2 h 26 minAudiobook9 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · 60 pagesHardcover · 6 × 9 in · 60 pagesAbout this book
What if the person carrying your love letters is secretly in love with you?
In William Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will, Viola survives a shipwreck and reaches Illyria alone. Believing her twin brother has drowned, she disguises herself as a boy named Cesario and finds work with Duke Orsino. But serving him means carrying his love messages to Olivia while hiding her own feelings for him.
Olivia has no wish to welcome Orsino’s courtship, yet his messenger catches her heart. As Viola’s disguise tangles their desires, another kind of trouble brews in Olivia’s household. Maria plots a trick against the vain steward Malvolio, while Feste mixes songs with uncomfortable truths. Love, pride, and pretending leave everyone open to becoming a fool.
What you’ll discover
- A dangerous disguise Follow Viola as the identity that helps her survive makes love harder to speak.
- Love sent astray Watch a duke, a countess, and a messenger desire the person they cannot have.
- Mischief below stairs Meet Maria and the noisy household that turns Malvolio’s pride into a target.
- Songs and sharp truths Enjoy Feste’s wit as music and jokes reveal what others would rather ignore.
- Silly and sincere hearts Discover a comedy that gently questions whether lovers see people or their own wishes.
Who will love it
For readers who love witty talk, mix-ups that grow funnier by the scene, and stories where love is both silly and sincere.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A shipwreck leaves Viola alone in Illyria
- Orsino loves Olivia and Olivia loves Cesario
- A forged letter sets a trap for Malvolio
- Sebastian arrives and the confusion deepens
- What the play says about love and pretending
- How the play is told through songs and doubles
Who’s who
- ViolaA shipwrecked young woman who disguises herself as the page Cesario to survive, and who falls in love with the duke she serves.
- Duke OrsinoThe ruler of Illyria, who loves music and the idea of love and pursues Olivia, who does not want him.
- OliviaA rich countess in mourning for her brother, who has sworn off suitors and is then surprised by a sudden love.
- SebastianViola's twin brother, rescued from the sea and traveling Illyria, who believes his sister has drowned.
- MalvolioOlivia's serious, vain steward, who disapproves of the household's noise and secretly dreams of rising in rank.
- Sir Toby BelchOlivia's loud, hard-drinking uncle, who lives off her house and uses Sir Andrew for his money and for sport.
- MariaOlivia's sharp gentlewoman, who plans the trick against Malvolio and delights in mischief.
- FesteOlivia's fool, a singer and wit who moves between households and tells uncomfortable truths in jest.
Formats and delivery
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- Audiobook
- 2 h 26 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 9 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in, 60 pages: 5,95 USD when you start free, 12,95 USD on its own.
- Hardcover
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- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
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Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will
by William Shakespeare · 1623
Shipwrecked in Illyria, Viola disguises herself to survive and finds herself caught in a love triangle.
Medium level2–5 hours to read25 languages
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In short
Twelfth Night is a comedy by William Shakespeare, written around 1601 and first printed in the First Folio of 1623. It was probably made for the festive season that ends Christmas, when the English world played at turning itself upside down.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A shipwreck leaves Viola alone in Illyria
The play opens at the court of Duke Orsino, who lies about complaining of love. He asks for music, hungers for it, and then wants it to stop. His mind is fixed on the Countess Olivia, who has refused him. She has vowed to mourn her dead brother for seven years and wants no suitor near her.
The next scene brings us to the coast, where Viola has just come ashore. The ship she sailed on has broken up in a storm. The captain who rescued her says he saw her brother Sebastian tie himself to a mast and ride the waves. It is only a hope, but Viola holds to it, and gives the captain some gold for his news.
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What is Twelfth Night about?
It is a comedy about Viola, a shipwrecked young woman who disguises herself as a man in Illyria. Love tangles between her, a duke and a countess, while servants play a trick on a proud steward.
Why is it called Twelfth Night?
Twelfth Night is the last night of the Christmas season, a time of feasting and play when social rules were relaxed. The play shares that spirit of mischief and mix-ups.
Why does Viola dress as a man?
After the shipwreck, Viola is alone in a strange land and believes her brother is lost. She disguises herself as Cesario to find safe work and protection in the service of Duke Orsino.
The author
William Shakespeare
1564–1616 · English playwright and poet
William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet, born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. He worked in London as an actor and playwright. He wrote plays, including Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth, and published sonnets in 1609. He died in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1616.
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