CATEGORY 1 — Ambition & Vulnerability
What major flaw does Malvolio show when he fantasizes about becoming “Count Malvolio”?
His ambition makes him blind to reality.
What piece of clothing(s) does Malvolio wear that Olivia hates?
Yellow stockings
Where is Malvolio imprisoned?
In a dark room/chamber meant to resemble a madhouse.
What is Malvolio’s job in Olivia’s household?
Steward.
In Extract 1, who calls Malvolio “the devil a puritan”?
Maria.
Why does Malvolio believe the forged letter must be from Olivia?
Because it aligns perfectly with his pride and desire for upward mobility.
What is the main dramatic irony in the scene where Malvolio smiles constantly?
Olivia thinks he’s mad; the audience knows he’s following Maria’s instructions.
What does Malvolio repeatedly insist in Extract 2 (Act 4, Scene 2)?
That he is “not mad” and has been “thus wronged.”
Why do Sir Toby and Maria resent Malvolio?
Because he is a puritanical killjoy who tries to control their behaviour.
What key phrase from Act 4, Scene 2 captures Malvolio’s despair?
“Never was a man thus wronged.”
What personality trait makes Malvolio especially easy to trick?
His self-regard and belief that he is “worthy” of Olivia.
Why is Malvolio’s cross-gartering funny to the audience but disturbing to Olivia?
It is part of the prank, but she believes it’s a sign of mental decline (“midsummer madness”).
Who disguises himself as “Sir Topas” to torment Malvolio?
Feste the clown.
What does Malvolio’s downfall suggest about justice in the play’s world?
Justice depends on social rank — lower-class characters receive harsher consequences.
What does Malvolio accuse Olivia of in Extract 3 (Act 5, Scene 1)?
Doing him “wrong.”
How does Maria use Malvolio’s ambition against him in Extract 1 (Act 2, Scene 3)?
She knows he dreams of rising in class and uses that to craft a letter promising status and love.
How does Malvolio misunderstand the meaning of “go to bed”?
He thinks Olivia is suggesting intimacy when she simply wants him to rest.
What do the stage directions in Act 4, Scene 2 emphasize about Malvolio’s confinement?
Darkness, isolation, and the oppressive atmosphere that heightens the cruelty.
Why is Malvolio not forgiven in the final scene?
Because the play protects comedic resolution for nobles; servants’ suffering is dismissed.
What is Malvolio’s final line in the play?
“I’ll be revenged on the whole pack of you.”
Explain how Malvolio’s ambition represents a critique of the social hierarchy in the play.
His longing to rise beyond his station exposes how rigid and aspirational the class system is — ambition itself becomes a target of mockery.
How does dramatic irony make the humiliation cruel rather than just comedic?
Because we watch him sincerely humiliate himself while unaware that he’s the only one who doesn’t know it’s a trick.
In terms of dramatic technique, how does this dark-room scene shift the tone of the play?
It transforms comedy into psychological cruelty, revealing the dark edge of dramatic irony.
How does Malvolio’s punishment reinforce the class hierarchy?
It shows that stepping beyond one’s assigned status leads to ridicule rather than reward.
Why is Malvolio’s final line so shocking within a comedy?
Because it breaks the joyful tone and exposes unresolved bitterness, implying injustice.