Discover Letts Explore "Twelfth Night

Letts Explore "Twelfth Night

No. of pages 48

Published: 1999

Great for age 12-18 years

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"Twelfth Night," a comedy by William Shakespeare, unfolds in the fictional land of Illyria. The story follows Viola, who is shipwrecked and disguises herself as a young man named Cesario. As she navigates her new identity, Viola becomes entangled in a web of love and mistaken identities. She serves Duke Orsino, who is in love with Countess Olivia, but Olivia soon falls for Cesario, unaware of Viola's true identity. As various characters pursue their desires, comedic chaos ensues, ultimately leading to revelations, reconciliations, and a series of joyful unions that highlight the play’s themes of love and transformation. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].

This book features in the following series: Letts Explore, Letts Explore Ks3 .

There are 48 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 1999 by Letts Educational .

Rene Weis is Professor of English at University College London and a distinguished editor and biographer of Shakespeare.

This book contains the following story:

Twelfth Night

"Twelfth Night" is a comedic play written by William Shakespeare that explores themes of love, identity, mistaken identity, and the folly of human desires.

Act 1: The play opens in the kingdom of Illyria, where a young woman named Viola has been shipwrecked. Believing her twin brother Sebastian has drowned, Viola disguises herself as a man and adopts the name Cesario to serve Duke Orsino. The Duke is deeply in love with Olivia, a wealthy countess, who is mourning the recent deaths of her father and brother and has sworn to avoid the company of men.

Act 2: As Cesario, Viola becomes a messenger for Duke Orsino and frequently visits Olivia to deliver his love messages. However, Olivia becomes smitten with Cesario, thinking him to be a young man, and starts returning Cesario's affections. Meanwhile, Viola (as Cesario) has also fallen in love with Duke Orsino, but cannot reveal her true identity due to her disguise.

Act 3: The comedic subplot involves Sir Toby Belch, Olivia's uncle, and his friend Sir Andrew Aguecheek, who both desire to woo Olivia. They enlist the help of Olivia's maid, Maria, and the clown Feste to play pranks on Malvolio, Olivia's puritanical steward. Malvolio is led to believe that Olivia is in love with him and behaves absurdly to win her affection, much to her displeasure.

Act 4: Viola's twin brother Sebastian, who was presumed dead, arrives in Illyria with Antonio, a sea captain who saved him from the shipwreck. Sebastian decides to explore the city, unaware that his sister Viola is also there.

Act 5: The confusion escalates when Olivia mistakes Sebastian for Cesario and asks him to marry her. Not knowing what led to this proposal, Sebastian accepts, thinking Olivia is simply overjoyed.

Act 6: In the final act, the truth is revealed when Viola and Sebastian are reunited. Duke Orsino realizes that he is truly in love with Viola (Cesario), and Olivia learns that Cesario is, in fact, a woman. Malvolio, who has been locked up as mad, is released and vows revenge on those who tricked him.

Ultimately, all the misunderstandings are resolved, and the characters find their true loves. Viola and Duke Orsino are united in marriage, as are Olivia and Sebastian. The play ends with a festive celebration, reminiscent of the "Twelfth Night" holiday, known for revelry and mischief.

"Twelfth Night" is a delightful comedy that explores the complexities of love, the tricks of fate, and the transformative power of disguises. The play's clever wordplay, humorous situations, and memorable characters make it one of Shakespeare's most popular and enduring works.

This book is in the following series:

Letts Explore

Letts Explore Ks3

This book features the following characters:

John Shakespeare
This book features the character John Shakespeare.

William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright and actor. He wrote plays, sonnets and verse and is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English Language. Son of a glove maker, he grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon. He married Anne Hathaway and had three children, though one died very young. Shakespeare left Stratford to pursue theatre in London, where he acted at the Globe Theatre, wrote and was part owner of a playing company called 'The Lord Chamberlein's Men' (later 'The King's Men').

Mary Arden
This book features the character Mary Arden.

Anne Hathaway
This book features the character Anne Hathaway.