In Shakespeare’s ‘comedy’, Twelfth Night, why is bullying and wit celebrated?

Shakespeare presented the Puritanical Malvolio as a comic villain, whose downfall the audience revels in. This concept, known as Schadenfreude, is typical of comedic fiction. Malvolio’s arrogance and hubris in the earlier scenes of the play lead him to become a target for complex plotting by the ‘lord and lady of misrule’, Sir Toby and Maria. While at first the gulling of Malvolio may seem innocent and superficially humiliating - epitomised by the hilarity of the ‘box-tree’ scene - bullying soon comes more prevalent than jest as the undertones of dark comedy prevail. Malvolio is also left out of the marital happy ending, alongside Sir Andrew - the natural fool, financially exploited by Sir Toby. Throughout the play, Sir Andrew contributes to the folly and misrule as orchestrated by Sir Toby and Maria, but it is his role as the unintelligent, exploited natural fool which is the main tenant of his comedy. ‘Twelfth Night’ is a juxtaposition of comedy and tragedy wherein comedy is drawn from pain and the downfall of others.