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OLIVIA
A wealthy, beautiful, and noble Illyrian
lady, Olivia is being courted by many men, but she says she is in mourning
for her recently dead
brother. Nothing Count Orsino
does can make her love him--but his handsome young page boy, "Cesario,"
is another story. |
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ORSINO
Count Orsino is a powerful nobleman
in the coastal country of Illyria. He is lovesick for the beautiful Lady
Olivia, but finds himself becoming more and more fond of his handsome new
page boy, "Cesario." |
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VIOLA
A young woman; when disguised as a
man, she is called "Cesario." Washed up on the shore of Illyria when her
ship is wrecked in a storm,Viola believes that her twin brother Sebastian
has been killed and disguises herself as a young man, named "Cesario,"
to become a page to Count Orsino. She ends up falling in love with Orsino--but
Olivia, the woman
Orsino is courting, ends
up falling in love with "Cesario." |
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SEBASTIAN
Viola's lost twin brother, not dead
after all. When he arrives in Illyria, traveling with his close friend
and protector Antonio, he discovers that many people seem to think they
know him--and the beautiful Lady Olivia, whom he has never met, wants to
marry him. |
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MARIA
Olivia's
clever, daring young serving-woman. She is largely responsible for the
trick played on Malvolio, and adores Sir Toby as much
as he adores her. |
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SIR TOBY BELCH
Sir Toby Belch is Olivia's uncle. She
lets him live with her, but she does not approve of his rowdy behavior,
his practical jokes, his heavy drinking, his late-night carousing, or his
friends (that is, the idiotic Sir Andrew). But Sir Toby is very fond of
Olivia's witty serving-woman, Maria. |
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SIR ANDREW AGUECHEEK
Sir Andrew Aguecheek is a friend of
Sir Toby's. He is courting Olivia, but he doesn't stand a chance: he thinks
he is witty, brave, young, and good at languages and dancing--but he's
actually an idiot. Sir
Toby likes him in large part
because he is wealthy. |
MALVOLIO
The straitlaced steward--or head servant--in
the household of Lady Olivia. A Puritan,
Malvolio is very efficient but also very self-righteous, and he has a poor
opinion of drinking, singing, and fun.
Naturally, Olivia's rowdy
uncle and servants decide to have some "fun" with
him. |
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FESTE
The clown, or "licensed fool," of Olivia's
household, Feste moves between Olivia's and Orsino's houses. He earns his
living by making pointed jokes, singing old songs, being generally witty,
and offering good
advice cloaked under a layer
of foolishness. |
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ANTONIO
A gentleman who rescued young Sebastian
when he washed up after his shipwreck, Antonio has become very fond indeed
of Sebastian, caring for him, accompanying him to Illyria, and furnishing
him with money--all out of love. But Antonio is in danger in Illyria, because
he has a long history with the powerful Count Orsino... |
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