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Corinne Vieracker
ENG 318
Professor Deng
22 June 2011
Malvolio’s Insider-Outsider Status
In his comedy Twelfth Night, Shakespeare introduces a duplicitous character, Malvolio,
who in ways is both an insider and an outsider amongst other characters in the play. Being a
steward and not of nobility makes him an outsider, while his treatment from Olivia and behavior
bring him inside in ways. He tries to become an insider and by trying he creates a duplicitous
personality in which he believes that he is an insider while other characters see him as an
outsider and is thus treated as an outsider. Malvolio’s outsider status stems from his lack of
nobility and place as a steward to Olivia; however, he tries to achieve insider status by rising in
social class through what he believes is a relationship with Olivia. Her treatment of Malvolio
makes him feel like an insider, which leads to his actions that ultimately create his humiliation as
an outsider in the end. Thus, his conflicting insider-outsider status causes his overall outsider
status. Malvolio’s potential insider status and actual outsider status in the beginning of Twelfth
Night conflict and create a duplicitous personality seen throughout the play where his outsider
status ultimately wins demonstrating the difficulty for an outsider to become a true insider in
society.
Malvolio appears to be a minor character at first because he is only a steward to Olivia;
however, his character becomes more and more prominent throughout the play especially with
the ideas of class categories and the power associated with them. In the beginning of the play
Malvolio appears just to be a side character who is a steward to Olivia and is of little importance;
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however, the audience quickly learns that he is character is important as to how social class
systems are set up. Being a steward sets him outside of this circle of nobility that the other
characters all have, even while Cesario is a servant to the Duke he is still just a disguise for Viola
who is actually of noble birth. Nobility surrounds Malvolio while he is of a lower social class
category, which is the main characteristic that makes him an outsider. His place as a steward
sets him apart in a lower social class than the rest of the characters. This low standing is how the
other characters see him as an outsider. This is demonstrated when Malvolio goes to reprimand
Sir Toby and Sir Andrew and Sir Toby responds with “Art any more than a steward?” (2.3 113114). In this scene, Malvolio is attempting to demonstrate authority which Sir Toby refuses to
recognize due to the differences in both of their class standings. Sir Toby sees himself as above
Malvolio because of his nobility. Also, Sir Toby’s refusal of recognition also depicts Malvolio’s
place as an outsider amongst the other characters in the play through social class standing. By
questioning Malvolio’s place in the household, Toby effectively questions his place as an insider
and ability and power to reprimand them. Furthermore, this also directly points Malvolio out as
an outsider of lower a class and little importance. In this case, the nobility want to make the
distinction between the classes clear and use it to their advantage.
Malvolio also tries to rise in social class to gain power, the place of an insider, and
equality amongst the other characters and even a form of power over them. He thrives on the
idea of gaining power through social climbing. Therefore, the social class categories become
important when Malvolio fantasizes about marrying Olivia and rising in social class and power.
He wishes to order the nobles, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew, around and to be in a higher place than
them in a sort of role reversal. In the garden before he even finds the letter that Maria plants,
Malvolio fantasizes, “And then to have humor of the state; and after a demure travel of regard,
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telling them I know my place as I would they should do theirs” (2.5 52-54). These wishes
demonstrate the class difference and the power associated with higher classes in their society, as
well as the importance of social class and power to people in this time. Malvolio wishes to rise
in social class in order to gain power so he can effectively command and control other nobles,
namely Sir Toby and Sir Andrew. These whishes regarding social class and power also
demonstrate Malvolio’s place as an outsider because he is the only character that has the ability
to have this fantasy, but these wants also demonstrate his potential place as an insider through his
strive for social climbing. Other characters in the play are or have been nobles and have had the
opportunity to command others below them in social standing, like Malvolio. But Malvolio is
the only main character that has no power like this, meaning that Malvolio appears to be the
ultimate outsider.
While his low social standing differentiates him, Malvolio’s strict dark dress and attitude
work to make him an outsider as well. His dress is basic and dark, either due to his personality
or the mourning or both. His personality is strict and dull. These characteristics mainly
differentiate Malvolio with characters like Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria. Sir Andrew dresses
in bright colors, opposing Malvolio’s dark and serious attire. Furthermore, Malvolio’s
personality is seen as dull compared to these characters. Sir Toby even compares Malvolio’s
character to a puritan during their interrupted celebrations, “Dost thou think, because thou art
virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?” (2.3 114-115). By calling Malvolio “virtuous”
he is referencing the puritans with the goody-good attitudes and pointing out how Malvolio is
ruining their celebration through this characteristic. Sir Toby is also pointing out how Malvolio
is not one of them because he is not celebrating with them further making him and outsider.
Toby separates Malvolio from them by saying that he is “virtuous” and even if he does not have
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“cakes and ale” that it does not matter because he is not an insider and is also not have the ability
to stop them.
While Malvolio is an outsider, he also demonstrates characteristics of an insider, which
he has previously achieved, that conflict to create the duplicitous personality of insider-outsider.
Olivia appears to treat him of a higher class which allows Malvolio to feel and act more like an
insider. She respects Malvolio’s strict character and allows his attitude. After her brother dies
and her house is in mourning, Malvolio is able to have some authority because of his strict
behavior. He uses Olivia’s mourning as a way to keep people quiet and in order; when he
reprimands Sir Toby and Sir Andrew he says,
Have you no wit, manners, nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night?
Do ye make an alehouse of my lady’s house, that ye squeak out your coziers’ catches
without any mitigation or remorse of voice? Is there no respect of place, persons, nor
time in you? (2.3 87-93).
Here he uses Olivia as reasoning for yelling at them for being too loud. He basically calls them
stupid and rude, then almost as if to cover himself for speaking rudely he brings up his “lady’s
house” to point out that it is not their house, it is Olivia’s and because she is his lady he has more
of a right to yell at them. But when he brings in “no respect of place, persons, nor time in you”
he is does not directly reference Olivia as to say that they have no respect for her or him either.
By reprimanding them and using Olivia as an excuse, Malvolio is able to rise in power here and
become more of an insider. This scene is able to occur because Olivia is in mourning and, thus,
not joining in on the celebration. Malvolio power during this time gives him more power and
making him more of an insider.
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However, ironically, it is Malvolio using that power and attempting to become an insider
that ultimately leads to his humiliation as an outsider. By reprimanding Sir Toby and Sir
Andrew he angers them and makes them want revenge. Maria uses his regard for Olivia and
drive for power to plant the letter that makes him think she is in love with him. When he finds
the letter, he does as expected because he is a social climber and has a drive for power. His
actions, however, make Olivia’s regard for him lower and he loses what he has of insider status
making him more of an outsider through humiliating him. Near the end of the play Olivia does
not even seem to care for what happens to him, she believes he is mad and has him taken away.
Even by the end of the play the end when the prank is discovered Olivia’s only response is “He
has been notoriously abused” (5.1 381). This simple statement does not show much care for
him. It is just a simple statement and does not lead to the idea that she will punish his abusers or
do anything to help him with revenge. While the statement does show some sense of
sentimentality for Malvolio, it does not show the recognition that may be more necessary for
someone who has any part of an insider. She cannot relate to his pain because she does not
receive the outright humiliation without reconciliation. Thus, he has become even more of an
outsider through this humiliation because it has taken away the regard Olivia had for him, which
therefore took away his power and his little insider status.
Thus, Malvolio contains characteristics of both the insider and outsider status within a
character in the beginning of the play giving him a duplicitous personality that is ultimately
overcome by his outsider status. The way the play starts sets Malvolio up with the potential to
become a character with insider status based on his relationship with Olivia and the power he has
due to the mourning period. However, his social class makes him an outsider, as well as the way
characters like Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria treat him. The play sets him up to stand
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between the two statuses in the beginning and his actions and other characters slowly start to
determine where he stands in terms of outsider or insider status. This all suggests that he cannot
be both and have this duplicitous status, but that one will overcome the other. This eventually
happens with his actions of reprimanding Sir Toby and Sir Andrew as well as having the
Cesario/Viola character introduced. Olivia’s love for Cesario demonstrates how she may be
willing to fall in love with someone of lower class, but she does not fall for Malvolio. This
brings up the possibility that Olivia could have fallen for Malvolio eventually but the
introduction of Cesario interrupted any potential. Also, the actions of other characters, in terms
of Maria, Sir Toby, and Sir Andrew and their scheme against Malvolio also help to steer Olivia
away from him. The letter suggests that Malvolio does everything that Olivia hates to show his
love which only pushes her away and more towards Cesario. Thus, Twelfth Night started with a
Malvolio as a duplicitous character but ultimately led to a simple outsider due to his actions, the
actions of other characters, and the introduction of characters such as Cesario/Viola and
Sebastian.
Malvolio’s struggle between outsider and insider throughout the play and his ultimate
ending as an outsider demonstrates the idea that it is difficult for an outsider to become an insider
within a specific group of society. Shakespeare furthers this idea throughout Twelfth Night with
the Cesario/Viola character. Cesario being a servant to the Duke should make him and outsider
due to class distinctions, but because Cesario is actually Viola disguised and Viola is noble the
Cesario/Viola character is an insider due to social class. Unlike Malvolio Cesario is able to rise
to the top and reach insider status even before the disguise is revealed through being the Duke’s
favorite and Olivia falling in love with Cesario. This idea suggests that there is a natural law in
place in terms of social class which is seen throughout the play. This is also seen in the case of
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Olivia and Sebastian. Olivia believes Sebastian is Cesario, a mere servant to the Duke, when she
falls in love with him. When she happens to marry Sebastian instead of Cesario/Viola she also
happens to marry a noble and not a servant. These cases oppose Malvolio and his love for
Olivia. Through these differing characters and situations the play demonstrates that Olivia is not
against falling in love with a servant when she falls for Cesario, yet she still cannot love
Malvolio. When she up and marries Sebastian she upholds the laws of nature by marrying an
actual man and not Viola disguised. By having Olivia marry an actual noble there is also a way
in which social class distinctions are upheld through nature.
Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night, demonstrates the fall of a servant who once stood on
the ground between insider and outsider status but ultimately fell to outsider status. His gradual
fall demonstrates another way that the natural law can be applied to the themes of the play. The
play is already suggesting that it is natural for men to be with women with ending with Olivia
magically marrying Sebastian over Cesario/Viola, and the Duke falling in love with his favorite
servant, Viola. The play also seems to be suggesting that it is natural for people of the same or
similar class standings to fall in love whether they realize it or not. This is done mainly through
Malvolio and his fall from a potential insider status through Olivia. Several factors work
throughout the play against Malvolio and any chance that he may have with Olivia, ultimately
making him an outsider in the end. Thus, because Malvolio cannot have this duplicitous status,
then the play is also suggesting that natural law determines that a character must be either an
insider or an outsider and cannot stand between the two statuses. Thus, the seemingly happy
comedic ending to Shakespeare’s play is more of a tragedy to one character, the social climber,
Malvolio.
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