Topic Studies I

Introduction to Shakespeare

Linda S. Arai　

Hi there! Below are some online resources to help you learn more and write a paper about Shakespeare and his play, Twelfth Night. If you use ideas and words from these sources, be sure to make proper citations and list these sources on your "Works Cited" page. Do not forget that there are also excellent resources on Shakespeare and Twelfth Night in the reference and reserved sections of the school library. Finally, remember that the most important source in writing your paper is Twelfth Night itself. In other words, more than anything, use events and words from the play to support the ideas in your paper. Good luck and let me know if you need any help.

Links To Research Sources

TABLE OF CONTENTS

General and Background Information

Scenes in the Play

Characters

Themes and Other Elements

Critical Essays

Test Your Knowledge

General and Background Information

Shakespeare：A Virtual Field Trip
Bacgkround information about Shakespeare and his times with lots of pictures.

Twelfth Night
This gives a brief introduction to the play. Stop #4 gives a summary of the play , Stop #5 describes the history of the play, and Stop #6 introduces the characters.　　　

Twelfth Night: The Author and His Times
Good information about Shakespeare and how features of the time he lived in (such as social class, courtly love, and fools) appear in his play.

Twelfth Night: Context
Information about the historical context in which the play was written.

Twelfth Night
This is the official web page for the most recently produced film on the play. Included is an interesting study guide to the film.

Return To Table Of Contents

Scenes from the Play

William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
Scene Summaries.

Twelfth Night Commentary
Quite detailed descriptions of the scenes. Some of the important words from the play are explained.

ClassicNote on Twelfth Night
Summary and analysis of scenes.

Return To Table Of Contents

Characters

Novel Analysis: Twelfth Night
Character descriptions.

The Characters
Character descriptions.

Analysis of Major Characters
Character analysis.

Overall Analyses - Characters
Character analysis.

Return To Table Of Contents

Themes and Other Elements

Themes, Motifs、and Symbols
Themes and other elements in the play.

Themes
Themes in the play.

Return To Table Of Contents

Critical Essays*
*NOTE: Not many critical essays can be found on the internet. Many more can be found in the books in the library.

The Ironies of Happy Endings: An Introduction to Twelfth Night
A detailed introduction to the play. Includes sections about "Twelfth Night as a Pastoral Romance," "Viola," "Viola in the Courtship of Orsino and Olivia," "The Language of Love," "The Sub-Plot: The Gulling of Malvolio," and "Feste."

ClassicNote on Twelfth Night
An essay by Brad Knisley on "The Role of the Fool: Feste's Significance."

Essays on Twelfth Night
A collection of essays. Includes essays with titles such as "Towards an Elizabethan Twelfth Night,""Romance and Gender Positions in Twelfth Night," and "The Truth about Disguise (Twelfth Night and Othello)."

Twelfth Night - An Analysis of Fools
An essay on fools.

Twelfth Night
An essay by Elizabeth Mullenix which briefly discusses the subtitle of the play ("What You Will"), Viola's transvestism and the themes of masking and crossing class lines.

Return To Table Of Contents

Test Your Knowledge

Quiz on Twelfth Night
Multiple choice quiz.

Twelfth Night Revision
A general quiz on the plot and characters.

Twelfth Night Revision
A quiz on each act of the play.

Twelfth Night
A very detailed quiz (including a short essay section) with answers.

Return To Table Of Contents

Return To Topic Studies I, II Index