Question

What is the correct interpretation of the following lines from act IV, scene II, of Twelfth Night?

MALVOLIO: I say this house is as dark as ignorance,
though ignorance were as dark as hell;
and I say there was never man thus abused.
I am no more mad than you are;
make the trial of it in any constant question


A. Malvolio is painting a dramatic picture of the practical joke he has been subjected to.



B. Malvolio is calling his associates ignorant and mad and is claiming that he is neither.



C. Malvolio realizes that he has been made the object of a cruel joke by his associates.



D. Malvolio is mad and thinks there is darkness in the room even in daytime

Answer 1

A. Malvolio is painting a dramatic picture of the practical joke he has been subjected to.

Step-by-step explanation:

This passage is part of the scene in which Malvolio complains of the bad joke to which he was subjected.

In this game, Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby, and his maid Maria, preach a play in the pretentious Malvolio . Maria forges a letter to make Malvolio think that Lady Olivia is in love with him. In the letter, Malvolio is asked to dress in yellow socks and garters, and smile constantly to win the love of Lady Olivia. Malvolio believes in the letter and follows the instructions, which leads Olivia to believe that he is crazy. Taking the joke further afield, Feste, the fool of the house, locks Malvolio in a small dark room like he's crazy.

Answer 2

The correct answer is A. Malvolio is painting a dramatic picture of the practical joke he has been subjected to.

Explanation: In "Twelfth Night" by William Shakespeare, Toby and the others prank Malvolio into behaving strangely in hopes that he can win over Olivia's love. Malvolio's alleged madness allows Maria, Toby, and the others to lock him in a dark room and Feste (disguised as Sir Topas) continues the prank. He attempts to convince Malvolio that if he wasn't mad, he would see the room was filled with light. He argues against Sir Topas and demands that he asks questions to prove he is not mad.