onio's requiring his purse again from Cesario, whom he
takes for Sebastian, and so to add complication to the situation
arising from the resemblance between the brother and sister.

What are the situations which the story gives Shakespeare a chance to
develop? On the one hand, is the Duke pouring out his love for another
woman to his supposed page, who is in love with him, and thus giving
rise to the series of scenes between the Duke and Viola. On the other
hand, is the supposed page pressing his master's suit to a woman who
loves the supposed page, and thus giving rise to the series of scenes
between Viola and Olivia. Out of this love of Olivia for Viola grows
the absurd situation of Viola's being obliged to fight a duel, which
is made still more ridiculous through the circumstance of her
challenger being a fool. Out of Viola's resemblance to her brother and
her disguise grows the absurd situation of Olivia's claiming her as a
husband, and that of Sir Andrew taking for his unwilling duellist the
all-too-willing Sebastian.

To these situations which naturally result from the story, Shakespeare
has added in Olivia's household a set of characters whose personality
is such that amusing situations are multiplied. Thus we may say that
the play is one of situation rather than of action, since whatever of
action there is in it leads to situation, and whatever of character
there is in it leads also to situation.

QUERIES FOR DISCUSSION

1. If attention is constantly given to creating humorous situations,
will character-development necessarily suffer? 2. Do you agree with
the Shakespearian critic Verplanck that this play bears no indication
either of an original groundwork of incident, afterwards enriched by
the additions of a fuller mind, or of thoughts, situations, and
characters accidentally suggested, or growing unexpectedly out of the
story, as the author proceeded?

II

THE WHIMSICAL AND OTHER ALLUSIONS IN THE PLAY

Pick out and explain the curious allusions in the play, noticing that
these may be classed as geographical, mythological, astrological, or
referable to persons or customs of the time, or books of the day. For
examples of the latter class, note Sir Toby's 'diluculo surgere' (II.
iii.), for 'Saluberrimum est dilucolu surgere,' an adage from Lilly's
Grammar, doubtless one of Shakespeare's text-books at the Edward VI.
School in Stratford; and Viola's 'Some Mollification for your giant
sweet lady' (I. v.)