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“the Gulling of Malvolio Detracts from the Plays Comedy and Shows the Cruelty and Wickedness of the Characters�? Essay Example

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“the Gulling of Malvolio Detracts from the Plays Comedy and Shows the Cruelty and Wickedness of the Characters�? Essay Example
“The gulling of Malvolio detracts from the plays comedy and shows the cruelty and wickedness of the characters”

In the play, Malvolio is seen as a Puritan. He detests all manner of fun and games, and wishes his world to be completely free of sin, yet he behaves very mindlessly against his stoic nature when he believes that Olivia loves him. This leads to major feuds with characters such as Sir Toby Belch, Sir Andrew and Maria, mistress of the household. Much of the play's comical aspect comes from Maria, Feste, Toby Belch, and Andrew Aguecheek, traumatizing Malvolio with drinking, joking, and singing. Later on in the play Maria devises a way to have revenge upon Malvolio, and proposes it to Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Feste. Maria composes a letter in Olivia's handwriting, and leaves it so Malvolio will find it... Malvolio is the overseer of Olivia’s house and is in control of the house logistics and well being. He’s always looking to make things perfect, and things that are unorthodox, like Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, have to be deposed. ‘”If you can separate yourself and your misdemeanors, you are welcome into the house. If not, it would please you to take leave of her, she is very inclined to bid you farewell.”’ Even though Malvolio says that Olivia would want them to leave if they carried on being loud and rude, I think that he is just saying that because he wants them to leave. The first evidence of Malvolio’s hostile behavior is his first appearance in the play during which he insults the puns of Feste. “’I marvel your ladyship takes delight in such a barren rascal”’. By doing this he shows himself to be a person who tries to humiliate people whom he believes are lower than him in every way.
Malvolio’s Achilles heal is his craving to be of a higher dominance and his strong belief that he will gain it. Maria uses this weakness to create a plan to make a fool of Malvolio in the eyes of Olivia and also as a way to get their revenge. Maria writes a letter

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