Discuss the structure of the plot in Twelfth Night

In Twelfth Night Shakespeare has harmonised the main romantic plot and humorous underplot in such a manner that the play as a whole presents a harmonious unity. Referring to the structural unity of Twelfth Night lerce has remarked in his introduction to play: “On the question of creative oneness in Twelfth Night opinions differ, and among the critics of past Kenny tells us “there is much of extravagance and improbability in the developments of its more romantic incidents and it thus frequently becomes less purely creative and less absolutely truthful than less striking productions of the poet’s genius.” But the balance of authority whether French, English or German, is in favour of the ‘perfect unity of Twelve Night; and whatever truth nay be in the estimate of Furnivall, the play at first sight is far less striking and interesting than Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It. No brilliant Beatrice or Benedick catches the eye, no sad Rosalind lipping into life and joyousness at the touch of assured love. The self-conceited Malvolio is brought to the front, the drunker Andrew Aguicheck and Toby Betch and the clown come next, and none of these touches any heart; and it is not till we look past them that we fill the beauty of the character who stand in the half-light behind. Then we become conscious of a quiet harmony of colour and from which create charm in us.

Verity referring to the harmony of the design and execution has remarked, ”Another notable quality of this play is its harmony of design and execution. It is a complete and uniform work. Thus the plot and underplot are worked out with no omissions or superfluous details so that each part is fitted to its place, characterisation, and diction of the play are suited to each other. There is no elaborate and subtle character drawing except possibly in the case of Malvolio. The dramatic personages are depicted with few but vivid strokes, a method which fits the movement of the play. For this busy incidents, there is no place for complex studies of human nature and as the characterisation is adopted to the action, so is the diction appropriate to both—light and pointed in the colloquial, comic scenes of underplot, but informed in the serious parts with a poetic grace finely expressive of the comedies of higher strain of romance and sentiments. Justly then do critics dwell on the ‘perfect unity’ of Twelfth Night.

There are actually three plots in Twelfth Night, one being the main plot while the other two are subplots out of which one is as big and important as the main plot. The main plot is of love tangle of three leading characters. Orsino loves Olivia sentimentally. But Olivia loves Orsino with the same intensity although she keeps her love a secret throughout the paly till the very end. When the love tangle is solved by the appearance of Sebastain on the scene that removes the confusion which has been created by the mistaken identity. The main plot develops with the help of Viola on the male disguise. The love complications develop farther when Olivia falls violently in love with Viola in male disguise. The rescue of Sebastain; lies wanderings in Ellyria and his accidental meeting with Olivia and the Consequences are merely a further episode of the Viola’s story and do not consciously dressed herself up to look her brother, and in the role of Cesario. She has already conquered Olivia’s heart for her brother, when the later accidentally appeared on the scene. Thus the main story of Viola in which is implicated not only her own marriage age with the Duke, but Olivia’s marriage with Sebastain. It is during the progress of the main plot that the subplots are introduced into the play.

The two subplots are the Malvolio plot and the duel challenge plot. The Malvolio plot is as important as the main plot, and according to some critics the Malvolio plot is the real plot of the play, and Shakespeare’s aim of writing Twelfth Night was to caricatures or ridicule puritanism which is represented by Malvolio. After all the Malvolio plot and the duel challenge plot really produced much amusement to the audience. But for the subplots the love tangle of Olivia, Orsino and Viola could not catter so much laughter in the play.

The duel challenge plot comes into being because of the rivalry in love between Sir Agniecheck and Cesario for winning the heart of Olivia. This subplot too is dramatically important as well as provokes laughter. This also brings out the stupidity of Sir Andrew and the cunningness of Sir Toby to befool Sir Andrew giving him hope to marry with Olivia and exciting his jealousy against Cesario. This subplot is dramatically important to bring Antonio and Sebastain into the picture to create complications and also to solve the complications at the end of the play. Had there been no duel scene, Antonio would not have mistaken Viola for Sebastain, he would not have been arrested by the officer of Orsino and Sebastian would not come to wound Sir Andrew and Sir Toby, nor would he have been mistaken for Cesario, and complications would not have been arisen. These complications are solved at the end of the play when Sebastian and Viola come face to face all other characters, the confusion of mistaken identity is solved. Thus Sir Andrew is in a way indespensible to the plot for his blundering booby like antics bring about the marriage of Olivia and Sebastian which in its term resolves every complications. Therefore the duel challenge subplot is dramatically quite important because it serves as the connecting link between Antonio and Sebastain, between Sebastain and Voila and between Olivia and Sebastian. The Malvolio plot does not seem to have any very vital connection with either the main plot or the duel challenge subplot. The only connecting link between the Malvolio plot and the main plot is Olivia because in her name Maria plays the mischief against Malvolio. The other leading characters of the main plot Orsino and Viola have no connection with the Malvolio plot. To sum up the plot of the comedy is farely complex. First we have the main plot and the sub plots. In the begging they are apart. The main plot is developed through Viola’s visit to Olivia as the Dukes’ messenger of love. It is again through Voila that the main plot and the sub plots are brought together. Viola herself is involved in subplots. The story of Antonio and Sebastain is taken up into the main plot in the last scene of the Act III and that again through the subplot because Antonio is arrested for coming to the resque of Viola. The resolution of the plot depends on Sebastain’s first gets involved in the subplot and then the betrothal ceremony brings him into the main plot. The personal visit of the Duke to Olivia also contributes to the resolution of the plot. The analysis of the plot reveals Shakespeare’s marvellous craftsmenship in keeping the difference stands of the story separate and distinct and then uniting them into a harmonion plot.