Twelfth Night is a play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written for performance on Twelfth Night, January 6th. The holiday celebrated the visit of the Three Wise Men to baby Jesus and involved eating fruitcake, playing games, and performing plays and music. Finding a bean or twig in the fruitcake designated one as king or fool for the day. The title also refers to the "discovery" that is central to the plot's many instances of mistaken identity and revelation of truth. The play continues to be widely adapted and performed today, keeping traditions of Twelfth Night celebrations alive.

1. Twelfth Night
by William Shakespeare

3. The Plot of Twelfth Night

4. Schmoop: Twelfth Night Presentation.

5. The Title
Twelfth Night is named after the holiday of the 12th day of Christmas, also
known as “Epiphany.” It was the day that the Wise Men finally got to Bethlehem
to give presents to the baby Jesus.
On Twelfth Night, people often ate fruit cake and played games. Music and
plays were also common, which is why Shakespeare probably wrote the play to
perform on this holiday. Such performances are still common today.
Clowns were a big part of Twelfth Night- Englishmen would play a game where
they tried to find a bean or a twig hidden inside a fruit cake. Whoever found the
bean, got to be the king for a day, and boss the others around. The finder of the
twig however, had to be the fool.
Epithany is also a word that means- “Discovery”, which happens

6. Clip: Shakespeare Explains the Plot of
Twelfth Night.

7. Trailer: Twelfth Night (1998).

8. Twelfth Night- Globe Theater 2012.

9. Adaptations of Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night
(1996, dir by Trevor Nunn).
Shakespeare In Love (1998)
One of the Boys
She’s the Man (2006).

10. Trailer- She’s The Man (2006).

11. Feste-vities: Traditional Twelfth
Night Activities.
Bean in cake--
Mummer’s Play
Wassail
Lord of Misrule (clown)
For More Information:
http://resources.woodlands-
junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/xmas/twelfthnight/tr
Twelfth Night (The King Drinks) by David
Teniers c. 1634-1640

12. Mummers Play: A Twelfth Night Tradition