Lunacy , Instability, and Delirium

Viola: I am the man.
I am the man. Viola, however, really isn't a man. She is basically saying that Olivia has chosen her to be her husband. The irony is that Viola is a woman. She says "Fortune forbid my outside have not charmed her." She realizes that her disguise has fooled Olivia so well, that she thinks Viola is a man. It's comical because of the whole love triangle. Viola loves Orsino, Orsino loves Olivia, and Olivia loves Viol who she thinks is Cesario. Viola quite literally is the man!

Malvolio: ...and yet to crush it a little, it would bow to me...
Here Malvolio is talking about the letters M, O, A, I in Olivia's letter. He sees that all these letters are in his name. They are not in the order of which is name is spelled so he tries to rearrange them so they fit his name. He believes it is a sign that Olivia is referring to him in her letter but it is really Maria just being clever. It was in her plan all along. Even with the smallest chance that the letters represent him, Malvolio is happy to go along with it because his hopes for himself are so high.

Viola: Then think you right. I am not what I am.
Olivia: I would you were as I would have you be.
Both these statements have double meanings which just adds to the lunacy in Illyria. Olivia thinks Viola is saying "I am not the right man for you." In reality, Viola really means "you think I'm a man but I'm really a woman so you don't want to marry me. Olivia's statement can also be viewed in two ways. In her line she is saying that she wants Viola to be her husband. It could also be looked at as if she wants Viola to be a man. That would only be from the audiences point of view because Olivia doesn't know that Viola is a woman.