Maria is a fictional character in the play Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...

. She is a servant in Olivia's household.

Role in the play

Maria is Olivia's most trusted female servant. She tends to her personal appearance and well-being. She also has a relationship with Olivia's uncle, the drunk Sir Toby Belch

Toby Belch

Sir Toby Belch is a character in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. He is considered one of William Shakespeare's finest comic characters, an ambiguous mix of high spirits and low cunning. He first appears in the play's third scene, when he storms onto the stage the morning after a hard night...

. Although Maria often tries to discourage Toby from drinking and carousing, she also seems to enjoy these activities herself, to some extent.

Since Toby and his friends Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Feste

Feste

Feste is a jester in the Shakespeare comedy Twelfth Night or: What You Will. He is attached to the household of the Countess Olivia. Apparently he has been there for some time, as he was a "fool that the Lady Olivia's father took much delight in"...

, and Fabian often drink and sing loudly at night, Olivia's steward Malvolio

Malvolio

Malvolio is the steward of Olivia's household in William Shakespeare's comedy, Twelfth Night, or What You Will.-Style:Malvolio's ethical values are commonly used to define his appearance.In the play, Malvolio is defined as a "kind of" Puritan...

 has a strained relationship with them. After Malvolio berates them for one such occasion, Maria comes up with the idea of deceiving Malvolio that his lady Olivia is secretly in love with him. Maria can imitate Olivia's handwriting, writes a love letter hinting at this secret love, and leaves it where Malvolio will find it.

Maria also participates in the "dark room" scene, when Toby and Feste put Malvolio in a windowless little room and torture him with questions. At the end of the play Maria marries Sir Toby.

Connections with other characters

• Olivia is Maria's lady and employer
• Sir Toby Belch is Maria's lover and eventual husband
• Malvolio is the steward in Olivia's household and therefore Maria's supervisor

Quotes

• By my troth, Sir Toby, you must come in earlier a' nights: Your cousin, my lady, takes great exceptions to your ill hours.
  • Maria explaining to Sir Toby that her lady is not fond of her uncle's behaviour (Act 1, Scene 3).
• Nay, either tell me where thou hast been, or I will not open my lips so wide as a bristle may enter, in way of thy excuse. My lady will hang thee for thy absence.
  • Maria scolding Feste for being absent from the household (Act 1, Scene 5).
• I can write very like my lady your niece: on a forgotten matter we can hardly make distinction of our hands.
  • Maria conspiring with Sir Toby to write a letter that would fool Malvolio (Act 2, Scene 3).
• Go shake your ears!
  • Maria insulting Malvolio
• Get him to say his prayers, good Sir Toby, get him to pray.
  • Maria egging on Sir Toby to annoy Malvolio.

Performers

Year	Media	Performer
1869	Broadway	Fannie Davenport
1905	Broadway	Zeffie Tilbury Zeffie Tilbury Zeffie Agnes Lydia Tilbury was an English actress-Career:Born in Paddington, Middlesex, England Tilbury was known first on the London stage and later for playing wise or evil older characters in films, such as the distinguished lady gambler at dinner with Garbo in The Single Standard, as Grandma...
1910	Film	Marin Sais Marin Sais Marin Sais was an American motion picture actress whose career was most prolific during the silent film era of the 1910s and 1920s...
1939	Television	Lucille Lisle
1949	Broadway	Ruth Enders
1955	Film	Anna Lisyanskaya
1957	Television	Micheline Luccioni
1963	Off-Broadway	Peggy Pope Peggy Pope Peggy Pope is an American actress.She was born in Montclair, New Jersey. She has made her many acting appearances memorable—even in the smallest roles—beginning in 1966 with the television show The Trials of O'Brien, starring Peter Falk and Elaine Stritch.Pope is most recognizable as...
1969	Off-Broadway	Jennifer Darling Jennifer Darling Jennifer Darling is an American actress and voice actress. While her body of work as a voiceover artist greatly eclipses that of her on-stage career, she is, perhaps, nevertheless known best to most people as Peggy Callahan, the secretary to Oscar Goldman in the television series The Six Million...
1970	Television	Raph Wolfs
1972	Television	Jet Naessens
1974	Television	Anne Stallybrass Anne Stallybrass Anne Stallybrass is a British actress who trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London.She was born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex...
1980	Television	Annette Crosbie Annette Crosbie Annette Crosbie, OBE is a Scottish character actor.-Life and career:Crosbie was born in Gorebridge, Midlothian, Scotland, to Presbyterian parents who disapproved of her becoming an actor. Nevertheless, she joined the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School while still in her teens...
1987	Film	Tracy Harvey Tracy Harvey Tracy Harvey is a comedian, TV presenter, actor and writer from Melbourne, Australia.Tracy was a member of the alternative comedy breakfast panel radio show Punter to Punter with Trevor Marmalade and Dr Turf...
1988	Television	Abigail McKern
1996	Film	Imelda Staunton Imelda Staunton Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadette Staunton, OBE is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for her performances in the British comedy television series Up the Garden Path, the Harry Potter film series and Vera Drake...
1999	Off-Broadway	Dana Slamp
2003	Television	Maureen Beattie
2009	Off-Broadway	Julie White Julie White Julie White is an American actress. She is known for her role in Grace Under Fire and for her role as Judy Witwicky in the Transformers film series.-Personal life:...

Sources

• Guide to Twelfth Night
• Analysis of Major Characters in Twelfth Night
• Summary of Twelfth Night and Characters