The Clown Is the Wise Man in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Body
Conclusion
References

Introduction

In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the clown, Feste, replaces a narrator. He also keeps the audience up on what is happening. He gives up his most important comments in songs. The first, sung in the tavern for Sit Andrew and Sir Toby Belch, is a foreshadowing of things to come. The second is performed for Count Orsino and it foreshadows also the comedy of the hidden identity of Viola, hinting that the Count will change his mind. The third song is to Malvolio telling him he is mad. His last song closes the play on a somewhat ambiguous note.

Body

The clown is the wise one in Twelfth Night, but only Viola sees this. The true comedy is the actions of those players who think they are wise. Nielson says the song is either not Shakespeare’s or it shows that the play was earlier than popularly thought, since the first song, “O Mistress mine, where are you roaming?” ( II. iii. 43 ff), has been found by Chappell in Morley Consort Lessons, published in 1599, ….. or that, as often was the case, an already existing song was introduced into the play.” (Neilson 30-31) The clown is really quite outspoken, as he can afford to be, as a licensed (recognized) fool. In Act 1, Scene 5, Festes calls Olivia the fool and proves it by her own logic, since she will spend seven years mourning a brother whom she believes is in heaven.

The first song, sung in the tavern, at the insistence of Sit Andrew and Sir Toby Belch for a love song, is a recitation of what is going on in the play and it hints that the clown knows that Viola and Cesario are the same, “O stay and hear, your true love’s coming, That can sing both high and low.” (Act 2, Scene 3) This also lets the audience know that the actual theme of this play is love. Then he hints that love may not be what the wise man’s son (both men have failed to reach the social levels and maturity of their fathers), and that things may not turn out as they expect.

He mentions the age of Viola, “sweet and twenty”. This hints that the journey’s end will include the meeting of lovers, and this hints a little at the ending of the play, where both couples will be married, Viola and Orsino and Sebastian and Olivia. The song is a caution to the audience not to take things too seriously, but that this play is a merriment for the season, (New Year).We note in this scene that it is Sir Andrew who provides most of entertainment, because he is such a fool. “The song beginning “Farewell, dear heart” ( II. iii. 116 ff), fragments of which are sung by Sir Toby and the Clown, appears in Robert Jones Booke of Ayres, published in 1601.” (Neilson 30-31) This may have simply been one of the popular songs of the time.

True to Shakespeare’s habit, the fool knows all, and Feste helps us understand the true meaning of the play. By playing the fool, he is allowed to be truthful without incurring wrath or being challenged to a duel. It is only Viola, who is also involved in both houses, Olivia’s and Orsino’s, that understands the true wisdom of the clown. “This fellow is wise enough to play the fool, and to do that craves a kind of wit. He must observe their mood on whom he jests, the quality of persons, and the time, and, like the haggard, check at every feather That comes before his eye.

This is a practice as full of labor as a wise man’s art, for that he wisely shows is fit, but wise men, folly-fallen, quite taint their wit.” (Act 3, Scene 1) These lines tell us that Viola knows that Feste is no fool at all, and knows more than any of the other characters. He might even know that she is not a man. “Now Jove in his next commodity of hair send thee a beard (Act 3, Scene 1). Still, Feste never admits to his insight, and he is not attached to any character, but remains a wise and daring critic, only intent upon earning money.

The second song is sung for Count Orsino, after he and Viola have had a discussion about the song and the love it describes. The counts send for the singer, the clown Feste. He and Viola (Cesario) talk about the virtues of a woman marrying a man who is older than she while they wait for the clown to arrive. The song is typical of Shakespeare’s time, as these were often sung by traveling minstrels and in court when they were summoned to play. It would have appealed to the entire audience, even the commoners who paid for standing room. It would have appealed to Count Orsino, since he was totally distracted by his supposed love for Olivia, and it tells of a man “slain by a fair cruel maid”.

Death and love were often companions in Elizabethan drama, to heighten the emotional content of love, making it as deep and permanent as death. This is one of the underlying themes of several of Shakespeare’s plays, including Romeo and Juliet. The last lines of this song hint that the Count should love someone younger, whom he will outlive, possibly pointing to the very young Viola, “Lay me, O, where/Sad true lover never find my grave,/To weep there!” (Act 2, Scene 4)

The next song ends Act 4, Scene 2, after the clown makes fun of Malvolio, “Fare thee well. Remain thou still in darkness: thou shalt hold the opinion of Pythagoras ere I will allow of thy wits, and fear to kill a woodcock, lest thou dispossess the soul of thy grandam.” (Act 4, Scene 2) He more or less calls Malviolio stupid, “in darkness” and says that he will not believe that he has any intelligence until Malvolio gains understanding equivalent to that of Pythagoras, as revered scholar. The clown then finishes the scene by mocking Malvolio’s idea to challenge Cesario, saying he will fall back on the old vice (drink). It suggests that Malvolio will not change at all, but remain stupid and socially inept. He exhibits the foolishness of those who think they are better than wise fools.

Feste’s final song ends the play, but on an ambiguous note. The song says that the rain it raineth every day, hinting that these supposed true love may not be all that perfect. Feste seems to be hinting at the inconstancy of life, and that one’s fortunes, and the feelings which might be tied to them, can unravel at any time.

The clown’s songs fill in all the blanks in the play and permit the audience to share his wisdom and his foreknowledge of what will come. He is, possibly, the wisest character in the play, though Viola rivals him. This was also typical of Shakespeare to make at least one female character very wise indeed. This is possibly a way of pleasing Elizabeth I, who was a regular member of his audience, and she governed England alone, never marrying. She was a valuable patron, so he would have wanted to please her.

Conclusion

Shakespeare also used the clown’s last song to indicate the end of the play, as was common for his plays. The audience expected to be told that it was done, and it was not uncommon for narrators to talks directly to the audience in those days. So these lines say very plainly that the play is over, and formally end the play, but they also hint that there will be more with the last line. “But that’s all one, our play is done,/ And we’ll strive to please you every day.” (Act 5, Scene 1) It is fitting that he used the “Fool” to end it, as he was the most important character in the play, explaining everything that was going on, criticizing and even making fun of the folly of the other, supposedly wise, characters.

References

Neilson, William Allan, ed. Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night: Or, What You Will. Chicago: Scott Foresman, 1903. Questia. Web.

Shakespeare, William, Twelfth Night: Or, What You Will.

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The Clown Is the Wise Man in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”

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