Sir Andrew Aguecheek is a comic type still current in comedy today: the super wealthy upperclass twit.
One prominent characteristic of Sir Andrew is that he is a brainless idiot. For example, when Toby Belch tries to introduce him Maria, Toby says to him, "accost," meaning he should woo or court Maria. Aguecheek takes this to be her name and addresses her as follows:
Good Mistress Accost, I desire better acquaintance.
Not surprisingly, Sir Andrew is clueless about what a complete dope he is. Therefore, although he mourns that Olivia will prefer Orsino to him, he is vain enough to be easily flattered (in a backhanded way) by Toby into believing that he has a chance with Olivia. Toby says:
She’ll none o' the count. She’ll not match above her degree, neither in estate, years, nor wit. I have heard her swear ’t. Tut, there’s life in ’t, man.
In other words, she doesn't want a man who is too smart or competent: therefore, Sir Andrew has a chance.
Finally, Sir Andrew shows he is a coward. Urged on by Toby, he challenges Cesario to a duel, but when he hears rumors of what a fierce fighter Cesario is, he quickly backs out of the battle: "I'll not meddle with him," Sir Andrew says, and even offers to appease him by giving him his horse.
Upperclass twits like Sir Andrew are good for comic relief. They are so protected by their money that audiences don't mind laughing at them: theatergoers know these characters' idiocy will do them no real harm.
Sir Andrew Aguecheek from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is a character primarily intended to be comic relief. Though he is a wealthy man, he is described as a fool, a coward, and a "quarreler," meaning that he is quick to anger and often picks fights. The audience learns all of these facts about Sir Andrew before they ever meet him, from the following exchange between Sir Toby Belch and Maria in act I, scene iii:
SIR TOBY BELCH
Why, he has three thousand ducats a year.
MARIA
Ay, but he'll have but a year in all these ducats:he's a very fool and a prodigal.
SIR TOBY BELCH
Fie, that you'll say so! he plays o' theviol-de-gamboys, and speaks three or four languagesword for word without book, and hath all the goodgifts of nature.
MARIA
He hath indeed, almost natural: for besides thathe's a fool, he's a great quarreller: and but thathe hath the gift of a coward to allay the gust hehath in quarrelling, 'tis thought among the prudenthe would quickly have the gift of a grave.
When Sir Andrew then enters, his reputation preceding him, he is quick to live up to all of these assessments with his own dialogue and actions. He is foolishly lovestruck for the Lady Olivia, who hardly knows he exists. He is quickly infuriated with Malvolio and challenges Cesario to a duel, demonstrating his short fuse and quarrelsome nature. His cowardly nature becomes evident as well when he becomes petrified of fighting Cesario following Sir Toby's (false) reports of Cesario's skill with a sword.
Other traits that you could find textual evidence for in relation to Sir Andrew include the fact that he is self-aggrandizing, easily duped, and a drunkard. Sir Toby Belch and Maria manipulate him throughout the play and often talk negatively about his character.
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