Compare and Contrast
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Who is your favorite character and why? Who do you dislike, why?
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If you were acting in a production of the play, which character would you want to be? Why? Who would you not want to play? Why?
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Shakespeare sometimes gives his characters names that suit their personality. Look at Sir Toby Belch. What kind of a person does his name tell you he’d be like? What other characters have a similar clue in their name?
Relational
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Do you think Sir Toby and his friends went too far with their trick on Malvolio? Or did he deserve it?
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How would you react if you were treated the way Malvolio is treated by Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria?
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Do you think all the couples at the end will live “happily ever after,” or not? Why?
Textual
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Read Orsino’s famous speech at the top of the show. “If music be the food of love, play on.” Why do you think he says that? What does he mean?
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Read all of the songs Feste sings. What is similar about them? What is different? Which was your favorite?
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Read Act 2 Scene 3. Why do Sir Toby and Sir Andrew want to play a trick on Malvolio? Do you think it’s a good idea? Is there something else they could have done?
Shakespeare’s World
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Is there anything that happens in this play that you wouldn’t see in the world today? Were these events common in Shakespeare’s time? Why?
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What would it be like to see this play at Shakespeare’s theatre, The Globe, in the hot afternoon, standing up, with men playing all the roles (even Viola and Olivia)
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How do you think Shakespeare would react if he knew that you were learning about his play more than 450 years after he wrote it?
