“I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you!”
Por qué es buena
While everyone pairs off, he curses the whole company, leaving the comedy with a wound.
Registro
literary
Úsala tú
Laugh all you want; I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you one day.
00:00 / 02:59
00:00 / 02:59
Malvolio Swears Revenge on Everyone, Explained
Twelfth Night · 2012
Capítulo 25 de 25 · 2'59"
Fabian confesses the whole trick against Malvolio and reveals that Toby married Maria. Malvolio, seeing he was made a joke, storms out with a threat: "I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you!" Feste closes the matter with his line about 'the whirligig of time.'
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 0:13–1:36
❝ Monólogo · 4 frases Fabian Confesses the Plot
83s - 1:59–2:58
Malvolio Storms Out Vowing Revenge
59s
Malvolio Swears Revenge on Everyone, explained
What happens
Fabian admits that he and Toby set the letter-trick against Malvolio, and that Maria wrote it and married Toby in return. Olivia calls Malvolio, who sees he has been made a fool. He leaves vowing revenge, and Feste sums it up: 'the whirligig of time brings in his revenges.' Olivia orders him followed and soothed.
What's really going on
The play resolves itself and leaves one wound open. Fabian's confession is generous — he admits the trick, names Maria as its author, and even reports the marriage that grew out of it — but it cannot undo what Malvolio endured. His exit line, 'I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you!', refuses the happy ending the others are arranging; he is the only character who walks away uncured. Feste answers with a proverb instead of an apology: 'the whirligig of time brings in his revenges,' as if time, not the jokers, will settle scores. Olivia, to her credit, calls him 'most notoriously abused' and sends after him. The comedy ends with weddings promised and one angry man hounding the door, and the play lets both stand.
Key lines & what they mean
- “I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you!”
- Malvolio's furious exit line: he will not accept the joke and promises to take revenge on everyone involved.
- “And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges.”
- Feste's proverb: time turns like a wheel, and eventually brings everyone the payback they deserve.
- “And some have greatness thrown upon them.”
- Feste's mocking twist on the letter's line: Malvolio's 'greatness' was merely thrown on him as a joke.
- “Alas, poor fool, how have they baffled thee?”
- A pitying remark about Malvolio, that the plotters have made a complete fool of him.
- “He hath been most notoriously abused.”
- Olivia's admission that Malvolio was treated worse than anyone, which is why she sends to make peace.
Theme
- Revenge — Malvolio refuses to be soothed, leaving with a threat to be revenged on the whole pack of them.
- Justice — Olivia admits he was 'most notoriously abused' and sends after him, but the fun has already cost him.
Qué aprendes en este capítulo
Puntos de enseñanza
Repasa justo después de verMi nivel0/6
A1–C2 es la escala MCER. Las tarjetas por encima del nivel elegido se atenúan y la reproducción no se pausa en ellas.
Puntos de lengua
Toca una tarjeta para saltar a ese momentoFrases de oro
Una gran frase en sí misma: por qué y cómo usarla“And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges.”
Por qué es buena
Time as a spinning top that turns the tables on everyone, said with grim calm rather than gloating.
Registro
literary
Úsala tú
The whirligig of time brings in its revenges, even for quiet office bullies.
“And some have greatness thrown upon them.”
Por qué es buena
Greatness arrives as something dropped on you, half honour and half accident.
Registro
literary
Úsala tú
Some have greatness thrown upon them, and the rest of us apply twice.
“Alas, poor fool, how have they baffled thee?”
Por qué es buena
An exclamation plus baffled: mockery and pity in one breath.
Registro
literary
Úsala tú
Alas, poor fool, how have they baffled thee with that prank.
“He hath been most notoriously abused.”
Por qué es buena
Notoriously abused fixes the verdict: a formal protest that speaks for the victim.
Registro
Formal
Úsala tú
He hath been most notoriously abused by that review.
Monólogo
Un personaje sostiene la escena: practícalo entero❝ Feste on greatness
Why, some are born great. Some achieve greatness. And some have greatness thrown upon them. I was one, sir, in this interlude...
Feste stacks three kinds of greatness, then quietly claims a part in the joke.
Ideas clave
Lo que te llevas- The whirligig of time means payback arrives in its own time.
- To be revenged on someone is to take revenge, formal and old.
- Gagged means silenced, not merely quiet.
- A happy ending can still leave one character out.
Preguntas frecuentes
La pregunta, luego la fraseWho confesses the trick?
Fabian admits that he and Toby set the device against Malvolio, and that Maria wrote the letter. He also reveals that Toby married Maria as her reward.
Why does Malvolio swear revenge?
He learns the whole thing was a joke at his expense. Refusing any apology, he leaves with 'I'll be revenged on the whole pack of you!'
Who says the line about the whirligig of time?
Feste, the clown, closes the matter with it after Malvolio storms out, suggesting that time itself will eventually settle the score.
How does Olivia respond to Malvolio's anger?
She says he has been 'most notoriously abused' and orders someone to pursue him and 'entreat him to a peace' — though he does not return.
What does Feste's 'some have greatness thrown upon them' mean?
It echoes the forged letter's flattery as a joke: what Malvolio thought was greatness was only something thrown onto him — a humiliation, not a reward.