Why teach Twelfth Night ?

Because it's funny! If you are looking for something lighthearted and enjoyable to teach then this text is it. The plot appears complicated initially, but as the characters become known to the class the various disguises and deceptions are understood. What other play offers you such a range of entertaining and memorable characters who find themselves in ridiculous situations? There is a very tricky love-triangle, a mischievous drunkard and his idiot sidekick causing trouble for an arrogant power-hungry servant and that's only the beginning.

The key scenes are easily identified and this allows you to skim through the less important scenes giving you ample opportunity to use some drama in the classroom. There are two key scenes which lend themselves to methods such as Hotseating, Freezeframing or maybe even some straightforward acting. (See the Department's Draft Guidelines pp68-69). Act I Scene V is a key scene as it is the scene where Olivia falls in love with 'Cesario', who is actually a woman called Viola in disguise. It is a comic scene and pivotal, along with Viola's soliloquy in Act II Scene II, as the love triangle is established. Act II Scene V is the scene where the arrogant servant Malvolio's pride is most obvious. It is also one of the funniest scenes in the play when staged as there are elements of pure farce within the actions of the characters. What is also useful when teaching this text is the film version from the mid-1990s directed by Trevor Nunn. The setting is Edwardian but the characters and comic moments are excellently portrayed.
But the last important question is how useful is this text as a comparative text? In terms of themes and issues you can trace love, pride or deception. With regard to Literary Genre the dramatic conventions within Shakespearean comedy such as the stock characters of the fool and the drunkard can be examined, as can the omniscient position of the audience throughout the deceptions and confusion.

Creation of suspense and tension and the metaphorical and descriptive use of language are comparable to many other texts. Under the heading of Cultural Context the issue of class clearly dictates the structure of society, the importance of marriage and the importance of servants. Men are in powerful roles whereas Viola as a woman is weak but Olivia also has power. Pride and Prejudice also has the themes of Love and Pride. In Literary Genre there is comedy, omniscient narration, suspense and tension, language and excellent character creation. In this text class is also important and the roles of men and women are comparable to those in Twelfth Night. Remains of the Day also has the themes of Love, Pride and Deception. There is first person narration, moments of comedy despite the tragic thrust of the novel and suspense, tension and formal language. The Cultural Context is again comparable in terms of class, roles of men and women and the role of servants. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings has the themes of Pride and Love and provides a contrast in Literary Genre and Cultural Context. The film Strictly Ballroom has the theme of Love, strong comic elements and a contrasting culture and A Room With a View has the theme of Love, comic aspects and a similar culture. So look again at Twelfth Night if you're looking for a third text!