Ultimately, Malvolio is a comic character' to what extent do you agree with this statment? Essay Example
‘Ultimately, Malvolio is a comic character’ To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Comedy is entertainment consisting of jokes and satire, in order to make an audience laugh. In my opinion, Malvolio is a comic character. A comic character would need characteristics to do with comedy. For example, in Malvolio’s case, he shows that he is an arrogant character, almost villainous, and because of Marias plot he can be seen getting what he deserves, and a villainous character getting their comeuppance would be seen as comic to an Elizabethan audience. This, and the use of ridiculous disguise, which would be the yellow cross gartered, and the social contradictions presented by Malvolio In Twelfth Night Malvolio is introduced as a minor character, until the sub plot of Maria, Sir Toby, and Sir Andrews prank cause him to be of main focus throughout . This means that Malvolio’s character is exposed in more depth to the audience. It can be seen as the ordeal he is put through can mean he is seen as a more tragic character, although how is left free to interpretation in the style of speech, and props.
Alternatively, Malvolio could be viewed as more of a tragic character, as his mistreatment by Sir Toby and Maria is too extreme. In act IV in which he is being held captive, he is duped into believing that he is speaking to ‘Sir Topas’ who is in fact Feste in disguise. Malvolio greets him with ‘Sir Topas, Sir Topas, good Sir Topas’. The repetition of ‘Sir Topas’ shows desperation, and through his desperation the audience could view him sympathetically. Additionally, because the audience is aware of the fact that Malvolio is being duped to think that he is talking to ‘Sir Topas’, a religious figure, | Also, since the Elizabethan society were highly religious, they would see the act of impersonating a priest as a mockery of their religion, meaning they could empathise with Malvolio as he is a puritan, and also is having his religion mocked. |Maria’s plot was triggered
Comedy is entertainment consisting of jokes and satire, in order to make an audience laugh. In my opinion, Malvolio is a comic character. A comic character would need characteristics to do with comedy. For example, in Malvolio’s case, he shows that he is an arrogant character, almost villainous, and because of Marias plot he can be seen getting what he deserves, and a villainous character getting their comeuppance would be seen as comic to an Elizabethan audience. This, and the use of ridiculous disguise, which would be the yellow cross gartered, and the social contradictions presented by Malvolio In Twelfth Night Malvolio is introduced as a minor character, until the sub plot of Maria, Sir Toby, and Sir Andrews prank cause him to be of main focus throughout . This means that Malvolio’s character is exposed in more depth to the audience. It can be seen as the ordeal he is put through can mean he is seen as a more tragic character, although how is left free to interpretation in the style of speech, and props.
Alternatively, Malvolio could be viewed as more of a tragic character, as his mistreatment by Sir Toby and Maria is too extreme. In act IV in which he is being held captive, he is duped into believing that he is speaking to ‘Sir Topas’ who is in fact Feste in disguise. Malvolio greets him with ‘Sir Topas, Sir Topas, good Sir Topas’. The repetition of ‘Sir Topas’ shows desperation, and through his desperation the audience could view him sympathetically. Additionally, because the audience is aware of the fact that Malvolio is being duped to think that he is talking to ‘Sir Topas’, a religious figure, | Also, since the Elizabethan society were highly religious, they would see the act of impersonating a priest as a mockery of their religion, meaning they could empathise with Malvolio as he is a puritan, and also is having his religion mocked. |Maria’s plot was triggered