The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1910-12-29
THE STORY OF
"TWELFTH NIGHT"
Declared by Many to Be
Shakespeare's Ideal
Comedy.

In the acting version of Twelfth
Night the drama is divided into five
acts, and the play opens with the
Duke Orsino-who is madly in love
with his beautiful neighbor, Lady
Olivia-lamenting his fate owing to
the rejectment of his suit, the lady
having lived in complete retirement
since the death of her brother. An
other sutton for her hand is Sir An
drew Aguecheek, an Anticipated COM
panion of her wine-bibbing uncle, Sir
Toby Belch, to whose attentions the
Countess also turns a deaf ear. Viola
and Sebastian, twin sister and broth
err, who closely resemble each other,
are shipwrecked and become separat-
ed, each believing the other to be
drowned. Viola, the first to appear
on dry land, dressed in her brothers.
clothes and assuming the nane OF &c,
sario, seeks service with the Duke
and is engaged as his attendant. The
maiden assumes a tender affection for
her master, who sends her to plead
his cause with the Countess. She
pleads the Dukes cause with such
eloquence and grace that the Countess
ends by falling in love with the mess
enger. Viola unable to reveal her
sex, returns to the Duke with the
news that she has been unsuccessful in
her mission. The Duke still love sick
and u~nconsolable, talks philosophi-
cally of love. asking the supposed
youth whether he has ever felt the
pangs of that disease. Viola, in the
meantime having conceived a passion
ate love for her master which she dare
not unfold, is repeatedly being sent to
the Countess to plead Orsino's cause.
For a while the play is taken up with
a comic u%nderplot by the humorous
characters residing in Olivia's house
who determine to play a. practical
joke upon the puritanical steward,
Malvolio. They make him believe the
Countess is attracted by him and likes
to see him appareled in "yellow stock
ings and cross gartered." The Count
ess, astounded, believes her steward
has gone mad and has him confined in
a dungeon to the great amusement of
the plotters. The love story is re-
sumed with another meeting between
Olivia and Viola which ends as did
the first. Olivia thinking, that from
modesty, the page will not press his
own suit, in impassioned words pro-
claims her love for him. At this
point, Sir Andrew Aguecheek is per-
suaded that Cesario is his rival in the
affections of the Countess, and is in
duced by his boon companion, Sir
Toby Belch, to send q challenge to
the page. Viola receives the message
but she has no more courage for the
frsy than has her paltry antagonist.
Both are made to believe that as a
matter Of honor they must fight, and a
duel sue Happily it is bloodless,
for Antonio, a ship captain, mistak'
ing Viola for his friend Sebastian,
ranges himself on his side. Sebas.
tian, viola's twin brother, now comes
actively into the play and the coined,
of errors begins to develop. Sir An
drew meets Sebastian and mistakine
him for his frightened foe of a shor
while back, insults him and receives
eysre drubbing. The Countess DIV
10 appears land MISLEADING Sebastian
for the page, stops the quarrel and in
vites him to her house. He accepts
her hospitality and shows signs o
love at first sight. Shortly after Sc
bastian hastily agrees to marry tn
beautiful Olivia, she believing all tn