Twelfth Night: Play Guide and Free Edition
Twelfth Night: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
Twelfth Night is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Shakespeare, William (1564–1616); Kemble, John Philip (1757–1823).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"Twelfth Night; or, What You Will" by William Shakespeare is a comedy written in the early 17th century. The play explores themes of love, identity, and the complexities of human relationships through a series of humorous situations and mistaken identities. Central to the story is Viola, a shipwrecked woman who disguises herself as a man named Cesario, leading to a web of romantic entanglements involving Duke Orsino, who loves Olivia, and Olivia, who falls for Cesario. At the start of the play, we are introduced to Viola, who has washed ashore in the land of Illyria after a shipwreck. Concerned for her twin brother Sebastian, whom she believes to be dead, she decides to disguise herself as a young man to navigate her new surroundings. As she searches for safety and purpose, we learn about the Duke Orsino, who is lovesick over Olivia, a noblewoman mourning her brother's death, leading to her refusal of suitors. The opening sets the stage for a comedic exploration of love and deception, hinting at the unfolding chaos that will stem from Viola's disguise and the overlapping affections of all characters involved.
Book and edition facts
- Title: Twelfth Night
- Author credits: Shakespeare, William (1564–1616); Kemble, John Philip (1757–1823)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Comedy plays
- Illyria -- Drama
- Mistaken identity -- Drama
- Shipwreck survival -- Drama
- Siblings -- Drama
- Twins -- Drama
Gutenberg collections
- Category: British Literature
- Category: Classics of Literature
- Category: Plays/Films/Dramas
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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