Twelfth Night, Act 1 Scene 4 runs 45 lines of dialogue, spoken by 3 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 138 lines. This scene is part of Act 1 of Twelfth Night.
Full Dialogue
Valentine ♂
If the duke continue these favours towards you,
Cesario, you are like to be much advanced: he hath
known you but three days, and already you are no stranger.
Cesario, you are like to be much advanced: he hath
known you but three days, and already you are no stranger.
Viola ♀
You either fear his humour or my negligence, that
you call in question the continuance of his love:
is he inconstant, sir, in his favours?
you call in question the continuance of his love:
is he inconstant, sir, in his favours?
Valentine ♂
No, believe me.
Viola ♀
I thank you. Here comes the count.
Duke Orsino ♂
Who saw Cesario, ho?
Viola ♀
On your attendance, my lord; here.
Duke Orsino ♂
Stand you a while aloof, Cesario,
Thou know'st no less but all; I have unclasp'd
To thee the book even of my secret soul:
Therefore, good youth, address thy gait unto her;
Be not denied access, stand at her doors,
And tell them, there thy fixed foot shall grow
Till thou have audience.
Thou know'st no less but all; I have unclasp'd
To thee the book even of my secret soul:
Therefore, good youth, address thy gait unto her;
Be not denied access, stand at her doors,
And tell them, there thy fixed foot shall grow
Till thou have audience.
Viola ♀
Sure, my noble lord,
If she be so abandon'd to her sorrow
As it is spoke, she never will admit me.
If she be so abandon'd to her sorrow
As it is spoke, she never will admit me.
Duke Orsino ♂
Be clamorous and leap all civil bounds
Rather than make unprofited return.
Rather than make unprofited return.
Viola ♀
Say I do speak with her, my lord, what then?
Duke Orsino ♂
O, then unfold the passion of my love,
Surprise her with discourse of my dear faith:
It shall become thee well to act my woes;
She will attend it better in thy youth
Than in a nuncio's of more grave aspect.
Surprise her with discourse of my dear faith:
It shall become thee well to act my woes;
She will attend it better in thy youth
Than in a nuncio's of more grave aspect.
Viola ♀
I think not so, my lord.
Duke Orsino ♂
Dear lad, believe it;
For they shall yet belie thy happy years,
That say thou art a man: Diana's lip
Is not more smooth and rubious; thy small pipe
Is as the maiden's organ, shrill and sound,
And all is semblative a woman's part.
I know thy constellation is right apt
For this affair. Some four or five attend him;
All, if you will; for I myself am best
When least in company. Prosper well in this,
And thou shalt live as freely as thy lord,
To call his fortunes thine.
For they shall yet belie thy happy years,
That say thou art a man: Diana's lip
Is not more smooth and rubious; thy small pipe
Is as the maiden's organ, shrill and sound,
And all is semblative a woman's part.
I know thy constellation is right apt
For this affair. Some four or five attend him;
All, if you will; for I myself am best
When least in company. Prosper well in this,
And thou shalt live as freely as thy lord,
To call his fortunes thine.
Viola ♀
I'll do my best
To woo your lady:
yet, a barful strife!
Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife.
To woo your lady:
yet, a barful strife!
Whoe'er I woo, myself would be his wife.
45 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Duke Orsino | 27 | 60.0% |
| Viola | 14 | 31.1% |
| Valentine | 4 | 8.9% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 27 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 15 lines.
Total speakers on stage
3 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 1
This is Scene 4 of 5 in Act 1 of Twelfth Night.
Scene length vs. play average
At 45 lines, this scene is shorter than the Twelfth Night average scene in Twelfth Night (~138 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 1 Scene 3 · Next: Act 1 Scene 5