# Olivia — Twelfth Night character guide

> Olivia in Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** fair Olivia, Olivia God, Olivia O, Olivia Ay, the Countess Olivia, Olivia Sir, Olivia Heaven, Olivia Prithee, Olivia Ha, Scene II Olivia, Scene IV Olivia, Olivia Alas, Olivia with Malvolio, the Lady Olivia

**First appearance:** 0002-act-i-scene-i

## Snapshot

A countess who has sworn seven years of veiled mourning for her dead brother, and who breaks that vow the instant a young messenger speaks — for the wrong person entirely.

## Who they are

Olivia rules her household with a will that surprises everyone, refusing the Duke's suit and managing her drunken uncle, her fool, and her steward with equal authority. Her vow to keep her brother's love 'fresh and lasting' is genuine, but so is her sudden, helpless attraction to Cesario — a desire aimed at a man who is not a man, and who loves someone else. Her pursuit of Cesario puts her at comic cross-purposes with Orsino and makes her the pivot on which the play's love-triangle spins.

## Relationships

### [Sir Toby Belch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters/sir_toby_belch)

_social_

Olivia tolerates her uncle's drunken antics but keeps him at a distance due to his disruptive behavior.

### [Feste](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters/feste)

_professional_

Feste serves as Olivia's licensed fool, providing entertainment and occasionally offering pointed truths.

### [Viola](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters/viola)

_romantic_

Olivia falls in love with Viola disguised as Cesario, creating a one-sided romantic pursuit.

### [Malvolio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters/malvolio)

_professional_

Malvolio is Olivia's steward, serving her with strict loyalty but also harboring secret romantic ambitions.

### [Sebastian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters/sebastian)

_romantic_

Olivia mistakes Sebastian for Cesario and marries him, believing he is the object of her affection.

### [Maria](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters/maria)

_professional_

Maria serves as Olivia's gentlewoman, managing the household and acting with her mistress's trust.

### [Sir Toby Belch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters/sir_toby_belch)

_social_

Olivia tolerates her uncle's drunken antics but keeps him at a distance due to his disruptive behavior.

### [Sir Toby Belch](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters/sir_toby_belch)

_social_

Olivia tolerates her uncle's drunken antics but keeps him at a distance due to his disruptive behavior.

### [Feste](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters/feste)

_professional_

Feste serves as Olivia's licensed fool, providing entertainment and occasionally offering pointed truths.

### [Maria](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters/maria)

_professional_

Maria serves as Olivia's gentlewoman, managing the household and acting with her mistress's trust.

## In the story

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/chapters/act-i-scene-ii)

Described as a virtuous maid who has abjured the company of men after her brother's death.

### [Scene V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/chapters/act-i-scene-v)

Mourning her brother, engages with Feste's fooling, then meets Cesario and becomes captivated.

### [Act III, Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-i)

Openly confesses her love for Cesario, despite his repeated refusals, and struggles with her unrequited passion.

### [Scene IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/chapters/act-iii-scene-iv)

Anxious to entertain Cesario, she is bewildered by Malvolio's strange behavior and orders him looked after.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-i)

Intervenes to stop the fight, scolds Sir Toby, and invites Sebastian to her house.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/chapters/act-iv-scene-iii)

Urges Sebastian to marry her at once with the priest.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/chapters/act-v-scene-i)

Discovers she married Sebastian, not Cesario; orders Malvolio released.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters/olivia
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/twelfth_night_se/characters