Act II - Inkshedding

Toby: "Farewell, dear heart, since I must needs be gone.” (II, iii, 102)

Before Sir Toby sings this line, Malvolio informed him that Olivia only watches out for him just because they are family. Malvolio reprimands Toby for being an obnoxious drunk and tells him that if he cannot act more mature than Olivia will have no problem kicking him out. Since Malvolio does not care for Sir Toby he would not mind this at all. Toby who has clearly been up drinking for quite a while comes back singing the line above. The way Sir Toby does this comes off as sarcastic. Instead of being the mature man Olivia wants him to be he sings a quote from “Corydon’s farewell to Phyllis” that seems to match what is going on. Sir Toby mocks Malvolio and basically says, “Oh well than, since I am acting ‘foolish’ I guess I’ll have to leave.” Sir Toby is not serious when he says that it is time for him to go. He does not agree with Malvolio at all and he seems pretty confident that Olivia would never do such a thing because after all they are family. Because of his confidence he responds with his sarcastic drunk comment and in the end just irritates Malvolio.