College of St Marys of the Springs - Yearbook (Columbus, OH)

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We e we a we a :wc a we a :wc we e :wc e we e In the drinking scene where he gets into trouble with Sir Toby, Malvolio is thoroughly in his element. He stalks into the room as though he owned the place and orders Sir Toby to keep quiet or leave. This is not the first time he has tried to show his authority with Sir Toby and the latter rebels, determining to have revenge. If Malvolio had administered reproof in the right way, it would no doubt have been received in the right way, but he ordered others around not because it was his duty to the Lady Olivia,-bless you, no,-he never thought of her comfort or interest, but because he so loved to lord it over somebody that he did not know how to admonish with tact and charity. Then as a direct consequence of the drinking scene, we have the letter scene, in which he finds the missive Maria has left for him. l-le might have known better than to believe its con- tents. because it was not at all in Olivia's style and with this he must, of course, have been familiar. Then, too, was it very likely that a woman of Olivia's ideas would drop a love letter in so public a place as that garden? Could not others besides Malvolio walk there? Noth- ing but inflated egotism could have been deceived by so transparent a trick. Some people nevertheless have called Malvolio sensible. Surely they must have lost sight of him waltzing up and down that garden path, pretending to wind a watch and practising his future behavior as Olivia's husband. If no other evidence were forthcoming, in this incident alone Malvolio would be self-condemned, for he shows he is conceited by planning for his future wardrobe. he shows he is revengeful by planning what he will do to Sir Toby, and he shows he is a fool for doing any of these things at all. l Following the garden episode, comes the sad scene which is the beginning of the end of Malvolio, in other words, that where he comes to Olivia rigged out in a manner no man of reason would want to be seen in by a woman, let alone, by the woman he wishes to marry. Had he ever had the slightest chance of winning Olivia, that would have ended it, for when she saw him in that costume with that sickly self-complacent smile on his face, she must have almost hated him. l'-le had fondly thought she would succumb at once to his irresistible charms, but suddenly his hopes were blasted: instead. being suspected of being a madman, he was hurried away in spite of all his protestations. to pay the penalty of his overweening vanity. And what was his punishment? Wherein was it bevond his deserts? No one laid hand on him with the intention of harming him. l-le was merely placed in a dark cell like a naughty child, and left to repent of his past follies. Nothing is better for a man than a place of solitude, a time for reflection and repentance. Malvolio never would have seen his foolish- ness unaided. so it was little short of an act of kindness for someone else to reveal it to him. After this who can sav he received no compensation for his humiliations? l-le was made to see himself in his true light, and such a lesson is well worth a few hours of suspense in a dark- ened room. PEARL CABLE, Special. 'SZ 'Si 'SZ N? QS 09 0 4, . els --as 12

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ww 1 ,wg f wg i .wg If r-we f wg t :wg :wg s W5 If l the Ease Hgainst malvolio - Ji? -fff VER since the beginning of the world, God has iven to some people the power of winning friends by their mega personality. 1. 7-LM They are pleasant, cheerful, sympathetic, making it almost im- possible for one not to like them, often even in spite of palpable faults and failings. Then on the other hand, there are persons of sterling virtuewho do not possess this magnetic attraction, but are afflicted with disagreeable peculiarities and have a faculty K X Q 1 of arousing antipathy 'in the breasts of .their fellow mortals. X ' Those belonging to this second class it is asserted, are often misjudged, and both in literature and in life. do not receive their just deserts. But after all, are these disagreeable qualities as a rule inseparable from personality? Are they not in nine cases out of ten under the control of the will? l A character much discussed in this connection is Malvolio in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Those who champion his cause urge that on account of his unattractive manner- isms, he has been misjudged by the public and unfairly dealt with by the poet himselfg that he is honest and trustworthy, upright and religious, and zealous in the performance of duty: that he meets with nothing but vexation and humiliation, and is the only character of the play not made happy in the end. Now how far is all this true? Is not Malvolio himself re- sponsible for his unlovely character and consequently for his misfortunes? Let us see what is to be said in support of such a view. One of the first things we have against Malvolio is his astounding ignorance of the wo- manly nature. If he had shown a little sense in this regard, he would have escaped any amount of trouble. To think that the Lady Olivia could love him was sheer madness on his part, nothing more. Even if, for some unaccountable reason, she had done so, she was too much the greatlady to lower her position to marry a steward, let alone one of her own paid servants. l , Again if Malvolio had truly loved Olivia, loved her for her sweetness and goodness and because he could not help himself. we might fmglve hlmv but to Want to marry ber for her money, there is no name for himl True an effort has been made to exonerate him from this charge. but he did, in fact, thirst for wealth,-lf Was bla Clllaf alms alWaYS Uppermost in his mind. He longed for power and position. That he did not really care for Olivia is revealed in his soliloquies whem he Plans his life after hls drea'Ped'Qf marriage with her: there is no mentign of anything but spending her money .and dommeermg over her household. This domineering Spirit is indeed one gf his most odious traits. l-le manifests it all through the play, and as for religious feeling... lie has. none. He is harsh and repellent and never loses an opportunity of showing that lie is a trifle better than most people. True Christianity teaches charity and meekness of heart. n I . l-le is iealous' too, and we get a delightful impression of his manly OJ character in that little incident where he tries to ridicule Feste, the clown, and show-off before the Lady. Well the Lady soon tells him what she thinkS Of hlm when She Says! . Oh you are sicli of self-love, Malvolio, and taste Wltll a dlafempafed aPPetlfC-H 11 ' tw., . ,,N .l ra ' T TJAT

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a1+a.i+m+aa+sm.+na+L 4+Q1.J.+.nD+141Q+14+n D+c4+sJ+1 Hldd wQblD'S fll'Sl HDPQGYGIICQ . NE. evening in November when the last rays of the sinking sun Z X ' ' had disappeared, leaving the earth in that mysterious dusk, which preludes the dark, Alda Webb bounded up the steps of - her aunt's home, the only one she knew, and burst unceremon- iously in upon her aunt's reverie. The room in which Miss Tremont was seated was a large, old-fashioned one. Four low, broad windows allowed great Hoods of sunshine to enter during the day and gave wide views of the starry heavens at night. The floor was carpeted with a heavy brussels rug and the furniture was of colonial mahogany. Everything in the room bespoke taste and refinement, but the most cheerful feature was the open fire-place, with its massive brass andirons across which were several cedar logs burning briskly, giving an air of cosiness that only an open fire can produce. l Oh, auntyl exclaimed the excited child, did you think I was never coming? I was afraid myself that I'd never finish, but now all the decorating is over and everything is ready for tomorrow. We're going to have a glorious time, aunty. The recitations are all splen- did and there are many surprises in store for the babies. But, Aunt Gene, what's the mat- ter? suddenly broke off Alda, for her aunt did not seem to hear her lively chattering. Miss Tremont started. Why dear, I didn't hear you come in. You didn'tl Well really, Aunt Gene, I can't imagine what's wrong with you tonight, for you always said that you could hear me from the time I left school until I reached home, and I'm sure I made more noise than usual tonight, because I ran all the way home and fairly burst in here. 1 Did you, dear, was the only response. 1, Alda noticed that her explanation had fallen almost unheeded, so slipping to her knees she took her aunt's hands in her own and pressing .them softly asked, Please, aunty. what's the matter? Can't you tell your little girl just this time? Why, you foolish child, there's nothing the matter. You must be letting your imagina- tion run away with you, replied the aunt, trying to assume her usual cheerfulness. Now run along and change your dress. Aren't the girls coming down this evening? No, aunty. they're notg and please, if you don't mind, I'm not going. to change my dress. It's so very comfy here that I think I'll stay and try my method of driving away this dreadful case of blues. n u Alda glanced smilingly into her aunt's eyes and was greatly surprised to find in them the unmistakable traces of tears. I I . Oh please, please tell me, aunty? Have you been thinking again of that dreadful hap- pening that occurred so very long ago on a certain eighth of December? Yes, dear, I'm compelled to admit that it is the remembrance of that memorable day which causes me to forget myself tonight. . 13 ei' Fl ' gall!! s W 0