Twelfth Night

In Act I, Scene V in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, there is a conversation between Olivia and Feste, the clown. Olivia does not find Feste funny so she is pretty much saying, “Take the fool away” but Feste  wants to prove to her that he is a fool and that he can be funny. Olivia asked Feste to give her proof that he is funny. Feste asked Olivia, “Why mourn’st thou?” She tells him that she mourns for the death of her brother. Feste said to her, “I think his soul is in hell, Madonna.” Olivia responded that she know his soul is in heaven.  Feste tells her that she is the one that is the fool because why should she mourn for her brother’s soul if he is heaven so he said that she is the one that is the fool and should be taken away, not him.

I find this particular scene between Olivia and Feste, the clown funny because in this scene Olivia seemed to be kind of annoyed with Feste and she didn’t really find him funny.  Feste said to her and Malvolio when they enter the scene that, “Those wits that think they have thee do very oft prove fools.” Olivia responded to him as if go away but Feste does prove his point when he asked her why does she mourn for her brother’s soul if she knows he is in heaven. I think that it is kind of a good point he made because it’s understandable that people mourn the loss of a love one but should we really be mourning if we actually believe that they have indeed gone to heaven, where as Christian we believe it is a better place with no pain or suffering.  

I think Feste did kind of poke fun at Olivia in this scene a bit because he acknowledges the fact she doesn’t think he is funny so he wants to prove to her that he can be funny and in return he makes her out to look like a fool and he tells her “the lady bade take away the fool; therefore, I say again, take her away.” I think that is kind of who Feste’s character is in the play, his job is to be a clown and make people laugh but he is instead kind of this sarcastic smart alec. He doesn’t really make jokes in a conventional way but in a wise-cracking way like with Olivia. I think Feste stated it best when he said, “Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.”