Question

Which of these lines from act I, scene V, of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is a plea to Olivia to come out of mourning, get married, and have children?

VIOLA:
['Tis beauty truly blent, whose red and white
Nature's own sweet and cunning hand laid on:]

[Lady, you are the cruel'st she alive,
If you will lead these graces to the grave,
And leave the world no copy.]

…

[I see you what you are: you are too proud;
But, if you were the devil, you are fair.]

My lord and master loves you. O, such love

[Could be but recompens'd though you were crown'd
The nonpareil of beauty!]

Answer 1

[Lady, you are the cruel'st she alive,

If you will lead these graces to the grave,

And leave the world no copy.]

Step-by-step explanation:

Olivia decided not to marry or to have children, for that reason, Viola makes an appeal for Olivia to end her mourning before she dies so she can marry and have children.

This piece of Shakespeare's text shows Viola's attempt to convince Olivia, blaming her in case she dies leaving no descendants in the world.

Answer 2

[Lady, you are the cruel'st she alive, If you will lead these graces to the grave, And leave the world no copy.]

This line can be almost seen as a sort of “guilt trip” being placed on Olivia for still being in mourning and not getting married and having children. Because Olivia has apparently decided to not marry and have offspring, Viola tells her how cruel she is if she lets “her graces” waste by taking them to the grave and by not leaving behind her a child as is what is meant by “a copy.”