Below is my Director’s interpretation of one part of Twelfth Night, Act 1 Scene 5. For a marked-up/annotated script, see here.

Feste opens this segment with an aside, where he openly tells the audience his fears of being not witty enough–and then regains his jovial self when he remembers he can make up deities and adages on-the-go from his behind a la Quinapalus.

Feste: God bless thee Lady.

Olivia: Take the fool away.

Feste: Do you not hear fellows, take away the Lady.

Olivia: Go to, y’are a dry fool: I’ll no more of you: besides
you grow dishonest.

Feste seems to be testing his luck–calling his Lady the fool? It’s interesting, though, that Olivia cites Feste’s truancy second to his dry wit.

Feste: Two faults Madonna, that drink and good counsel will
amend: for give the dry fool drink, then is the fool
not dry: bid the dishonest man mend himself, if he
mend, he is no longer dishonest; if he cannot, let the
Butcher mend him: anything that’s mended, is but
patch’d: virtue that transgresses, is but patcht with
sin, and sin that amends, is but patcht with virtue.
If that this simple Syllogism will serve, so: if it will
not, what remedy? As there is no true Cuckold but
calamity, so beauties a flower; The Lady bade take
away the foole, therefore I say againe, take her away.

Olivia: Sir, I bid them take away you.

At this point, we are really not certain if the fool’s still got his wits–this simple syllogism is amusing, but its aloof logic (similar to Feste’s hanging jokes) also puts to question the state of his mind.

Feste: Misprision is the highest degree. Lady, cucullus non
facit monachum: that’s as much to say, as I were not
motley in my brain: good Madonna, give me leave to
prove you a fool.

And now, it seems Feste is smarter than we think. His past few lines are actually building to a point.

Olivia: Can you do it?

Feste: Dexterously, good Madonna.

Olivia: Make your proof.

Feste: I must catechize you for it Madonna: good my Mouse of
virtue answer me.

Olivia: Well, sir, for want of other idleness, I’ll bide your
proof.

Feste: Good Madonna, why mournst thou?

Olivia: Good fool, for my brother’s death

Feste: I think his soul is in hell, Madonna.

Olivia: I know his soul is in heaven, fool.

Feste: The more fool - Madonna - to mourn for your Brother’s
soul, being in heaven. Take away the Fool, Gentlemen.

Feste begins explaining why the Lady Olivia is actually the fool, but catechizes her — asks for her involvement; Olivia admits she’s nothing better to do, and will thus entertain him. He goes right to the point, asking very directly why she mourns for her brother. His next line is said almost as if he wishes to be fired–but, only if we believe she were absolutely serious about devoting her life to mourning. This, along with Sir Toby’s opening line in Scene 3, helps establish that Olivia may be prone to leave her mourning if given adequate “entertainment.” Feste’s next line, continues the same sort of Feste-logic that believes hanging may be better than a bad marriage, by saying it’s no point in mourning for her brother if he’s in Heaven.

Tags: feste, Feste's logic, Olivia