What does the Malvolio subplot add to Twelfth Night?

Question

Most of Shakespeare's comedy *Twelfth Night* is about the group of main characters Viola, Sebastian, Orsino, and Olivia, and the affections requited and unrequited between them. But there's also a subplot surrounding Olivia's steward Malvolio and her other servants, which seems completely unrelated to the rest of the play. It adds more slapstick comedy to the play which might otherwise be rather more serious, but also has a dark element when Malvolio is imprisoned and tormented before vowing revenge on his tormentors. **Why is this subplot part of the play? What does it add to the story?** Are we just meant to laugh at the fooling around of the servants, or to be affected by Malvolio's pathos? Does it connect in some metaphorical or symbolic sense to the main plot?

Answer 1

In reference to Shakespeare, his main plots generally centered around the upper-class, while subplots focused on the lower class. In addition, this particular subplot mirrors the main plot, adding a parallel, something else that was fairly common during that time period. And yes, a good chunk of the reasoning behind Malvolio's character is to provide some comedic relief at times that may not be offered by the main plot.