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Reading schedule · Grades 8–12

Twelfth Night in 5 Weeks: A Reading Schedule

A five-week plan for reading Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, one act a week. Each week gives the reading, a short summary of what happens, three discussion questions and the escape room that goes with it. For grades 8–12, in class or at home.

Pacing

One act a week suits most high school classes. Read the act across the first part of the week, in class or at home and ideally with some of it read aloud, then use the questions for discussion or a short written response and finish the week with the escape room. Acts vary in length, so give a long act an extra lesson if it needs one: nothing is lost by stretching a week.

Each week ends with an escape room on that week's reading: seven self-checking locks that run in any browser, with no logins, and progress is saved, so a room can be finished another day. Every room has free taster locks to try, and members can open them all.

Print this schedule Escape rooms on Twelfth Night

Week 1: Act 1

Read: Act 1

Duke Orsino longs for Olivia, who is mourning her brother. Viola, shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria and fearing her twin is drowned, disguises herself as a young man, Cesario, and enters Orsino's service; sent to woo Olivia for him, she wins Olivia's love instead, while Sir Toby and Sir Andrew carouse in Olivia's house.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Viola choose a disguise, and what problems does it cause?
2. How serious is Orsino's love for Olivia?
3. What do Sir Toby and Sir Andrew add to the play?

Escape room: Shipwrecked in Illyria (lockedlessons.com/rooms/twelfth-night-act-1/)

Week 2: Act 2

Read: Act 2

Viola's twin, Sebastian, is alive and travelling with his friend Antonio. Malvolio returns a ring that Olivia claims Cesario left, Sir Toby's late-night singing earns his rebuke, and Maria forges a letter to fool him; Orsino and Cesario talk of love, and Malvolio finds the letter and believes that Olivia loves him.

Discussion questions

1. Why do the others want to humble Malvolio?
2. What does Viola reveal about her feelings in her talk with Orsino?
3. What does Malvolio's reaction to the letter show about him?

Escape room: Some Are Born Great (lockedlessons.com/rooms/twelfth-night-act-2/)

Week 3: Act 3

Read: Act 3

Feste and Cesario trade wit, and Olivia openly declares her love. Sir Andrew is egged on to challenge Cesario, Malvolio appears in yellow stockings, the duel between two reluctant fighters is interrupted, and Antonio, mistaking Viola for Sebastian, is arrested.

Discussion questions

1. Is Feste wiser than the people he serves?
2. How do Olivia and Orsino both behave rather like Malvolio in their love?
3. Why is Antonio so hurt when Cesario does not know him?

Escape room: A Challenge Sent (lockedlessons.com/rooms/twelfth-night-act-3/)

Week 4: Act 4

Read: Act 4

Feste, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew mistake Sebastian for Cesario, and a fight begins until Olivia stops it. Malvolio is shut in a dark room and visited by Feste disguised as a curate, while Sebastian, astonished at his luck, agrees to marry Olivia before a priest.

Discussion questions

1. How is the treatment of Malvolio in the dark room different from the earlier tricks?
2. Why does Sebastian go along with Olivia so readily?
3. Is the trick on Malvolio still funny at this point?

Escape room: Mad or Dreaming (lockedlessons.com/rooms/twelfth-night-act-4/)

Week 5: Act 5

Read: Act 5

Orsino visits Olivia, Antonio accuses Cesario, and Olivia claims Cesario as her husband. Sebastian's arrival reveals the twins at last, Malvolio's letter exposes the trick and he leaves in anger, and Feste ends the play with a song.

Discussion questions

1. How satisfying are the pairings at the end?
2. Should Malvolio have been treated as he was?
3. What mood does Feste's song leave the audience in?

Escape room: The Twins Meet (lockedlessons.com/rooms/twelfth-night-act-5/)