“Fools Tell All They Know” or The Wisdom of Feste in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night

Al just about each of Shakespe bes bets countenance a c piteousn purpose. Clowns were popular and amusing, and were simple constitutions that the trim down class audience members could relate to, amidst all the royal people evasive actions were populated with. further the clowns in Shakespe ars plays served a dual purpose. non only were they sources of comedy, al adept like acknowledgeing sources of truth. wisdom and advice are im recessed through the lines of these figures of fun. The clowns reflected the honest temperament or feelingions of the early(a), to a greater extent noble characters. They to a fault foreshadow coming events. One of the around striking examples of this type of clown is the character of Feste in one-twelfth Night. Feste dispenses advice and exposes truths to most of the major characters of the play. Though he is only a ingest, he seems to be the only character in the play that truly has his marbles about him.Feste mirrors each of the main characters, disclosure facets of their respective dispositions. He often distributes fellowship about other characters of which they were non aware. For example, Feste is most closely related to Olivia. She is his patron and calls upon him to frisk her. But Feste does not entertain in the standard way of a clown. He realizes that Olivia is not in subordination of her emotions when it comes to love, and that she lacks control over her subordinates. He speculates, in an aside,Wit, ant be thy will, enjoin me into good shootingThose wits that think they have thee do truly oft prove foolsAnd I that am sure I lack thee whitethorn pass for a wise man.For what place Quinapalus? -Better a humourous fool than a foolish wit. (1.5.29-31)Feste knows what is going on with Olivias predicament with Orsino, scarce still plays the fool. He expresses his feelings of apprehension for Olivia and her supposed wisdom. Feste thinks Olivias actions are silly, and is not afraid to tell her so i n indirect ways. When Olivia gets tired of Festes obscure advice, she tells her attendants to pick up away the fool, and Feste returns, The lady bade run the fool away, therefore I say again/take her away . . . I wear not motley in my brain/good franticonna feed me leave to prove you a fool (1.5.45-6, 49-51). He continues by intercommunicate Olivia why she mourns for the loss of her brother. If she believes his souls to be in heaven, as she does, then there is no modestness for sorrow. Feste uses a come apart of quirky realism to try and show Olivia how silly she is being, only is does not work, because Olivia refuses to think of his advice as anything unless the ramblings of a fool. Though Feste does seem, in close to ways, to be very educated no one takes his suggestions seriously.Feste is the only character in the play that crosses into every world. He is whoremaster to the secrets of Countess Olivia, he sings to and foretells the fate of Orsino, he guides genus genus Viola and Sebastian, Feste also ventures into the tavern world of Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Fabian and Maria. Olivia bids him to enter this world by asking him to look after her kinsman, Sir Toby, who is a drowned man, that is to say, drowned with drink. Feste takes a lighter view of Sir Toby stat of spirit by saying he is hallucinating with drink claiming, He is but mad yet, Madonna, and the fool shall look to the madman. In the context of the play, Sir Toby plays to a greater extent the part of the unmixed fool than Feste. He is merely a comic figure with no more depth to him than that of the stock drunkard. Feste is the genius of the play, but is not noble, and so does not authentically fit in anywhere. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew grapple Feste as both a plugger and a servant, paying him to sing, but requesting his corporation and attend to in their practical jokes. Feste reveals his necessity about events to come in his vocal music to Sir Toby,O mistress mine, where are you roaming?O stay and hear, your true loves comingThat bottom of the inning sing both high and lowTrip no further comely sweetingJourneys end in Lovers meeting each wise mans son doth know. (2.3.36-40)Feste reveals to these two drunkards the secret plan of the entire play. Of course, they do not reckon and simply praise Festes singing ability, but, nevertheless, he has revealed his wisdom and knowledge about the other characters. Later in the play, they request that Feste flash back up as a wise man to fool Malvolio into thinking he has doomed his wits. Feste humbly obliges and does so, playing the part willingly and well. Shakespeares characters love to disguise themselves this opus is often important to the plot of his comedies, but in this case, the disguise takes an ironic turn. Feste, in dressing up as a wise man, reveals his true nature or else of concealing it. Though this scene is meant to be played for bald comedic value, the audience gets a glimpse of the true nature of the clown. Truly, though, Feste does not seem very interested in the torment of Malvolio, and ultimately provides him with means to settle his unf pedigree predicament. Look then to be well edified when the fool delivers the madman, Feste says as he reads the letter that leads to Malvolios release from captivity.Feste is also aware of the fate that will occur Orsino. He is welcome3d to the music-loving court at Orsinos home, possibly because he belongs to Olivia, and in this way, at least, Orsino foot feel he has some sort of relationship with her. Feste rapidly sees through Orsinos somber and wishes,Now the sober god protect thee, and the tailor snitch thy doublet of changeable taffeta, for thy brain is a veryopal. I would have men of such constancy put to sea, that theirbusiness might be everything, and their intent everywhere, forthats it that always makes a good ocean trip of nothing. (2.4.72-6)Feste knows exactly what Orsino is feeling, how his relationship with Oliv ia is shaping up, and what his terminal result will be. Orsino is fickle and school and Feste knows it. When Orsino and Feste meet again later in the play, Feste is resentful of his patronage, wishing the worse for his friends, then calling Orsino his friend (5.1.10,22). Clearly, like the audience, Feste does not care for the Duke Orsino.Feste reveals his wisdom most clear in his conversations with Viola. Though he refers to her as sir, he does so in a sarcastic way, as if he knows her secret. Viola also forces Feste to consider his own circumstances, and he meditates, A sentence is but a chevril glove to a good wit-how quickly the wrong side may be turned outward, and Viola counters with, Nay, thats certain. They that dally nicely with words may quickly make them wanton, (3.1.10-14).Since Feste is an actor, Shakespeare is playing with the meaning of these lines in one of his favorite ways, by reminding the audience they are watching a play. These two are certainly the most charmi ng characters of the play and their dialogue reveals as much. Both know a little about the others true nature, and are not afraid to share their knowledge with each other. Feste prefers Viola (as Cesario) to Orsino as a suitor for his mistress, and so tries to help win her, and mistakenly, Sebastian, to Olivias favor.Feste seems to grow tired of his fools lineament in the play. By Act collar he declares, Words are bragging(a) so false, I am lost to make reason with them, (3.1.22-3). He has an air of resignation in his lines towards the end of the play, ultimately leading up to his final epilogue. This straining chronicles his life, in a melancholy way, mop up with, But thats all one, our play is through/ And well strive to please you every day. Festes final words are riddled with melancholy he is doomed to always play the fool, to never be free of the constraints of the play.As a fool, Feste has all the necessary qualities singing, impersonation, joke-telling. But, as a chara cter, he is much more than a jester. He is the key to Twelfth Night. He gives the play depth and center field that other comedies do not contain. He weaves all the worlds of the play together with witty words and melancholy ballads. Feste is the binding component in an otherwise contrived and mediocre play.