In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, music is inserted at numerous places to set different moods. Music also helps building vivid characters. This function of music in the play especially applies for Feste, the Feste, whom has an obligation is to sing for the nobilities. Majority of the singing in the play are done by Feste. Although most of the songs are “called for”, upon someone else’s request, they still reflect Feste's personalities in a unique way by contrasting with the personality he shows when he’s not performing. Moreover, from “Come Away, Come Away Death” to “Hold My Peace, Thou Knaves”, the songs Feste sings have various colors in them. Some songs are dark and some are light, and they show how the Feste has a wide range of singing
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We can see Feste is an extremely independent character. We also don’t have any background on Feste. However, the last song Feste sings is a unique piece out of his other singings because it’s not requested by the nobilities or anyone. The title of this song Feste sings is “When That I Was.” (Act V, Scene I) This piece was sung after the story of Twelfth Night comes to an end. Since everyone else left the stage, Feste is probably singing to the audiences of the play. The line “we’ll strive to please you every day.” express what Feste as a clown and the play want audiences to feel after watching their shows. This song could function as Feste’s monologue to let audiences know a little about Feste which adds a new side of Feste. The song describes the life of a boy who’s swaggering around town on a rainy day. It somehow reflects Feste’s life to a certain degree since Feste might had swaggered around before he got hired by Olivia. Feste could have gotten used to living by himself. And it’s not hard to notice how almost everyone in this play gets a happy ending, yet nothing has changed for Feste. Knowing this fact might upset audiences, Feste offers this song to calm them down and restates his obligation to make people feel delightful. Feste once again senses the mood of a happy ending and cheer up the audiences. Feste has precise song selection and it’s not an easy skill to obtain. Feste is indeed a witty person despite how careless he seems to
We can see Feste is an extremely independent character. We also don’t have any background on Feste. However, the last song Feste sings is a unique piece out of his other singings because it’s not requested by the nobilities or anyone. The title of this song Feste sings is “When That I Was.” (Act V, Scene I) This piece was sung after the story of Twelfth Night comes to an end. Since everyone else left the stage, Feste is probably singing to the audiences of the play. The line “we’ll strive to please you every day.” express what Feste as a clown and the play want audiences to feel after watching their shows. This song could function as Feste’s monologue to let audiences know a little about Feste which adds a new side of Feste. The song describes the life of a boy who’s swaggering around town on a rainy day. It somehow reflects Feste’s life to a certain degree since Feste might had swaggered around before he got hired by Olivia. Feste could have gotten used to living by himself. And it’s not hard to notice how almost everyone in this play gets a happy ending, yet nothing has changed for Feste. Knowing this fact might upset audiences, Feste offers this song to calm them down and restates his obligation to make people feel delightful. Feste once again senses the mood of a happy ending and cheer up the audiences. Feste has precise song selection and it’s not an easy skill to obtain. Feste is indeed a witty person despite how careless he seems to