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{{Short description|Character in Twelfth Night}} |
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In the [[Shakespeare]] comedy [[Twelfth Night]] '''Feste''' is a jester attached to the household of the '''Countess Olivia'''. Apparently he has been there for quite a while, as he was a "fool that the Lady Olivia's father took much delight in" (2.4). Although Olivia's father just died within the last year, it is possible that Feste approaches or has reached middle age, though he still has the wit to carry off good fooling as he needs to, and the voice to sing lustily or plangently as the occasion demands. Not only that, he seems to leave Olivia's house and return at his pleasure, rather too freely for a servant. (At the very least he is doing some free-lance entertaining over at the house of '''Duke Orsino'''(2.4).) His peripatetic habits get him into trouble with Lady Olivia: when we first see him (1.5), he must talk his way out of being turned out — a grim fate in those days — for being absent, as it were, without leave. He succeeds,and once back in his lady's good graces, he weaves in and out of the action with the sort of impunity that was reserved for a person nobody took seriously. |
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{{multiple issues| |
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==The role of the Fool== |
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{{only primary sources|date=May 2024}} |
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<references /> |
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{{no footnotes|date=May 2024}} |
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}} |
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{{Infobox character |
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| name = Feste |
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| series = [[Twelfth Night]] |
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| image = Luis Hendricus Chrispijn - Onze Tooneelspelers (1899) (2).jpg |
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| image_size = |
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| caption = Actor [[Louis H. Chrispijn]] as Feste, ca. 1899 |
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| creator = [[William Shakespeare]] |
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| based_on = |
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| portrayer = |
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| alias = |
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| affiliation = |
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| family = |
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}} |
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'''Feste''' is a fictional character in [[William Shakespeare]]'s comedy ''[[Twelfth Night]]''. He is a [[Shakespearian fool|fool]] (royal jester) attached to the household of the [[Olivia (Twelfth Night)|Countess Olivia]]. He has apparently been there for some time, as he was a "fool that the Lady Olivia's father took much delight in" (2.4). Although Olivia's father has died within the last year, it is possible that Feste approaches or has reached middle age, though he still has the wit to carry off good 'fooling' when he needs to, and the voice to sing lustily or mournfully as the occasion demands. He is referred to by name only once during the play, in answer to an inquiry by Orsino of who sang a song that he heard the previous evening. Curio responds "Feste, the jester, my lord; a fool that the lady Olivia's father took much delight in. He is about the house" (2.4). Throughout the rest of the play, he is addressed only as "'''Fool'''," while in the [[stage directions]] he is mentioned as "'''Clown'''." |
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However, despite Feste's playful and outwadly frivolous nature, we see at certain times during the play that he is very capable of taking revenge upon those with whom he is not on good terms. Furthermore he has a very much darker and more mysterious side to him.[[Malvolio]]'s insulting account to Olivia of Feste's defeat in a battle of wits by a village idiot obviously makes Feste angry and he joins in with a plot of revenge against the arrogant steward conducted chiefly by Maria and Sir Toby Belch. Feste's opportunity for revenge comes in his confrontation with Malvolio at the end of the play: he disguises himself as a priest and confuses Malvolio even further: although he does enable Malvolio to get out of his sorry state. |
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Feste seems to leave Olivia's house and return at his pleasure rather too freely for a servant. (At the very least he is doing some free-lance entertaining over at the house of [[Orsino (Twelfth Night)|Duke Orsino]] (2.4).) His habit of roaming gets him into trouble with Olivia: when we first see him, he must talk his way out of being turned out—a grim fate in those days—for being absent, as it were, without leave. He succeeds, and once back in his lady's good graces, he weaves in and out of the action with the sort of impunity that was reserved for a person nobody took seriously. |
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It is also possible to see Feste as a slightly tragic character, with an underlying sadness to him. At the end of the play, he sings the famous line, "The rain it raineth every day," - suggesting that every day brings some kind of misery - a somewhat melancholy line for a clown. |
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==Performances== |
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There are instances in the play where we believe Feste to be an almost omniscient presence. Some critics have suggested that there are moments where it seems Feste knows more about Viola/Cesario's disguise than he lets on and certain stage and film adaptations have taken this approach with their portrayal of the fool. In [[Trevor Nunn]]'s film adpatation, [[Ben Kingsley]] is constantly present in the scenes that reveal the plot, from the very beginning where he watches Viola arrive in Illyria to watching Olivia and Sebastian marry outside the chapel. |
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There are instances in the play where Feste is believed to be an almost omniscient presence. Some critics have suggested that there are moments where it seems Feste knows more about [[Viola (Twelfth Night)|Viola]]/Cesario's disguise than he lets on and certain stage and film adaptations have taken this approach with their portrayal of the fool. |
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A good example is in [[Trevor Nunn]]'s [[Twelfth Night: Or What You Will (1996 film)|film adaptation]], in which [[Ben Kingsley]] is constantly present in the scenes that reveal the plot—in fact he is the narrator at the start of the film, describing the shipwreck and the separation of the twins. He is then shown watching Viola arrive in Illyria and the film ends with him watching the various supporting players leave Olivia's estate. When Viola removes her "Cesario" disguise he gives her a golden necklace which she discarded when first shipwrecked on Illyria's shores. |
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==Songs== |
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Kingsley's Feste dresses in old clothes and appears to be a wanderer of [[no fixed abode]], though he slips in and out of Olivia's estate at his will. He plays a number of musical instruments and, like most of the cast, displays a mixture of [[comedy]] and [[pathos]]. |
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==Songs/poems== |
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Feste, as a fool, has a repertoire of songs: |
Feste, as a fool, has a repertoire of songs: |
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===O Mistress Mine=== |
===O Mistress Mine=== |
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{{main|O Mistress Mine}} |
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{{poemquote| |
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O Mistress mine, where are you roaming? |
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O mistress mine, where are you roaming? |
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O, stay and hear; your true |
O, stay and hear; your true-love's coming, |
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That can sing both high and low: |
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That can sing both high and low: |
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Trip no further, pretty sweeting; |
Trip no further, pretty sweeting; |
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Journeys end in lovers' meeting, |
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Journeys end in lovers meeting, |
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Every wise man's son doth know. |
Every wise man's son doth know. |
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What is love? 'tis not hereafter; |
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What is love? 'Tis not hereafter; |
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Present mirth hath present laughter; |
Present mirth hath present laughter; |
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What's to come is still unsure: |
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In delay there lies no plenty; |
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What's to come is still unsure: |
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Then come kiss me, sweet-and-twenty, |
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In delay there lies not plenty; |
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Then, come kiss me, sweet and twenty, |
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Youth's a stuff will not endure. |
Youth's a stuff will not endure. |
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}} |
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===Come Away, Death=== |
===Come Away, Death=== |
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{{poemquote| |
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Come away, come away, death, |
Come away, come away, death, |
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And in sad cypress let me be laid. |
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Fly away, fly away breath, |
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And in sad cypress let me be laid; |
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Fly away, fly away, breath; |
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I am slain by a fair cruel maid. |
I am slain by a fair cruel maid. |
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My shroud of white, stuck all with yew, |
My shroud of white, stuck all with yew, |
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O, prepare it! |
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O prepare it! |
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My part of death, no one so true |
My part of death, no one so true |
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O, did share it. |
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Did share it. |
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Not a flower, not a flower sweet |
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On my black coffin let there be strown. |
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Not a flower, not a flower sweet, |
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On my black coffin let there be strown; |
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Not a friend, not a friend greet |
Not a friend, not a friend greet |
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My poor corpse, where my bones shall be thrown. |
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My poor corpse, when my bones shall be thrown: |
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A thousand thousand sighs to save, |
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Lay me, O, where |
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A thousand sighs to save, |
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Lay me, O where |
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Sad true lover never find my grave, |
Sad true lover never find my grave, |
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O, to weep there! |
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To weep there. |
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}} |
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===Hey Robin, Jolly Robin=== |
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To weep there! |
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{{poemquote| |
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Hey Robin, jolly Robin, |
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Tell me how thy lady does. |
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My lady is unkind, perdy. |
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Alas, why is she so? |
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She loves another -- |
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}} |
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''This song is interrupted partway through.'' |
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===I Am Gone, Sir=== |
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{{poemquote| |
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I am gone, sir. |
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And anon, sir, |
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I'll be with you again, |
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In a trice, |
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Like to the old Vice, |
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Your need to sustain. |
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Who with dagger of lath, |
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In his rage and his wrath, |
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Cries "Ah ha" to the devil. |
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Like a mad lad, |
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"Pare thy nails, dad." |
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Adieu, good man devils. |
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}} |
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===Feste's Song=== |
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{{poemquote| |
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===The Rain it Raineth Every Day=== |
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When that I was and a little tiny boy, |
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When that I was and a little tiny boy |
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With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, |
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, |
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A foolish thing was but a toy, |
A foolish thing was but a toy, |
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For the rain it raineth every day. |
For the rain it raineth every day. |
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But when I came to man's estate, |
But when I came to man's estate, |
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With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, |
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, |
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'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate, |
'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate, |
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For the rain, it raineth every day. |
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For the rain it raineth every day. |
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But when I came, alas, to wive, |
But when I came, alas, to wive, |
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With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, |
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, |
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By swaggering could I never thrive, |
By swaggering could I never thrive, |
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For the rain, it raineth every day. |
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For the rain it raineth every day. |
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But when I came unto my beds, |
But when I came unto my beds, |
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With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, |
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, |
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With tosspots still had drunken heads, |
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For the rain, it raineth every day. |
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A great while ago the world begun, |
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With toss-pots still 'had drunken heads, |
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With hey, ho, the wind and the rain. |
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But that's all one, our play is done, |
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And we'll strive to please you every day. |
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}} |
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==Quotes== |
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For the rain it raineth every day. |
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While portraying the part of the perfect fool, Feste illustrates his intelligence and distinct understanding of events by saying "Better a witty fool than a foolish wit." |
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==In the arts== |
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In [[Niall Williams (writer)|Niall Williams]] novel, ''History of the Rain'', Abraham gives his son Virgil the middle name Feste. |
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==References== |
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A great while ago the world began, |
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{{Reflist}} |
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* ''Twelfth Night'', Elizabeth Story Donno, ed. 1985 (w/additional material, 2003). (New Cambridge Shakespeare) |
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{{Shakespeare}} |
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With hey, ho, the wind and the rain, |
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{{Twelfth Night}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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But that's all one, our play is done, |
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And we'll strive to please you every day. |
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==References== |
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''Twelfth Night'', Elizabeth Story Donno, ed. 1985 (w/additional material, 2003). (New Cambridge Shakepeare) |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Characters in Twelfth Night]] |
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[[Category:Fictional jesters]] |
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[[Category:Male Shakespearean characters]] |
Latest revision as of 16:30, 25 August 2024
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
Feste | |
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Twelfth Night character | |
Created by | William Shakespeare |
Feste is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night. He is a fool (royal jester) attached to the household of the Countess Olivia. He has apparently been there for some time, as he was a "fool that the Lady Olivia's father took much delight in" (2.4). Although Olivia's father has died within the last year, it is possible that Feste approaches or has reached middle age, though he still has the wit to carry off good 'fooling' when he needs to, and the voice to sing lustily or mournfully as the occasion demands. He is referred to by name only once during the play, in answer to an inquiry by Orsino of who sang a song that he heard the previous evening. Curio responds "Feste, the jester, my lord; a fool that the lady Olivia's father took much delight in. He is about the house" (2.4). Throughout the rest of the play, he is addressed only as "Fool," while in the stage directions he is mentioned as "Clown."
Feste seems to leave Olivia's house and return at his pleasure rather too freely for a servant. (At the very least he is doing some free-lance entertaining over at the house of Duke Orsino (2.4).) His habit of roaming gets him into trouble with Olivia: when we first see him, he must talk his way out of being turned out—a grim fate in those days—for being absent, as it were, without leave. He succeeds, and once back in his lady's good graces, he weaves in and out of the action with the sort of impunity that was reserved for a person nobody took seriously.
Performances
[edit]There are instances in the play where Feste is believed to be an almost omniscient presence. Some critics have suggested that there are moments where it seems Feste knows more about Viola/Cesario's disguise than he lets on and certain stage and film adaptations have taken this approach with their portrayal of the fool.
A good example is in Trevor Nunn's film adaptation, in which Ben Kingsley is constantly present in the scenes that reveal the plot—in fact he is the narrator at the start of the film, describing the shipwreck and the separation of the twins. He is then shown watching Viola arrive in Illyria and the film ends with him watching the various supporting players leave Olivia's estate. When Viola removes her "Cesario" disguise he gives her a golden necklace which she discarded when first shipwrecked on Illyria's shores.
Kingsley's Feste dresses in old clothes and appears to be a wanderer of no fixed abode, though he slips in and out of Olivia's estate at his will. He plays a number of musical instruments and, like most of the cast, displays a mixture of comedy and pathos.
Songs/poems
[edit]Feste, as a fool, has a repertoire of songs:
O Mistress Mine
[edit]O mistress mine, where are you roaming?
O, stay and hear; your true-love's coming,
That can sing both high and low:
Trip no further, pretty sweeting;
Journeys end in lovers' meeting,
Every wise man's son doth know.
What is love? 'tis not hereafter;
Present mirth hath present laughter;
What's to come is still unsure:
In delay there lies no plenty;
Then come kiss me, sweet-and-twenty,
Youth's a stuff will not endure.
Come Away, Death
[edit]Come away, come away, death,
And in sad cypress let me be laid.
Fly away, fly away breath,
I am slain by a fair cruel maid.
My shroud of white, stuck all with yew,
O, prepare it!
My part of death, no one so true
O, did share it.
Not a flower, not a flower sweet
On my black coffin let there be strown.
Not a friend, not a friend greet
My poor corpse, where my bones shall be thrown.
A thousand thousand sighs to save,
Lay me, O, where
Sad true lover never find my grave,
O, to weep there!
To weep there.
Hey Robin, Jolly Robin
[edit]Hey Robin, jolly Robin,
Tell me how thy lady does.
My lady is unkind, perdy.
Alas, why is she so?
She loves another --
This song is interrupted partway through.
I Am Gone, Sir
[edit]I am gone, sir.
And anon, sir,
I'll be with you again,
In a trice,
Like to the old Vice,
Your need to sustain.
Who with dagger of lath,
In his rage and his wrath,
Cries "Ah ha" to the devil.
Like a mad lad,
"Pare thy nails, dad."
Adieu, good man devils.
Feste's Song
[edit]When that I was and a little tiny boy,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
A foolish thing was but a toy,
For the rain it raineth every day.
But when I came to man's estate,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate,
For the rain, it raineth every day.
But when I came, alas, to wive,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
By swaggering could I never thrive,
For the rain, it raineth every day.
But when I came unto my beds,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
With tosspots still had drunken heads,
For the rain, it raineth every day.
A great while ago the world begun,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain.
But that's all one, our play is done,
And we'll strive to please you every day.
Quotes
[edit]While portraying the part of the perfect fool, Feste illustrates his intelligence and distinct understanding of events by saying "Better a witty fool than a foolish wit."
In the arts
[edit]In Niall Williams novel, History of the Rain, Abraham gives his son Virgil the middle name Feste.
References
[edit]- Twelfth Night, Elizabeth Story Donno, ed. 1985 (w/additional material, 2003). (New Cambridge Shakespeare)