In the Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, the function of Feste the clown appears inconsequential, but in actuality his role has immense significance in the overall educational development of the other characters. During the seasonal holiday revelry in which this play takes place, the clown is used as an independent observer that exploits the asinine actions and the faults of the other characters. Shakespeare's contrast of Feste's true wit with the unconscious and actual foolishness of the others is the focal contribution of his role to the factual insight of this play. Feste doesn’t make his appearance in the play until the fifth scene of act I. It is during his conversation with Maria that introduces him to the reader and unveils the fool purpose and contribution to the play, which is revealed through an aside: “Wit, an’t be thy will, put me in good fooling! Those wits that think they have thee, dovery oft prove fools, and I that am sure lack thee may pass for a wise man. For what says Quinapalus? Better a witty fool than a foolishwit”(1.5:32-36)These lines indicate that Feste's presence is not merely comic relief through inane acts and show that the role of the fool requires much intelligence. Feste is also able to recognize and criticize the fools subject to foolery, the self-proclaimed wits who are not witty at all. Since it is their lack of self-knowledge that makes them fools. This subject of self-knowledge or lack thereof is pervasive throughout the comedy as it contributes to the image of love as folly. Feste's contribution to the revelation of the underlying theme of love is essential to the understanding of the play's messages. The clown's most profound comments often take the form of a song: O mistress mine, where are you roaming?O stay and hear, your true love's coming,That can sing both high and low.Trip no further, pretty sweeting,Journeys end in lovers meeting, Every wise man's son...
