Beginning of Essay
Twelfth Night was the festival held on the night of the 5th January (12th night after Christmas), and the night before the Epiphany, the time the Three Wise Men visited Jesus. This gives rise to its French name, "La Nuit Des Rois". In medieval and Tudor times, thi ....

Middle of Essay
.... festivities, as it was the turn of the century, and the Queen, Elizabeth I, invited Don Virginio Orsino to the Palace of Whitehall for the celebrations. This event gives rise to the theory put forward by Leslie Hotson, in his book, "The Fist Night of Twelfth Night", that this particular William Shakespeare play was specially written for that occasion. All the activities of the festival have parallels in the play. There is the suspension of normal relations between servants and masters, the equivalent of the mock "King-for-a-Day" in the festival. The servants and masters fall in love with someone of the opposite class. Olivia (master) loves Cesario ....