Twelfth Night Summary

Students can create and show a storyboard that captures the concept of the Five Act Structure by making a six-cell storyboard. For each cell, have students create a scene that follows the acts in order: Prologue, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Denouement.

Twelfth Night Five Act Structure Example

Act 1: Prologue

Duke Orsino is in love with Countess Olivia, who is in mourning for her recently-deceased brother. Olivia refuses to marry anyone for seven years, but Duke Orsino is determined to win her over. Meanwhile, Viola, a beautiful aristocrat, is shipwrecked on the island of Illyria, and she believes her twin brother Sebastian has likely drowned.

Act 1: Conflict

Viola disguises herself as a man and calls herself Cesario, and begins to serve in Duke Orsino’s court. She ends up falling in love with Duke while still in disguise as a man. The Duke sends Cesario as an envoy to Olivia on his behalf, but Olivia ends up falling in love with “Cesario” and gifting “him” with a ring.

Act 2: Rising Action

Sebastian is actually very much alive, and staying with a man named Antonio on another side of the island. Like Viola, Sebastian believes his sister drowned. Meanwhile, members of Olivia’s court conspire to make her obnoxious steward Malvolio think that she has fallen in love with him. They deliver a letter in her handwriting telling him to act and dress strangely to prove his love for her.

Act 3: Climax

Sir Toby convinces Sir Andrew to challenge Cesario to a duel in order to win Olivia’s heart. Antonio enters as the two are about to duel and thinks that “Cesario” is Sebastian, whom he has come to care for very much. He steps between the men and is carried away by guards because he is an enemy of Duke Orsino. However, because “Cesario” doesn’t recognize him, he believes “Sebastian” has betrayed him. Malvolio’s behavior alarms Olivia, and she believes he has gone crazy. Maria, Sir Toby, and Fabian take the opportunity to lock Malvolio up.

Act 4: Falling Action

Meanwhile, Sirs Toby and Andrew come across Sebastian nearby, and mistake him for Cesario. Andrew attacks Sebastian, and Olivia arrives, separating the men and bringing the very bewildered Sebastian back to her home because she believes him to be her Cesario, too. She asks him to marry her, and he happily agrees. Feste, the Fool, disguises himself as a priest and messes with Malvolio, making Malvolio begin to wonder if he is crazy after all.

Act 5: Denouement

Antonio is brought in to see Orsino, and his rantings about Sebastian’s betrayal are bewildering to Cesario because “he” does not know him. Olivia comes in and greets Viola, thinking that she is the man that she just married. Sebastian arrives, and Viola reveals her true identity. Orsino comes to realize that he’s in love with Viola, and the couples are happy. Malvolio is released from his prison when it is revealed that the letter was a forgery; he swears his revenge.