Twelfth Night Characters & Descriptions
Orsino, the Duke and Count of Illyria, is a young man deeply and fashionably in love with Olivia. Her rejection of him leaves him in a deep and just as fashionable melancholy.
Sebastian is Viola’s twin brother. After the shipwreck, he was rescued by Antonio, and spent three months in his company.
Antonio is a sea captain. Though considered a pirate by Illyrians, he considers himself an honorable opponent.
A Sea Captain was the captain of the ship that Viola and Sebastian were traveling on.
Valentine is one of Orsino’s attendants. He was sent to Olivia as a messenger of love, but was not allowed to speak to her.
Curio is one of Orsino’s attendants. He seeks to distract Orsino by taking him to hunt, but Orsino refuses.
Sir Toby Belch is Olivia’s uncle and something of a minor-league Falstaff. A penniless drunkard who sets stock by his nobility of birth, with a taste for pickled herrings that likely leave him flatulent, he makes himself quite at home at his niece’s.
Sir Andrew Aguecheek is an unfortunate fellow. He is tall and very thin, with pale hair that lies flat and lanky, though he may occasionally attempt to curl it.
Malvolio, whose name might be translated as ‘ill-will,’ is Olivia’s steward. Something of a puritan, he abhors disorder and drunkenness, along with bear-baiting and for that matter laughter: he does not smile.
Fabian is a member of Olivia’s household who has lost that lady’s favor due to Malvolio’s telling her about a bear-baiting Fabian was involved with.
Feste was Olivia’s father’s jester, and is now hers, though it appears that he wanders around a bit.
Olivia is an orphaned, gray-eyed countess who has sworn to remain in mourning for seven years after the recent death of her brother.
Viola is a lady of Messaline. When dressed as a man she is identical to her twin brother Sebastian.
Maria is Olivia’s waiting-gentlewoman. Though she begins by attempting to keep Sir Toby under control, she quickly becomes one of his cronies and the brains behind the plot against Malvolio.
Olivia’s Servant is not part of the cabal of upper servants who mock Malvolio.