Twelfth Night - William Shakespeare

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 takes account of recent scholarship while giving the material a careful reappraisal. Variously melancholy lyrical joyous and farcical Twelfth Night has long been a popular comedy with Shakespearian audiences. The main plot revolves around mistaken identities and unrequited love. Both Olivia and Orsino are attracted to Viola who is disguised as a young man; and Viola's brother Sebastian finds that he is loved not only by Antonio but also by Olivia. Meanwhile in the comic sub-plot Sir Toby Belch and his companions outwit the vain Malvolio who is ludicrously humiliated. While offering broad comedy Twelfth Night teasingly probes gender-roles and sexual ambiguities.