The tale of a young woman who disguises herself as a man and becomes entangled in the courtship of two local aristocrats upends conventions of romance and gender roles. First staged in 1602, Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s most performed plays. Read a character analysis of Viola, plot summary, and important quotes.

Summary

Read our full plot summary and analysis of Twelfth Night, scene by scene break-downs, and more.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in Twelfth Night and in-depth analyses of Viola, Orsino and Olivia, Malvolio, Sebastian, and Antonio.

Literary Devices

Here's where you'll find analysis of the literary devices in Twelfth Night, from the major themes to motifs, symbols, and more.

Questions & Answers

Explore our selection of frequently asked questions about Twelfth Night and find the answers you need.

Quotes

Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the play by reading these key quotes.

Quizzes

Test your knowledge of Twelfth Night with quizzes about every section, major characters, themes, symbols, and more.

    Essays

    Get ready to ace your Twelfth Night paper with our suggested essay topics, helpful essays about historical and literary context, a sample A+ student essay, and more.

    Further Study

    Go further in your study of Twelfth Night with background information, movie adaptations, and links to the best resources around the web.

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