Twelfth Night

Edited, Introduced, and Annotated by Cedric Watts, M.A., Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of English, University of Sussex

The Wordsworth Classics' Shakespeare's Series presents a newly-edited sequence of William Shakespeare's works. The textual editing considers recent scholarship while giving the material a careful reappraisal.

A Beloved Shakespearean Comedy

Variously melancholy, lyrical, joyous, and farcical, Twelfth Night has long been a popular comedy with Shakespearean audiences. The main plot revolves around:

• Mistaken identities
• Unrequited love

Both Olivia and Orsino are attracted to Viola, who is disguised as a young man. Meanwhile, Viola’s brother, Sebastian, finds himself loved not only by Antonio but also by Olivia.

A Comic Sub-Plot with Broad Humor

In the comic sub-plot:

• Sir Toby Belch and his companions outwit the vain Malvolio, leading to his ludicrous humiliation.

While offering broad comedy, Twelfth Night also teasingly probes gender roles and sexual ambiguities, making it a timeless exploration of human relationships and identity.