What role does the 'Letter' play in the dramatic irony of 'Twelfth Night' regarding Malvolio?
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Correct answer: The audience knows Maria wrote the letter, but Malvolio thinks it is from Olivia
The audience watches Maria plant the forged letter and then observes Malvolio discover it and act on its instructions. The comedy arises from watching a pompous man eagerly follow a trick he believes is Olivia's genuine expression of love.
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