Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (disguised as a page named ‘Cesario’) falls in love with the Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love with Countess Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia falls in love with her, thinking she is a man.
First Appearance Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies – Published according to the True Originall Copies, i.e. First Folio (1623)
First Publisher Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard
Appearance List Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (1623) by William Shakespeare — first appearance in print of Twelfth Night (First Folio text); Twelfe Night, Or what you will (1631) by William Shakespeare — first known surviving quarto edition (published just before the Second Folio); A Midsummer Night’s Dream: and Other Stories by E. Nesbit (1890) (A midsummer night’s dream.–Hamlet, prince of Denmark.–Twelfth night.–King Lear) [Internet Archive]; Twelfth Night (1910) directed by Eugene Mullin & Charles Kent — silent short film adaptation; Dvenadtsataya noch (Twelfth Night) (1955) directed by Yan Frid — Soviet feature adaptation; Twelfth Night (1964) — televised adaptation; ITV Saturday Night Theatre: Twelfth Night (1970) — UK television production record.
Sample Read Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [Internet Archive]
Description Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (disguised as a page named ‘Cesario’) falls in love with the Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love with Countess Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia falls in love with her, thinking she is a man.
