The Role and Function of Feste in William Shakespeares...

The Role and Function of Feste in William Shakespeares Twelfth Night In Elizabethan times the Twelfth Night was a time of holiday and festivals and it was sometimes known as the feast of fools. Slapstick comedy, satire and romance along with disguise and frivolity were all ingredients, which would have been the order of the day. Feste the fool represents the festive spirit of the play, and he makes an important contribution to the action. Fools were employed by noble families, Feste is employed by the Countess Olivia. His role in Olivias household is to provide music, witty comment to engage in verbal repartee and to participate in slapstick comedy. Additionally in the play he also provides†¦show more content†¦He observes, Foolery sir, does walk about the orb like the sun, it shines everywhere What he is observing here is that he is surrounded by people who are fools. In many ways Feste seems to be the wisest person in the play. Feste accurately sums up the other characters. He mocks the Duke For thy mind is a very opal . An opal stone appears to be many colours and he is suggesting that the Dukes mind is very changeable. And of Sir Andrew For what says Quinapalus? Better a witty fool than a foolish wit. Since Feste is a licensed fool his main role in Twelfth Night is to speak the truth. He proves Olivia to be a true fool when he takes her to task for the time she intends to spend in mourning for a person whose soul is in heaven. Although he plays the fool he is not a fool and Viola is able to sum him up perfectly This fellows wise enough to play the fool And to do that well craves a kind of wit In the play Feste is probably most associated with music and sings three important songs. His love of music is clear. The love song he sings for Sir Toby and Sir Andrew in act two encourages the listener to grasp love whilst young because whats to come is still unsure. 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