Twelfth Night, or What You Will Allusions & Cultural References

Major Source Texts for Plot and Characters

• Barnaby Riche, "Apolonius and Silla" (1.4.7, 1.5.47)
• Emanuel Ford, Parismus, (1.4.5, 1.5.47)
• Accademia degli Intronati, Gl' Ingannati(The Deceived Ones) (1.2.4, 2.2.1)
• Niccolò Secchio, Gl' Inganni (The Deceived) (1.2.4, 2.2.1)
• Curzio Gonzaga, Gl' Inganni (The Deceived) (1.2.4, 2.2.1)
• Matteo Bandello, Novelle (translated into the French text Histoires Tragiques by Francoise de Beleforest)
• Plautus, Menechimi
• Note: Secchio's play (1562) and Gonzago's Gl'Inganni (1592) both draw from Gl'Ingannati (1531). Shakespeare had access to at least one, if not all of these works.

Other Literary Allusions

• Francis Petrarch, Il Canzoniere (Song Book) a.k.a. Rime Sparse (Scattered Rhymes), see especially Sonnet 190 (1.1.1) and Sonnet 199 (5.1.17)
• Ovid, Metamorphoses, see especially Book Three, The Transformation of Actaeon (1.1.4)
• Thomas Wyatt, "Whoso List to Hunt" (1.1.4)
• Philip Stubbes, The Anatomy of Abuses (2.2.3)
• Edmund Spenser, Epithalamion (2.4.14)
• Geoffrey Chaucer, Rime of Sir Topas (4.2.1)
• Geoffrey Chaucer, Troilus and Cressida (3.1.12) *Note: Shakespeare wrote his own version of the story c. 1602, around the time Twelfth Night was written and performed.
• Heliodorus, Ethiopica (5.1.15)

Biblical References

• Matthew 2:1-12 (play's title and traditional Twelfth Night holiday festivities celebrate the biblical account of the three wise men presenting gifts to the Christ child)
• Matthew 25:14-30 (1.5.11)
• Deuteronomy 22:5 (2.2.3)
• 2 Kings 9:30-37 (2.5. 3)
• Mark 5:8-9 (3.4.1)
• Exodus 10:21-23 (4.2.8)
• "Gospels," or New Testament accounts of Christ (5.1.10)

Sometimes Shakespeare Gives Himself Props

• Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1.2.4)
• Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors (twin siblings separated at sea)
• Shakespeare, Sonnet 11 (1.5.15)
• Shakespeare, Sonnet 130 (1.5.47)
• Shakespeare, Sonnet 20 (5.1.28)

Historical References

• William Barentz, Arctic expeditionary c. 1596-7 (3.2.3)
• Robert Brown, Puritan "Brownist" sect founder c. 1581 (3.2.3)
• Pythagoras (4.2.9)

Pop Culture References

• "Peg-a-Ramsey" folk ballad (2.3.10)
• "There Dwelt a Man in Babylon" ballad (2.3.10)
• "Hold Thy Peace" catch (song) (2.3.7)
• " Twelve Days of Christmas" (2.3.11)
• "Farewell Dear Love" lyrics (2.3.13)