Twelfth Night Sir Andrew Aguecheek Quotes

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.

– William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 3. Sir Toby Belch to Sir Andrew Aguecheek. When Andrew announces that he is going home tomorrow, as Lady Olivia will have none of him and Duke Orsino is wooing her, Toby is not convinced. Preoccupied with marrying Andrew to his niece Olivia, Toby doesn’t believe she will marry someone above her social rank like Orsino. He tells Andrew he is still in with a chance.

SIR ANDREW: A mellifluous voice, as I am true knight.
SIR TOBY: A contagious breath.
SIR ANDREW: Very sweet and contagious, i’ faith.
SIR TOBY: To hear by the nose, it is dulcet in contagion. But shall we make the welkin dance indeed? Shall we rouse the night owl in a catch that will draw three souls out of one weaver? Shall we do that?

– William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Act 2, Scene 3. Tony and Andrew are partying it up with Feste, whom they compliment for his sweet voice and catchy song.

Have you no wit, manners, nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night?

– William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Act 2, Scene 3. When merrymakers Sir Toby and Sir Andrew get rowdy in Olivia’s house, her stewart Malvolio asks them if they are mad and admonishes them. And he compares them to tinkers, suggesting they are acting like bad-mannered commoners instead of noble men. Later Sir Toby turns the tables and gets revenge on Malvolio by making him appear mad in the company of Olivia.

Go, Sir Andrew. Scout me for him at the corner the orchard like a bum-baily. So soon as ever thou seest him, draw, and as thou draw’st, swear horrible; for it comes to pass oft that a terrible oath, with a swaggering accent sharply twanged off, gives manhood more approbation than ever proof itself would have earned him. Away!

– William Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Act 3, Scene 4. After Sir Toby talks Sir Andrew into a duel with Cesario (Viola) to win Olivia’s love, he goes on to confuse the notion of “manhood” with swaggering and swearing behavior.
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