Discuss the role and dramatic significance of Maria in the play as a whole.

Maria is Olivia's gentlewoman-maid, a witty, wily woman who has some affection for Sir Toby. It is she who resolves to get revenge on Malvolio, after he embarrasses the party; she claims to have handwriting like Olivia's, and will use that gift to trick Malvolio. She is actually a good-natured woman, though she loves a good joke, and holds her own with the "boys"‹Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Feste.

Maria is a central figure in Lady Olivia's household. She teams up with other characters to play jokes on Malvolio, and at the end of the play, she gets her own happy ending.­Maria is a central figure in Lady Olivia's household. She teams up with other characters to play jokes on Malvolio, and at the end of the play, she gets her own happy ending.Maria is a central figure in Lady Olivia's household. Maria appears charming, witty, clever, fearless, and highly intelligent. Clearly, she is a foil to the bumbling Sir Toby and Sir Andrew and the crass and sanctimonious Puritan, Malvolio.Maria is the character, who with great wit and cunning, orchestrates the practical joke upon the Johnsonian personnage of Malvolio.

Maria is as cheif character in a play among all co characters in her team, including sir Toby ,Andrew , and Malvolio . She is quite intelligent ,broad minded girl as smart girl should be . she doesn't have a respect of waiting -maid in the house of olivia's house but she holds the respect of firend in view of Olivia and the family member of that house in view of strange as viola ( cesario ) fails to consider her a maid but viola considers her might a family member after looking at her dressing. Maria plays vital role in play such as she was not jokester by her nature but she has to put the joke before Olivia all the time so that Olivia can come out from the sorrow of loss of her brother.