The complex plot - full of mistaken identities, misdirected passions, high comedy, low tricks, and unexpected poignancy - begins as a ship, carrying the identical twins Viola and Sebastian is wrecked off the coast of a fictional country, Illyria. Viola is washed ashore on this alien coast and becomesconvinced that her beloved brother is dead. She learns that she is near the home of Olivia, a youngcountess who is also in mourning, for her recently dead father and brother. Accordingly, Olivia hassworn to have no contact with men for seven years, and in particular she is rejecting the amorousadvances of the young Duke OrsinoDesperate to know how to survive, and to keep the spirit of her twin brother alive, Viola decides todisguise herself as a boy. She transforms herself into "Cesario," enters into the service of Orsinoand is soon sent to woo Olivia on the Duke's behalf. Olivia remains unmoved by Orsino's attentionsbut finds herself instead attracted to young "Cesario," who in turn begins to fall in love with Orsino.As Viola says, "My master loves her dearly; And I, poor monster, fond as much on him. And she,mistaken, seems to dote on me." When Viola's twin Sebastian suddenly emerges, alive and well, thistriangle is complicated almost to a breaking point.While Orsino, Viola, Olivia, and Sebastian are preoccupied with their romantic destinies, Olivia'shousehold is equally occupied with a power struggle between the ill-tempered, repressive steward,Malvolio, and her boisterous and bibulous uncle, Sir Toby Belch, accompanied by his vacuous, misfitfriend, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and Olivia's maid, Maria. For his own financial ends, Sir Tobyencourages Sir Andrew to woo Olivia, while plotting Malvolio's humiliation. Throughout, Feste, themost enigmatic of entertainers, comes and goes between the two households, sparing no one hemeets his barbed insights and his wit.Written in 1600 or 1601, this play is Shakespeare's last romantic comedy. The com...
