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Twelfth Night · 2012 — 第 18 / 25 章 · 3'30" · C2

Sir Andrew's Challenge Is Read Aloud, Explained：improbable fiction

Malvolio storms off, and the plotters decide to lock him in a dark room. Then they read Sir Andrew's challenge letter aloud, relishing every clumsy insult. Fabian sums up the absurdity: "If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction."

あらすじ

Malvolio leaves in a fury, calling the others idle and shallow, and Sir Toby's group plans to lock him in a dark room as punishment. The mood turns to the duel plot: they read out Sir Andrew's challenge to Cesario, mocking its clumsy threats. Fabian decides not to deliver it, saying the letter would not frighten anyone.

TeasingThreatsThreateningTeasingFriendsC2mediumbritishClean
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注目の表現

improbable fictionvinegar and peppernot of your elementbum-baily

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  1. ❝ 独白Malvolio's exit curse4 行練習ページ ↗
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このシーンの表現

improbable fiction

a story too far-fetched to believe

Fabian says the mad behaviour on show would be too far-fetched even for the theatre.

The whole merger felt like an improbable fiction nobody would publish.

このシーンの他の表現

  • vinegar and pepper

    sour and stinging in tone

  • not of your element

    not one of your kind

  • bum-baily

    a bailiff or hired watcher

  • in a dark room and bound

    locked in the dark and tied up

  • look to thyself

    watch out for yourself

このシーンのメモ一覧

67 行のセリフに 23 件のメモ

発音hang yourselves

Link hang and yourselves into a single run.

Go hang yourselves, all.
表現 · B2play something upon a stage

to stage something as a play

If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction.
文法 · C2If this were played upon a stage now

subjunctive: The were-clause imagines a stage version that does not exist.

If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction.
表現 · C2take the infection of something

to be infected by the trick

Why, his very genius have taken the infection of the device, man.
表現 · B2pursue someone

to chase him at once

Nay, pursue him now, lest the device take air and taint.
文法 · C2lest the device take air and taint

lest-clause: Lest takes a bare verb and gives the reason to hurry.

Nay, pursue him now, lest the device take air and taint.
表現 · B1keep someone in a dark room

locked in the dark and tied up

The plotters decide to lock Malvolio in a dark room and tie him up so the trick can continue.

Come, we'll have him in a dark room and bound.
文法 · C2tired out of breath

parenthetical: The phrase sits between subject and verb to picture the pastime itself growing tired.

We may carry it thus for our pleasure and his penance till our very pastime, tired out of breath, prompt us to have mercy on him.
表現 · C1matter for a May morning

fodder for a carnival

More matter for a May morning.
表現 · C1vinegar and pepper

sour and stinging in tone

Before reading, one of the knights predicts the letter will be sour and biting.

I warrant there's vinegar and pepper in't.
発音pepper in't

In't collapses into one syllable.

I warrant there's vinegar and pepper in't.
表現 · C1a scurvy fellow

a despicable wretch

"Youth, whatsoever thou art, thou art but a scurvy fellow."
スラング · C1scurvy fellow

a despicable wretch — An old insult; today scurvy mostly means the disease.

"Youth, whatsoever thou art, thou art but a scurvy fellow."
表現 · C1the blow of the law

the stroke of the law

That keeps you from the blow of the law, hm?
表現 · C2lie in one's throat

to lie outright

But thou liest in my throat.
表現 · C1on the windy side of the law

safely on the right side of the law

The reader praises the letter for threatening without giving the law a hold.

Still you keep on the windy side of the law... good.
表現 · B1look to oneself

watch out for yourself

The challenge letter ends with a warning that doubles as a threat.

And so look to thyself.
表現 · C2like a bum-baily

a bailiff or hired watcher

Toby tells Andrew to lurk at the orchard corner like a hired watcher.

Scout me for him at the corner of the orchard like a bum-baily.
スラング · B2draw

to pull out your sword — Fencing slang for pulling a weapon; now means to get ready to fight.

So soon as ever thou seest him, draw.
表現 · C1come from a clodpole

comes from a bumpkin

He'll find it comes from a clodpole.
スラング · C1clodpole

a bumpkin, a dolt — An old word for a fool; now nearly extinct.

He'll find it comes from a clodpole.
表現 · B1by word of mouth

by spoken word

I will deliver his challenge by word of mouth, That set upon Aguecheek a notable report of valour and drive the gentleman,
発音word of mouth

Soften of almost to a schwa between word and mouth.

I will deliver his challenge by word of mouth, That set upon Aguecheek a notable report of valour and drive the gentleman,

「Sir Andrew's Challenge Is Read Aloud」を読み解く

What's really going on

The scene runs on the gap between what the plotters plan and how little their victims understand. Malvolio exits with real dignity and real anger, and the others immediately decide to 'have him in a dark room and bound' — treating a man's mind as a toy. Then the comedy shifts to Sir Andrew's challenge, a letter so badly written that Fabian calls it 'excellently ignorant.' Fabian points out the practical joke behind it: since the letter is absurd, it will only reveal the sender as 'a clodpole.' His best line is about the whole affair — 'If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction' — the play winking at its own artificiality. He then chooses to inflame the duel by word of mouth instead, keeping the chaos alive.

Theme

DeceptionToby's crew turns Malvolio's madness into a game and stages a fake duel through a forged challenge.
SatireFabian calls the whole mess an 'improbable fiction,' winking at how theatrical the plot has become.

このチャプターで学べること

  • Improbable fiction means too far-fetched to believe
  • By word of mouth spreads news by speaking
  • Vinegar and pepper describe a biting tone
  • The windy side of the law means safely legal

発音のポイント

  • hang yourselves — Link hang and yourselves into a single run.
  • pepper in't — In't collapses into one syllable.
  • word of mouth — Soften of almost to a schwa between word and mouth.
If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction.

Fabian's meta-joke: the real situation is so far-fetched that, if it were a play, he'd call it unbelievable.

I warrant there's vinegar and pepper in't.

He predicts the letter is full of sharp, biting insults — 'vinegar and pepper' for tartness.

My friend, as thou usest him, and thy sworn enemy, Andrew Aguecheek.

The absurdly worded close of the challenge, which can't decide whether Andrew is a friend or an enemy.

You are idle shallow things.

Malvolio's parting insult to the revellers, dismissing them as lazy and empty.

You shall know more hereafter.

His parting threat: they will find out more about him later.

このシーンについての質問

Why do they want to lock Malvolio up?

As part of the prank. Since Olivia already thinks he is mad, Sir Toby suggests putting him 'in a dark room and bound' and treating his madness as entertainment.

Who wrote the challenge letter?

Sir Andrew, prompted by Sir Toby, writes it to challenge Cesario to a duel. It is so clumsy that the others read it aloud for laughs.

Why does Fabian refuse to deliver the letter?

He sees that Cesario is too sensible to be frightened by such a stupid letter; it would only reveal the sender as a fool. So he plans to provoke the duel by word of mouth instead.

What does 'an improbable fiction' mean?

Something too far-fetched to believe. Fabian uses the phrase to joke that the whole scheme looks like a badly written play.

What does Andrew's challenge threaten?

It threatens to waylay Cesario on the way home and kill him 'like a rogue and a villain,' while staying on 'the windy side of the law.'

Twelfth Night · 全 25 章

すべて見る →
次のチャプター · 第 19 章a pox on'tToby Scares Andrew About the Duel
第 1 章dying fallOrsino's Speech on Music and Love第 2 章word for wordViola Disguises Herself as a Man第 3 章cut a caperSir Andrew Boasts About Dancing第 4 章wear not motley in my brainFeste Proves Olivia a Fool第 5 章fortified against any denialCesario Arrives to Woo Olivia第 6 章the dead of nightOlivia Refuses the Duke's Suit第 7 章could not butSebastian's Story and Olivia's Ring第 8 章make the welkin danceFeste Sings for a Drunken Party第 9 章cakes and aleMalvolio Scolds Sir Toby's Party第 10 章sweet pangsOrsino Muses on Love第 11 章prove much in our vowsViola Argues Women Love as Deeply第 12 章the woodcock near the ginMalvolio Dreams of Marrying Olivia第 13 章have greatness thrust upon themMalvolio Reads Maria's Letter第 14 章a corrupter of wordsFeste Spars With Viola About Words第 15 章I am not what I amOlivia Confesses to Cesario第 16 章laugh yourself into stitchesMaria's Crew Goes to Watch Malvolio第 17 章midsummer madnessMalvolio Appears in Yellow Stockings再生中 · 第 18 章improbable fictionSir Andrew's Challenge Is Read Aloud第 19 章a pox on'tToby Scares Andrew About the Duel第 20 章prove trueAntonio Is Arrested, Viola Hopes第 21 章be well rid ofFeste Torments Malvolio in the Dark第 22 章make an ass of meOlivia Proposes to the Wrong Twin第 23 章ripe in mischiefOlivia Mistakes Sebastian for Cesario第 24 章happy wreckViola and Sebastian Are Revealed第 25 章whirligig of timeMalvolio Swears Revenge on Everyone
第 18 / 25 章 · 残り約 22 分