Ben Floyd
EN 4513
Dr. Thomas Anderson
7 February 2011
Shame on You: The Role of Malvolio in The Twelfth Night
William Shakespeare’s The Twelfth Night has garnered much attention in recent years as
fields such as gender studies and feminism rise in prominence, but these studies often neglect
other essential features of the play, such as the problematic presence of Malvolio. In her article,
Allison Hobgood examines Malvolio’s role in the play in light of the shame he experiences and
the presence of the audience as spectators to his humiliation. Malvolio’s shame is a vital aspect
to the play. Through the course of the play, the responsibility for Malvolio’s shame shifts from
the characters within the fictional play to those individuals watching the play. However,
Hobgood does not discuss the possibility of Malvolio’s receiving justice for his behavior via the
first action taken by Maria and company, leaving their second act of humiliation as nothing more
than a cruel ploy on an ignorant dupe. Although Malvolio’s actions and personality are in no way
commendable, one could argue that they do not merit all of the punishment and ridicule he
receives. The characters’ treatment of Malvolio throughout the play, though initially justifiable,
escalates to the point where the audience must choose if they want to continue reveling in
Malvolio’s shame or feel pity for him.
Because Hobgood’s article provides crucial information concerning the audience’s role in
exploiting Malvolio’s shame, one must have a clear understanding of its argument. Hobgood
writes that the entire play is preoccupied with the deception of Malvolio and the effect such a
display has on the audience (2). For Hobgood, the audience doesn’t simply participate in his
humiliation and shame, but they play one of the most important roles of all. They are ultimately
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responsibly for his absolution. The play doesn’t merely allow responses from the audience, but it
encourages them (3). Hobgood goes so far as to argue that the reason that Malvolio is such a
distasteful stems from his confrontation with the audience, not his nature (5). In short,
interactions between the audience and the character of Malvolio are crucial to the reading of the
play. However, though her argument does recognize the potential excessiveness of Sir Toby and
Maria’s actions, it does not place substantial agency in the hands of the audience. Rather, the
article assumes they will act in an unsympathetic way towards Malvolio as a result of their own
shame and guilt over their behavior (13). Although the audience does “choose” to ignore or
laugh at Malvolio’s struggle, they don’t necessarily have the option to choose anything else (13).
Before examining these notions of shame and justice, one must understand the textual evidence
for Malvolio’s unlikable character.
Before looking at the punishment received by Malvolio, one must understand that the
structure of the play and the message it relays to its audience both indicate that Malvolio himself
represents someone who is not inherently likeable. From his first appearance, a footnote in the
Norton Shakespeare Anthology tells readers that his name means “ill will” (1800). A seventeenth
century audience with a better grasp of both such expressions and theatrical nuances would not
miss Shakespeare’s subtle message that this person is not to be liked. Confirming this belief are
the first words out of the steward’s mouth, which he uses to ridicule Feste, the fool (1.5.65-66).
He even questions Olivia’s intelligence when she chooses to entertain the fool: “I marvel your
ladyship takes delight in such a barren rascal” (1.5.71-72). The first impression given to the
audience by the play carries with it a sense of annoyance or arrogance. Later, while conversing
with Sir Toby, Malvolio warns him that, if he cannot “separate” himself from his
“misdemeanors” he will not have access to the house (2.3.88-89). This threat gives rise to
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accusations from Sir Toby and company that Malvolio is a puritan (2.3.103-104). Later, during
his soliloquy overheard by the tricksters, he expresses very unPuritan like sentiments towards
Olivia and Sir Toby (2.5.77-80; 2.5.65). Hobgood points out that this exchange carries with it
implications beyond simply solidifying Malvolio’s persona of a jerk. She writes, “The steward
merely acts the role of Puritan” and that the vast majority of his shame results “from his inability
to act the Puritan part consistently” (4). His fickle nature, then, is the core reason for why
audiences did not pity for the fellow. Hobgood writes, “Malvolio’s inconsistent nature, one
defined by humoral excess and impassioned intemperance than moderation and propriety,
becomes visible in the presence of early modern spectators” (4). In short, the cruelty shown
towards him by the tricksters, though humorous, appears to some extent just. His duplicity and
hypocritical nature merit punishment, and the audience would not feel guilty for laughing at his
lamentable condition. With the flawed character of Malvolio in mind, one must examine the
actions taken by the characters to bring about his shame.
The first action taken by the Sir Toby and Maria involves displaying Malvolio and his
shame to the audience through the exposure of his unrealizable feelings for a lover outside of his
social class. The first “act” in their trick involves the exposure of Malvolio’s true character, and
the second involves deceiving him to believe he can obtain a social ranking that is beyond him.
Prior to his solitude, Malvolio maintains a very stoic, formal appearance. After he believes he is
alone in his room, he begins speaking of his affections for Olivia and his derision for Sir Toby in
ways not consistent with his public persona. His daydreams continue as he envisions himself
rising in social ranks, all while those hidden in the room and those in the audience witness his
dreams. Hobgood notes that Malvolio’s “dreams of advancement and his passion for Olivia are
always public knowledge in the play, and this exposure makes him particularly susceptible to
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shame” (7). As a result of this exposure the audience now plays an active role in the shaming of
Malvolio. They are witnesses to his true character and, like the tricksters, actively participate in
his humiliation. Hobgood also says, “Spectators come to know exactly what he fantasizes about
underneath his shell of decorum and how fragile that composure really is” (5). Thus, on one level
he is already shamed because any attempts to regain his former image are undermined by the
reality that he is not really the austere person he claims to be. After he spies the letter, the second
part of his humiliation begins. After quickly glancing at the letter he automatically assumes that
the letter is his “lady’s hand,” but this idea fades quickly when she says in act five, “this is not
my writing, though I confess much like the character, but out of question, ‘tis Maria’s hand”
(2.5.77-78; 5.1.214-216). Malvolio’s hopes at love and a rise in social rank are simultaneously
dashed with Olivia’s revelation. One can debate which loss affected the steward more, but the
point is Malvolio’s shame is now exposed to all. Maria and Sir Toby later have a laugh at
Malvolio’s expense as he tries to impress Olivia with his yellow stockings (3.2.58). Their plan
succeeds in shaming the steward. After this initial assault on Malvolio the trio then attack on the
grounds of his character.
During the second action the play brings the audience into the equation by asking them to
either participate in the humiliation of Malvolio through laughing at his predicament, or by
feeling pity for the ordeal he has to experience. The entire subplot of the play concerns the
debasement of Malvolio. Because of his nature, the audience understands that some humiliation
need take place; however, with the portrayal of the mock priest expelling out demons from the
stoic steward, one must wonder where to draw the line. In fact, the very demon they attempt to
cure him of results from their earlier attempts at humiliation. The sequence of events reads as
though Malvolio, still under the impression that all view him as the Puritan he is not, frantically
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tries to convince the fool he is not possessed but merely in love (4.2.25-104). Furthermore, the
very foundation of his public persona is destroyed by individuals who experience shame, fear,
and weakness just as he does (Hobgood 7). For example, Malvolio’s attempt to attain higher
status through courtship is not so different than Maria’s attempt to attain a higher status through
the impersonation of her master’s writing (8). Both characters must stand before the judicial
audience to determine if their offences are excusable, but only Malvolio receives punishment. It
is for this reason that he raises the very pertinent question, “why?” (5.1.333). Hobgood argues
that the audience ignores such pleas because in doing so they call attention to their shame in
finding humor in his humiliation in earlier acts and to acknowledge that Malvolio suffered
unjustly would call attention to their own shame (10). However, the last lines of Malvolio and
Olivia appear to indicate that Malvolio was wronged and that the audience should feel pity.
Malvolio’s line, “I’ll be avenged on the whole pack of you,” indicates that the audience
themselves, in contemplation of the play, will recognize that Malvolio was wronged (5.1.365). In
the end, Sir Toby and Maria suffer from the marred character more than Malvolio does. Olivia’s
observation that he “hath been notoriously abused,” indicates to the audience that Malvolio’s
punishment has exceeded what his character merits (5.1.366). The spectators return home with
the knowledge that Malvolio suffered injudiciously for his actions, and they must decide whether
to embrace this fact or write it off under the guise of comedy.
In the end, the audience has a full knowledge of Malvolio’s shame and the injustice of his
extreme humiliation. Malvolio is not a good person and is not meant to be likeable, but his
treatment does raise questions about justice and the passivity of the audience. Should the
audience acknowledge the injustice of Malvolio’s humiliation then they must acknowledge they
were wrong in laughing at his shame as well as possibly face shame within themselves. If they
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take pity on Malvolio then the play loses it’s comedic nature and takes on a more tragic one. One
must consider the audience should they desire to understand the full implications of the play. The
audience is completely free to choose whichever side they desire to. Indeed, their reaction to the
play is more indicative of the state of people than the literal words of the play itself.
Works Cited
Hobgood, Allison P. "Twelfth Night's "Notorious Abuse" of Malvolio: Shame, Humorality, and
Early Modern Spectatorship." Shakespeare Bulletin 24.3 (2006): 1-22. Humanities
International Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 Feb. 2011.
Shakespeare, William, The Twelfth Night The Norton Shakespeare, Based on the Oxford Edition
Ed. Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and
Andrew Gurr. New York: W.W. Norton, 2008. Print.