Refer to this extract from Act 2 Scene 2.

VIOLA

¹⁵I left no ring with her. What means this lady?

Fortune forbid my outside have not charmed her!

She made good view of me, indeed so much

That sure methought her eyes had lost her tongue,

For she did speak in starts distractedly.

²⁰She loves me, sure! The cunning of her passion

Invites me in this churlish messenger.

None of my lord’s ring? Why, he sent her none.

I am the man. If it be so, as ’tis,

Poor lady, she were better love a dream.

²⁵Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness,

Wherein the pregnant enemy does much.

How easy is it for the proper false

In women’s waxen hearts to set their forms!

Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we,

³⁰For such as we are made of, such we be.

How will this fadge? My master loves her dearly,

And I, poor monster, fond as much on him,

And she, mistaken, seems to dote on me.

What will become of this? As I am man,

³⁵My state is desperate for my master’s love.

As I am woman, now, alas the day,

What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe!

O time, thou must untangle this, not I.

It is too hard a knot for me to untie!

What is the ring to which Viola refers in the first line (marked line 15)?

In line 205, Olivia says “Oh I have read it.” This means that:

Refer to this extract from Act 1 Scene 5.

OLIVIA

Now, sir, what is your text?

VIOLA

Most sweet lady—

OLIVIA

^₂₀₀A comfortable doctrine, and much may be said of it. Where lies your text?

VIOLA

In Orsino’s bosom.

OLIVIA

In his bosom? In what chapter of his bosom?

VIOLA

To answer by the method, in the first of his heart.

OLIVIA

²⁰⁵Oh, I have read it. It is heresy. Have you no more to say?

VIOLA

Good madam, let me see your face.

OLIVIA

Have you any commission from your lord to negotiate with my face? You are now out of your text. But we will draw the curtain and show you the picture. Look you, sir, such a one I was this present. Is ’t not well done?

Why is Viola speaking to Olivia?

In line 199, there is a dash after “My sweet lady—". The purpose of this is:

In the last three lines, Orsino uses what figure of speech to describe the way his desires for Olivia follow him?

Orsino has not managed to have his messages delivered to Olivia because: 

Refer to this extract from Act 1 Scene 1.

CURIO

     The hart.

ORSINO

Why, so I do, the noblest that I have.

Oh, when mine eyes did see Olivia first,

Methought she purged the air of pestilence.

20That instant was I turned into a hart,

And my desires, like fell and cruel hounds,

E'er since pursue me.

Curio mentions a ‘hart’ which is a male deer. However, Orsino refers to his noble ‘heart’. This is an example of a/an:

Maria is Olivia’s serving woman.

Viola disguises herself as man, Cesario, and goes to work for Olivia. 

The clown, or jester, was often able to say harsh things to people which others avoided saying.