Malvolio

In William Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night, the play revolves around the love triangle that exists between Viola, Olivia, and Orsino. Although the play focuses on their love triangle and the festivities that other characters have, all of these characters and the gaiety in the play are sharply contrasted by Malvolio. Malvolio is the steward of Lady Olivia’s household. In the beginning of the play, Malvolio is shown as an insignificant minor character; however as the reader continues to know Malvolio better, he becomes one of the most complex and fascinating characters in Twelfth Night. When Malvolio is first introduced, he is portrayed as a puritan that enjoys nothing more than ruining other people’s fun; however it is through Malvolio’s self-regard and remarkable ambitions that he becomes the laughing stock of the play. Because of this, Malvolio is able to connect with the audience on numerous levels that the other characters are not able to create with the reader. Because of the dangers of social ambition which are still rampant in society today, the audience is sympathetic of Malvolio’s transformation from a puritanical bully to a power thirsty fiend.
The first evidence of Malvolio’s undesirable disposition comes from his first appearance in the play when he insults the wit and intelligence of Feste when he says, “I marvel your ladyship takes delight in such a barren rascal” (Twelfth Night,I,v,4).   By saying this to Feste, Malvolio shows himself to be a man who condescends to those he believes to be lower than him in any way. He decides who is “lower” than him by acting on his own personal belief of superiority, this unique trait that Malvolio has later becomes a major component of his downfall. In addition to this, Malvolio “rejects the challenge to alter himself, and grotesquely continues to defy his antagonists, who are not villains of great power, but jovial tipplers” (Barnet 56). This is demonstrated when he speaks out against Maria, Feste and more...