Twelfth Night, or What You Will Art and Culture Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Scene.Line). Line numbers correspond to the Norton edition.

Quote #10

FESTE
But that's all one, our play is done,
And we'll strive to please you every day. (5.1.430-431)

In the play's final moment, Feste closes the production with one last song, a reminder of the way music sets the tone for much of Twelfth Night, a play that also begins with music. This passage also raises interesting questions regarding the audience's relationship to the performers. Throughout the play, Feste is quite flippant and often seems not to care one way or the other if he "please[s]" anyone. On the one hand, his success and livelihood depends on his audiences' positive responses. Audiences, as Feste often points out, are often foolish and don't know what's good for them. So, what do we make of Feste's final lines? Are they sincere? Flippant? Something else? Some combination of both? What do you think?