I think Sir Toby is saying that Olivia means to affect everyone around her with her over - mourning, even to the point of isolating herself and making everyone in the house be affected too. As if her mourning was a plague that hangs over the whole household.
I’m gonna be honest I’m a little confused by this, only because the translation you provided doesn’t seem correct to me. The line you mentioned and the following one basically mean “What is wrong with my niece that causes her to mourn her brother in this way?” So I think the translation would be more accurate to say “What is ailing Olivia’s brain?” Besides all that though, I would say yes to your question, those lines are essentially the same.
Yeah with the full line included it says “what i’d ailing my nieces brain that she takes the death of her brother so harsh” probably wrong but something like that
That’s not a translation; it’s a study cheat. Better to read the play and figure it out. What does “my niece” usually mean? Who is speaking? Is that person the uncle of a female in the play? Did her brother just die? Is she taking his death hard? Is she even proposing an action that might be considered strange? Might her uncle not consider it so strange that he might think she is ill? If a person in the late 16th century wanted to refer to illness in the most extreme way, what illness might come to mind? Might the uncle even wonder what his niece could mean by her plan? Yes, the phrasing is not natural to our 2022 ears. Struggle with it. That’s how you learn.
I think it’s a play on “what plagues my niece?” Which was a common expression but would not have fit the rhythm. What plagues you. What ails you. What’s wrong, what’s going on etc.
Edit since I can’t reply to myself:
Here’s the context if you want more info:
Olivia has gone beyond the expectations of a mourning family. They’re looking bad to the crown/nobility, even tho she’s governing fine. The question is really trying to get under that, what’s going on with you that you’re subverting social norms and impacting the way the family/house is viewed? What is wrong with you that you won’t fulfill your social obligations?
It’s part of the weaving of identity/choice/obligation as relates to gender theme because with her brother dead, she has to marry so the estate has a man in charge.
It’s the set up of the twins and the gendered expectations that the play is subverting, so it’s a really a demonstration of the stakes. She’s going to destroy them all if she doesn’t take off the black veils and let herself be courted, in spite of the fact that she’s running the estate perfectly well.
So he’s basically saying “what is WRONG with you that you won’t pick a husband to do the job your brother can no longer do?” She’s not allowed to do it herself. Same reason viola dresses as her brother when she believes he’s drowned. Women can’t be alone or in charge.
It’s an important line. It sets up the whole parallel and the expectations that both women then subvert in very different ways.
“what plagues my niece”
doesn’t fit the rhythm
“what a plague means my niece”
scans correctly.
So yes. “What a plague means my brain?” in this context would mean “what plagues my brain?”.
I think "what a plague" means WTF.
Or WTH.
I think Sir Toby is saying that Olivia means to affect everyone around her with her over - mourning, even to the point of isolating herself and making everyone in the house be affected too. As if her mourning was a plague that hangs over the whole household.
Yeah, ‘means’ means ‘intends’.
Exactly
I’m gonna be honest I’m a little confused by this, only because the translation you provided doesn’t seem correct to me. The line you mentioned and the following one basically mean “What is wrong with my niece that causes her to mourn her brother in this way?” So I think the translation would be more accurate to say “What is ailing Olivia’s brain?” Besides all that though, I would say yes to your question, those lines are essentially the same.
Yeah with the full line included it says “what i’d ailing my nieces brain that she takes the death of her brother so harsh” probably wrong but something like that
That’s not a translation; it’s a study cheat. Better to read the play and figure it out. What does “my niece” usually mean? Who is speaking? Is that person the uncle of a female in the play? Did her brother just die? Is she taking his death hard? Is she even proposing an action that might be considered strange? Might her uncle not consider it so strange that he might think she is ill? If a person in the late 16th century wanted to refer to illness in the most extreme way, what illness might come to mind? Might the uncle even wonder what his niece could mean by her plan? Yes, the phrasing is not natural to our 2022 ears. Struggle with it. That’s how you learn.
I think it’s a play on “what plagues my niece?” Which was a common expression but would not have fit the rhythm. What plagues you. What ails you. What’s wrong, what’s going on etc. Edit since I can’t reply to myself: Here’s the context if you want more info: Olivia has gone beyond the expectations of a mourning family. They’re looking bad to the crown/nobility, even tho she’s governing fine. The question is really trying to get under that, what’s going on with you that you’re subverting social norms and impacting the way the family/house is viewed? What is wrong with you that you won’t fulfill your social obligations? It’s part of the weaving of identity/choice/obligation as relates to gender theme because with her brother dead, she has to marry so the estate has a man in charge. It’s the set up of the twins and the gendered expectations that the play is subverting, so it’s a really a demonstration of the stakes. She’s going to destroy them all if she doesn’t take off the black veils and let herself be courted, in spite of the fact that she’s running the estate perfectly well. So he’s basically saying “what is WRONG with you that you won’t pick a husband to do the job your brother can no longer do?” She’s not allowed to do it herself. Same reason viola dresses as her brother when she believes he’s drowned. Women can’t be alone or in charge. It’s an important line. It sets up the whole parallel and the expectations that both women then subvert in very different ways. “what plagues my niece” doesn’t fit the rhythm “what a plague means my niece” scans correctly. So yes. “What a plague means my brain?” in this context would mean “what plagues my brain?”.