FFW II.v.143-145

Malvolio has found the letter that the maid Maria has planted for him when he says, "...and yet to crush it a little, it would bow to me..." and is trying to figure out who the letter was meant for. By saying he could crush it a little, he means switch around the letters to fit into his name, meaning that the letter was for him. To crush something is to be harsh to it, and force it do what he wants it to. This would be the kind of leader Malvolio would be on Olivia's court because he would be a very controlling leader just like he wants to control what the letter says. It would "bow" to him because it would be saying what he wants it to say. M.O.A.I are the four letters that Maria wrote on the letter, that Malvolio is trying to rearrange into his name. Of course since it is a trick the letters are supposed to yield the result Malvolio is trying to force out of it... however, not from the right writer.