AS Level Drama
Worksheet 14
Stimulus text
Twelfth Night: ACT 4 SCENE 3 OLIVIA’S Garden.
[Enter SEBASTIAN]
Sebastian:
This is the air; that is the glorious sun;
This pearl she gave me, I do feel’t and see’t:
And though ’tis wonder that enwraps me thus,
Yet ’tis not madness. Where’s Antonio, then?
I could not find him at the Elephant; 5 the Elephant = an inn
Yet there he was; and there I found this credit, this credit = report
That he did range the town to seek me out.
His counsel now might do me golden service;
For though my soul disputes well with my sense,
That this may be some error, but no madness, 10
Yet doth this accident and flood of fortune
So far exceed all instance, all discourse,
That I am ready to distrust mine eyes
And wrangle with my reason, that persuades me
To any other trust but that I am mad, 15
Or else the lady’s mad; yet if ’twere so,
She could not sway her house, command her followers,
Take and give back affairs and their despatch
With such a smooth, discreet, and stable bearing,
As I perceive she does: there’s something in’t 20
That is deceivable. But here comes the lady. deceivable = deceptive
[Enter OLIVIA and a Priest]
Olivia:
Blame not this haste of mine. If you mean well,
Now go with me and with this holy man
Into the chantry by: there, before him
And underneath that consecrated roof, 25
Plight me the full assurance of your faith,
That my most jealous and too doubtful soul
May live at peace. He shall conceal it
Whiles you are willing it shall come to note;
What time we will our celebration keep 30
According to my birth.—What do you say?
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Sebastian:
I’ll follow this good man, and go with you;
And, having sworn truth, ever will be true.
Olivia:
Then lead the way, good father;—And heavens so shine
That they may fairly note this act of mine! 35
1 What is Sebastian doing physically in the first two lines of his speech? Why do
you think he is doing this? How does this help the director and the actor?
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2 Which are the two words in lines 3 and 4 that highlight his dilemma?
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3 Antonio is Sebastian’s friend and travelling companion. Why does Sebastian think
of him at this moment?
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4 Find examples of Sebastian’s use of contrasting words that suggest sanity and
its opposite.
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5 What is the metaphor in line 11 and what effect does this have?
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6 What proofs does Sebastian put forward to show that Olivia can’t be mad?
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7 Look closely at Olivia’s speech and pick out words that suggest the seriousness
and religious importance of what she wants to do.
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8 How do the last two lines of the scene link to the first line?
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9 What do you notice about the verse form of the last four lines and what effect
does this have?
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10 What contrasts of mood and tone do you find in the two halves of this scene?
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11 What impression do you gain of the two characters from this scene?
(Remember that the first half is in soliloquy form.)
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