The play, Twelfth Night, is not just about falling in love and making jokes. Beneath all this happiness and laughter lies a considerable amount of hurt and suffering.
The Duke Orsino of Illyria suffers from unrequited love. He is in love with Lady Olivia but she has no intention of getting together with him. Duke Orsino lives in a fantasy world where Lady Olivia and he are together and happy. Towards the end of Twelfth Night, Orsino feels betrayed by Cesario, his messenger.
Lady Olivia is in mourning, for seven years, for her brother. She refuses to have anything to do with Duke Orsino. Her sadness and mourning ends when she falls in love with Duke Orsino's messenger, Cesario.
Viola, who works for Duke Orsino as Cesario is in mourning for her brother, Sebastian. She is hurt because she is love with Duke Orsino but cannot reveal this. She is hurt even further because Duke Orsino makes her his messenger to speak to Lady Olivia, to win her over for him.
Antonio trusted Sebastian and left all of his money with him. Antonio feels betrayed and hurt when who he thinks is Sebastian but is instead Viola, tells him that he knows nothing about his money.
Malvolio is hurt in a very big way. When Maria, Sir Toby and Sir Andrew play a practical joke on him, he makes a fool of himself and his ego hits rock bottom.
Throughout Twelfth Night, love and sadness go hand in hand with each other.
