Maria forges this letter to trick Malvolio into acting foolish. Why do Sir Toby and Maria write a letter to Malvolio? Asked by Wiki User. Maria once told me she did affect me: and I have heard herself come... 20. To be Count Malvolio! ‘Why, she may command me! Maria once told: 20: me she did affect me: and I … Feste pretends that Sir Topas is coming, and holds a conversation with himself warning Feste to stay away from the madman. Malvolio keeps on referring to various lines of the letter which he supposes that Olivia wrote to him, but since Olivia did not write the letter, she has no idea what he is talking about. It suggests that the writer is in love with somebody but must keep it a secret from the world, though she wants her beloved to know about it. Contents hide. The letter convinces Malvolio that Olivia is in love with him, and leads him to think that Olivia wants him to do things such as smile, wear yellow stockings and cross garters. Act 3 . Having been three months married to her, sitting in my state,— 23. How now, my metal of India! However, the fact is that Olivia is morning her brother's death, and finds smiling offensive, and yellow is: The others agree, and after she leaves, the drinkers praise Maria. v. 92). Andrew expresses his doubts. Maria says that "sometimes he is a kind of puritan" (2.3.139), which aligns Malvolio with the religious group despised for its opposition to the theater, winter festivals, and other forms of entertainment (just about everything Twelfth Night celebrates). Still, in the end he agrees to help Malvolio write a letter to Olivia. Why did Maria play a trick on malvolio? 22. Contents. Andrew remembers sadly, "I was adored once too." The reason why Maria's plan is so appropriate for Malvolio is that he is in a deluded state for most of the play which affects his character, hopes and dreams, making him easy bait for the letter. Malvolio, having found the love letter, thinks that Olivia in is love with him. Malvolio enters and pleads for justice, holding out the letter he found in the garden as an explanation for his behavior. As Malvolio recognizes certain letters, he mouths them aloud; this is a superb comic example of "echo comedy." (holds up envelope). Sir Andrew & Sir Toby didn’t like his behavior, so they asked Maria to write a letter acting as Olivia to trick him. It is agreed that Maria will write a love letter to Malvolio which seems to come from Olivia and leave it where he cannot miss it. If she wrote the letter, Sir Toby promised that he’ll marry her. She will write a letter which seems to be by Olivia suggesting that she is in love with Malvolio, and leave it where he will find it. Toby says Maria adores him. “Sweet lady, ho, ho!” Malvolio enters the scene with a laugh. Start studying Twelfth Night study guide Act II. Write at least 5 sentences as if you were Maria forging this letter to Malvolio, convincing him that Olivia loves him and to prove his love. MALVOLIO Fool! Characters in the Play. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Close, in the name of jesting! In Twelfth Night Malvolio finds a letter in the garden. Maria may in fact be guilty of wanting greatness thrust upon her in the household of Olivia and in society itself. They write a letter, apparently from Olivia, in which she confesses her love for Malvolio and wishes him to dress and behave in a ridiculous manner. Maria: "âyour ladyship were best to have some guard about you if he come, for sure the man is tainted in's wits." MARIA: Yes. The three men ignore him as they did Maria and now Malvolio threatens to make Maria look disrespectful in Olivia's eyes if she does not quieten these three men down. Malvolio will believe Olivia is seducing him for sure! Olivia takes it and has to tell him that she didn’t write it: the handwriting’s is Maria’s. In the play Twelfth Night, Malvolio is the Lady Olivia's steward and the target of a major prank. [Exit] [Enter MALVOLIO] MALVOLIO 'Tis but fortune; all is fortune. Once Malvolio leaves, Maria concocts a plan to make Malvolio look like a complete fool: since Maria's handwriting is similar to Olivia's, she will write love letters to Malvolio and make it look like the letters have come from Olivia. Malvolio arrives, warning the men that he will speak to Olivia about this noise. She'll write a letter in Olivia's handwriting that will lead Malvolio to believe that Olivia is in love with him and leave the letter where Malvolio can find it. Maria forges this letter to trick Malvolio into acting foolish. Exeunt SIR TOBY BELCH and MARIA CLOWN [Singing] 'Hey, Robin, jolly Robin, Tell me how thy lady does.' Maria shows aquity of perception of Malvolio's character, enabling her to craft a stealthy yet suitable trap for him. MALVOLIO Fool! In fact, when Maria went to find Sir Toby and Sir Andrew after she wrote a fraudulent love letter to Malvolio from Olivia, she stated that "he has been yonder i’ the sun practicing behavior to his own shadow this half hour." Related Questions. II,5,1067. Maria enters to say that Malvolio has followed every point in the letter and is about to incur disaster when he appears before Olivia. He was trying to flirt with Olivia but she was confused. Maria is shown to have a friendly relationship with Sir Toby Belch, and exhibits a witty attitude. And I added a pair of pretty pink panties to seal the deal. Malvolio promises to obey the letter: to smile, to put on yellow stockings cross-gartered, and to be haughty to Sir Toby. Maybe Maria knew so well what to write in a letter to Malvolio to play on his biggest dreams and hopes because she herself dreams and hopes of the same things. CLOWN 'My lady is unkind, perdy.' Here it is sir. Malvolio picks up a letter that he thinks has been written by Olivia (but in fact is a forgery written by Maria). There is example for't; the lady of the Strachy married the yeoman of the wardrobe. They are the ones who purposely leave behind the love letter for Malvolio to find. He says, "it did come to his great hands". Hurt by Malvolio's earlier contempt and fearing that it might cost him his job, Feste plots with Sir Toby and Maria to disgrace Malvolio in front of Olivia. Close, in the name of jesting! Entire Play. At the same time, Maria's a girl who likes to have a bit of fun herself. That's exactly what Maria does when she writes a letter that brings about Malvolio's downfall. Even Olivia’s court jester, Feste, described Malvolio negatively. Maria is a fictional character in the play Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare.She is a servant in Olivia's household. II,5,1063. In the play Twelfth Night who drops the letter to trick Malvolio? Enter MARIA. TOBY: Maria, Did you finish that letter yet? Malvolio’s position within the play is that of a steward to the Lady of the house, Countess Olivia. A. know this letter will make a contemplative idiot of: him. He is overconfident and has a very high opinion of himself, this is evident when he is questioning whether a love letter which he presumes was written by Olivia, is for him. Then, their plan takes a more malicious turn; not satisfied with the havoc they have already caused, they decide to make Malvolio go mad, if they can. II,5,1075. As Olivia's lady in waiting, it's her job to keep Toby Belch and company from being too rowdy while Olivia mourns for her dead brother. Malvolio the Character. D. They want to play a prank on him and humble him 1 See answer KawaiiCupcakes is waiting for your help. The audience know the truth because previously in the play, we have seen Maria, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew plotting against Malvolio and Malvolio falling into the trap. Why does she do it? Maria also forges a love letter to Malvolio which results in Malvolio being confined to a dark room (a treatment for madness). The letter is addressed to “the unknown beloved” and contains what seems to be a riddle about love (II. Lie thou there, [Throws down a letter] for here comes the trout that must be caught with tickling. Maria writes a letter in Olivia's handwriting and leaves it for Malvolio to find it. MARIA Get ye all three into the box-tree: Malvolio's coming down this walk: he has been yonder i' the sun practising behavior to his own shadow this half hour: observe him, for the love of mockery; for I know this letter will make a contemplative idiot of him. The letter, addressed to 'the unknown beloved'makes Malvolio think that Lady Olivia is deeply... See full answer below. Feste wanders by the cell, singing, and Malvolio begs him to bring him pen and ink. 21. Lie thou there, Maria, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew plot against him to ridicule him in front of everyone, mainly Olivia. Toby hits up Andrew for more money. Malvolio wears cross-gartered yellow stockings because Maria, posing as Olivia, wrote a letter to him asking him to do so. Answer. She hatches a plot to leave love letters in Malvolio’s chamber, written in what looks to be Olivia’s handwriting (but is really Maria’s). Be the first to answer! B. She asked Sir Toby to help her and Sir Toby convinced them that Malvolio was crazy. The three men ignore Maria. Malvolio wears cross-gartered yellow stockings because Maria, posing as Olivia, wrote a letter to him asking him to do so. Delighted with their success, Maria and the others prepare to enjoy Malvolio’s downfall. Maria lays her trap for Malvolio by placing her forged letter in his path. Maria guesses, rightly, that Malvolio will concoct a self-centered solution to the “riddle” (it must refer to him! 1 What does the letter say to Malvolio? When Malvolio opens the letter, he thinks that he recognizes Olivia's handwriting; we know, of course, that it is Maria's handwriting. Add your answer and earn points. 'Tis but fortune; all is fortune. She wrote the letter & Malvolio fell for it. Furthermore, Olivia does not realize that Malvolio is quoting ; she assumes his talk to be the ravings of a madman, and she wishes that he would leave her sight and be treated for his madness. They want to get him arrested and put in prison. Sir Toby, Maria, and Fabian approach Malvolio; they treat Malvolio's case as an instant of witchcraft or possession, and pretend they know nothing of the real cause of Malvolio's strange behavior. They want to make him too afraid to ever treat them poorly again. It’s nearly flawless in structure to Olivia’s dialect and writing style. When Malvolio has gone, Maria tells Sir Toby and Sir Andrew how she dislikes Malvolio’s vanity and self-regard, and that she plans to bring him down a peg or two. From their hiding place, Toby, Andrew, and Fabian observe Malvolio’s delight in discovering the love letter. II,5,1072. Write at least 5 sentences as if you were Maria forging this letter to Malvolio, convincing him that Olivia loves him and to prove his love. He does so! C. They want to help him find true happiness and friendship. 2 What does Maria plan to do to Malvolio ? The letter declares Olivia’s love for Malvolio and asks him to wear yellow stockings and to smile to show he loves her back. Twelfth Night—an allusion to the night of festivity preceding the Christian celebration of the Epiphany—combines love, confusion, mistaken identities, and… Act 1, scene 1. (69 lines) Enter Maria …