Book Club - Shakespeare Read-Along (Act V)

 Act V
Summary and Analysis

This act is one long scene where everything comes to a head.

It opens with Fabian asking Feste for the letter Malvolio wrote, but he refuses.  The Duke and Cesario arrive, asking for Olivia.  Feste plays him for a bit of money.

Officers arrive with Antonio, whom the Duke recognizes but asks, "What's the matter?"  The officers explain they arrested him for his crimes, so Viola speaks in his defense, since he did interrupt the duel with Andrew.  But Antonio, feeling betrayed by this person he thinks is Sebastian, complains of him to the Duke.  But it can't be the same person, since Cesario has been with him all this time, not with Antonio.

Olivia comes out, with Orsino swooning and her denying him still, especially since she's been married, and of course assumes it was to Cesario standing here.  When Viola denies being husband, and chooses to follow the Duke as he means to stomp off, Olivia calls on the priest.  He confirms the ceremony.

Andrew enters, calling for a surgeon to attend Sir Toby.  He claims Cesario struck him, which Viola of course knows nothing of.  Feste brings Toby in, drunk and injured and raving.  Olivia sends him to bed, and then, thankfully, Sebastian arrives to clear all this up.  He apologizes to Olivia, and then sees Antonio.

"Antonio! O my dear Antonio!
How have the hours racked and tortured me,
since I have lost thee."

But he and everyone else are confused by seeing both Sebastian and Cesario at once.  They speak to each other, both of them thinking the other is drowned, and Sebastian has no brother, only a sister.  So she finally admits to hiding her "maiden weeds" at a captain's place and wearing men's clothes to serve the Duke.  Is he upset?  Nah, he asks for her hand and to see her in her woman's weeds.

But the captain is being held by Malvolio, so Olivia sends for him.  But first Feste gives her his letter and Fabian reads it aloud.  When Fabian leaves to get Malvolio, Olivia offers an alliance, "To think me as well a sister as a wife."  Orsino accepts, and tells Viola her master quits her, and she is now to be his mistress.

Now here's Malvolio, and he has the letter he thinks was written by Olivia.  She confirms it was Maria's handwriting, and Fabian confesses it was he and Toby who asked her to do it.  Malvolio says he'll be revenged and leaves.  Orsino urges Olivia to follow him and make peace, and everyone but the clown departs.  He sings a final song.

"A great while ago the world begun,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain:
But that's all one, our play is done,
And we'll strive to please you every day."

Thanks for reading along and commenting!

We'll try something new this summer - a different playwright, or a different theme altogether.

We'll see!