed no terror in the youth.
He will find it comes from a clodpoll. (166-68)
In other words, Cesario will think the letter was written by a fool. The word clodpoll means blockhead or idiot (clod means oaf or fool, and poll means the back or top of the head). Even when he is drunk, Sir Toby is well aware that Sir Andrew is a twit (an idiot).
Sir Toby also recognizes that the gentle Cesario appears to be a man of breeding and good manners and that Cesario is clever enough to see that the letter is nonsense. So, Sir Toby decides to throw away the letter and to present Sir Andrew’s challenge verbally. Sir Toby will tell Cesario that Sir Andrew is a brave and cunning fighter. He will also tell Sir Andrew the same sort of lies about Cesario. Sir Toby believes that both men will become so frightened that no duel will actually take place.
Sir Toby and the others exit on one side of the stage at the same time that Olivia and Viola (still disguised as Cesario) enter from the other side. Olivia is still attempting to win the love of Cesario, and Cesario is still rejecting her.
After the Countess Olivia exits, Sir Toby and Fabian approach Cesario. Sir Toby tells Cesario that he is in danger because he has wronged a very dangerous and vicious man. Cesario decides to go to the Countess and ask her for the protection of some of her men; but Sir Toby warns Cesario that the offended man, who is angry and violent, cannot be avoided and that Cesario must accept his challenge.
Naturally, Cesario (Viola) does not wish to fight this angry enemy; so, she asks Sir Toby to go to him and ask why is offended by her (line 226).
Sir Toby then approaches Sir Andrew and describes Cesario as “a very devil” and as a master in sword fighting (lines 243-44). These words scare Sir Andrew, and he states that he will not fight against Cesario. Sir Toby, who is greatly enjoying his trick or prank on Sir Andrew, tells the cowardly knight that Cesario is too incensed and angry now and demands to fight. The frightened Sir Andrew then says that he will give Cesario his “horse, grey Capulet” to avoid the fight (255). Sir Toby says that he will ask Cesario if that is acceptable, but actually Sir Toby intends to keep the horse for himself (probably to sell so that he will have more money to buy liquor).
Sir Toby then returns to Cesario and tells him that Sir Andrew must, because his honor is at stake, at least exchange a few passes with their swords. Sir Toby explains that this is the code of dueling, but he adds that Sir Andrew “will not hurt you” (267). Therefore, Cesario must draw his sword and go through the motions of fighting. Sir Toby tells Sir Andrew the same thing and that Cesario will not harm him (line 274). Thus, both Cesario and Sir Andrew draw their swords, but both are also shaking in their boots because they are both so scared.
Before Cesario and Sir Andrew begin to fight, Antonio enters. He has been looking for Sebastian. When Antonio sees Cesario (Viola), he thinks that she is her twin brother Sebastian. So, before Sir Andrew can approach Cesario with his sword, Antonio interferes. Antonio draws his own sword and defends Cesario, and then Sir Toby draws his sword to attack Antonio.
However, no fighting occurs; for at this point two of Duke Orsino’s officers come and recognize Antonio as their enemy. They arrest him.
Antonio, still thinking that Viola is Sebastian, asks him to return the money bag (“purse” at line
301) that he had given him. Antonio needs the money to pay the officers for his release.
Viola has no idea what Antonio is talking about. She is grateful that Antonio interfered in the duel, and she offers him a few coins as a way of thanking him. But the money is not enough. Antonio needs all of his money at this point, and he accuses Viola of ingratitude. After all, Antonio had rescued Sebastian, treated him like a brother, and shared his money with him. Of course, Viola does not know any of this.
Antonio tells the officers that he had rescued Sebastian, but the officers do not care about that. So, Antonio cries out against Cesario:
But O, how vile an idol proves this god!
Thou hast, Sebastian, done good feature shame. In nature there’s no blemish but the mind.
None can be called deformed but the unkind. Virtue is beauty, but the beauteous evil
Are empty trunks o’er-flourished by the devil.
(330-35)
The words “this god” refer to Sebastian. Antonio had treated Sebastian like a god, he respected Sebastian and gave him all that he could. But now that he needs help from Sebastian, he does not get it. So, he refers to Sebastian as a false god or vile idol (evil god). Antonio adds that despite his good and kindly looks (“good feature”), Sebastian is acting in a shameful manner. Thus, Sebastian launches into a diatribe (criticism) about true beauty and ugliness. Physical beauty and physical ugliness are not true. True beauty is goodness and virtue. True beauty is a quality that resides within a person. However, a physically beautiful person (“the beauteous”) could actually be evil inside. Antonio uses the metaphor of the empty trunk to describe such people. The trunk might be brightly decorated and beautifully painted on the outside, but there is nothing on the inside. So, it is worthless. Antonio is suggesting that the beautiful Sebastian, then, is evil and worthless. The officers then lead Antonio away.
Viola is, of course, confused by his words. However, when Antonio mentions Sebastian by name, Viola starts to hope that her brother is still alive. She hopes he is alive, but she is uncertain. Viola then exits at this time.
Sir Toby is angry with Cesario because he has acted so dishonorably: Sir Toby tells Sir Andrew that Cesario acted disgracefully because he denied knowing his friend (Antonio) and did not help him in his need. Sir Toby adds that Cesario behaved most cowardly.
Sir Toby then tells Sir Andrew that Cesario should be beaten because of his bad behavior. But he also warns Sir Andrew never to “draw thy sword” (356). He is stating that Sir Andrew should punish Cesario, but not kill him.
Sir Andrew now believes that Cesario is a coward and is ready to fight him. Sir Toby, however, still thinks that no actual fighting will ever occur between Sir Andrew and Cesario.