Twelfth Night is pretty funny : > )

I really wish that Dr. Tombe offered a course on Shakespeare comedies. I'd consider taking that one just for giggles. So far I've only read act I, but I thought it was hilarious. I'm afraid that this will make me seem dumb, but when act I, scene 3 begins and it states: "Enter SIR TOBY [Belch]..." I honestly thought that "Belch" was a stage command. It's so fitting too. Sir Toby is a lush. (Perhaps I'm no less of a "natural" than Sir Toby or Sir Andrew.)

Anyway, I particularly love this scene - especially when Sir Andrew shows up. The conversation is priceless. Maria is quite correct in her statement that Sir Andrew is a "natural" (the footnote states that "idiots and fools were called naturals"). He just doesn't get it (Sir Toby is no genius for that matter). He begins the mess by calling Maria a "fair shrew" (1.3.43). Of course I didn't quite understand the joke until I read the very helpful footnote, but either way it's pretty funny. Sir Andrew seems to be attempting to flirt with the "Good Mistress Mary Accost" (which is also very silly) as is evident by his playful banter. The two make plenty of jokes back and forth, but Maria of course thinks Sir Andrew is a complete moron (which he seems to be thus far). He thinks he is so witty. What's silly is that Sir Toby seems to idolize his drinking buddy. He builds Sir Andrew up to be someone very cultured and learned. He tells Maria that he makes a lot of money and that he "speaks three or four languages word for word without the book (1.3.24-25). Apparently French is not among the three or four he managed to learn. Sir Toby simply asks why in French and Andrew totally misses the mark. This leads to a strange conversation that makes absolutely no sense because the two gentlemen continue misunderstanding each other, but neither will ask for clarification because they are so afraid of the other discovering their ignorance.

So that's where I stand so far with Twelfth Night. I really like it so far, and I hope that it will continue to provide the comic relief that is lacking in the copious amount of reading I have to do this week (although I am reading the chapter on sex in my psychology class).