Social Class and Love in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

Introduction: Malvolio's Monologue and Its Context

"… fall into thy hand, revolve. In my stars I am above thee; but be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em. Thy Fates open their hands; let thy blood and spirit embrace them; and, to inure thyself to what thou art like to be, cast thy humble slough and appear fresh."

(Twelfth Night, Act II, scene v, 1171)

Social Class in Elizabethan England and the Three Paths to Greatness

This monologue of Malvolio's follows his having just been the victim of a practical joke played by Maria and the other servants. Malvolio has read Maria's letter, which he believes to be from Olivia. Malvolio harbors several delusions about himself and his ability to win over Olivia and thereby gain upward social mobility. While Malvolio might indeed have some affection and genuine caring for his lady, he also seems far more interested in her wealth and status than in her well-being. This scene reveals not only the farce of romantic love in situations like these, but also one of the minor themes in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night: the immutability of social class status.

Social class status is still relatively rigid in the 21st century, but it was probably more so during Elizabethan England when Shakespeare wrote his plays. Status is related to one's family of origin, but also to other issues such as gender. In this scene, Maria has crafted a letter that describes three ways people can change their social status: some are "born great," as with people who are born to wealthy or elite families. Others "achieve greatness," as with inventors, artists, or scientists who apply their talents and abilities to creating meaningful and lasting work. Finally, "some have greatness thrust upon 'em." It is to this latter category that Malvolio hopes to belong.

He views Olivia as belonging to the earliest category — those people born into greatness. Rather than working hard, Malvolio hopes to achieve a higher social status by marrying her. He believes that if he were to marry Olivia, he would leave behind his "humble" past and "appear fresh." The other servants chuckle when they see how excited Malvolio is at the prospect, particularly because it seems he actually believes it is possible that Olivia would love him and marry him.

Social Barriers to Love: Class, Gender, and Race

There are several issues at play in this scene, all of which find parallels in modern life. One of those issues concerns the practical joke itself. People still play practical jokes on one another, and this type of joke would be viewed as very cruel unless the victim were as unlikeable and unscrupulous as Malvolio. In this case, as in modern times, most people would say that a practical joke played on someone like Malvolio is perfectly acceptable.

Another issue in this scene relates to the difficulties of developing a relationship that transcends social barriers such as race, class, or gender. This is one of the most important themes of the play, as several characters fall in love with the "wrong" person at the wrong time. Viola, dressed as Cesario, becomes a man and is therefore unable to tell Duke Orsino that she loves him. In modern times, at least in most advanced societies, Cesario would be able to express his love freely, and it would not matter that he is a man — or that he is really a woman in man's clothing. However, stigmas against homosexuality and transgender identity persist. Shakespeare shows that gender is one of the most significant social barriers preventing the development of honest love relationships.

Another barrier is race, which is not a central issue in Twelfth Night. Class, however, is very much at stake. In this scene, Malvolio symbolizes the "lower" social classes while Olivia represents the "higher" classes. In fact, Malvolio works directly for Olivia. Earlier in the scene, he admits, "she may command / me: I serve her; she is my lady" (Act II, scene v, lines 1139–1140). Members of different social classes have a hard time overcoming their positions of hierarchy and subordination. Olivia is allowed to "command" Malvolio, even though in a patriarchal society men usually do the "commanding" over women. This fact demonstrates that class can sometimes be a more difficult social barrier to overcome in relationships than gender.

Conclusion: The True Message of the Scene

Because this scene is central to what happens to Malvolio, it ends up being more important than it first appears. It shows that the desire for higher social status through marriage to someone wealthy or aristocratic may be common, but it is not the best path to "greatness." The other servants put Malvolio in his place by mocking his delusion that Olivia would fall for him. Yet this is not simply because he is a servant. Given Malvolio's mean personality and the contemptuous way he treats the other servants, it is clear he could never become the object of genuine desire for someone like Olivia. The message, therefore, is not that upward social mobility is impossible, nor that love between people from different social groups cannot succeed. The message of the scene — and of the play — is that honest and genuine love does often find its fulfillment.