Even though there was very little scenery, the feeling of immense emotional
tension and confusion that is present in the play. Even the costumes were unimportant,
because the actions and the words of the actors were the meat of the scene. Indignant
voices, hands thrown into the air and violent wheeling around were all examples of the
actions that could have been made by the actors. The vital characteristics of a scene are
the characters themselves. If the actors remain unseen throughout the scene, and only the
characters shine through, the true emotions and thoughts of the scene are felt by the
audience. Despite his inability to control weather patterns, Shakespeare was able to
develop emotional scenes which he displayed in his own theater, The Globe.
Role of Fate
Fate didn’t seem to play a very big role in Much ado About Nothing. The only
possible examples of fate are the two pairs of lovers; Claudio and Hero, and Beatrice and
Bene*censored*. Both pairs of lovers seemed destined to get married form the start.
Relevance of the Work to the Present Time
One of the best representatives of modern day values in any of Shakespeare’s
plays is Beatrice. Her character touches on the current social ideas that encourage greater
and self-assertiveness for women that has been traditional for women of the western
world. Beatrice’s characteristics would be greatly respected in today’s society. She is
witty, strong, straight forward, humorous, and at the same time, a genuinely nice person.
The traditional woman of the Elizabethan period, especially of Beatrice’s class, is better
represented by her cousin Hero; the naive, chaste, and quiet young woman of whom
Beatrice is extremely Beatrice is extremely protective. Beatrice is as cunning and forward
as Hero is shy.
Diction, Grammar, and Language Style
Much Ado About Nothing is a play that is big on puns. One of the most
significant puns we come across, “Note notes, forsooth, and nothing!” (II,iii,57) ‘Nothing ‘
is meant to be pronounced ‘noting’. Noting is also used to mean observe, and throughout
the play each character at sometime is required to observe and judge, and most characters
judge poorly. It is this deception which plays a large part in these misjudgments, and
therefore meaning that this story is based upon mis-noting. It is this mis-noting that
builds the idea of deception versus reality within the play.
Author’s Ideas
In Much Ado About Nothing, love is the major subject discussed by the author,
which is presented to the readers. The author does not give a direct answer to this
question – he lets the reader find it and think about it from his or her own point of view.
Quote #1
Bene*censored*: God keep your ladyship in that mind! [Beatrice had just
sworn off getting married] So some gentleman or other shall ‘scape a
predestinate scratched face.
Beatrice: Scratching could not make it worse, an ‘twere such a face as
yours.
In this battle of words with Bena*censored*, Beatrice puts up a noble fight, even though
she is eventually put on the defense by Bene*censored*. But while Bene*censored* has the last word
this time, Beatrice ends the conversation by saying (aside), for the benefit of the
audience, that this war of words is nothing new. It’s quite obvious from the start, from
the way that they argue, that Beatrice and Bene*censored* really do love each other and will
end up getting married.
Quote #2
Bene*censored*: A miracle! Here’s our own hands against our hearts. Come, I
will have thee [Beatrice], but buy this light I take thee for pity.
Beatrice: I would not deny you, but by this good day, I yield upon great
persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told you were in a
consumption.
Bene*censored* and Beatrice find out that they both learnt about their passion from
other people at the same time. Claudio first presents Beatrice with a love poem written
by Bene*censored*. Then Hero gives Bene*censored* a love poem that Beatrice wrote for him.
Bene*censored* and Beatrice realize that they both fell for the joke. They do not deny that they
love each other, but they both understand that it is not the passionate love they feel
towards each other. Beatrice says that she loves Bene*censored* “truly, but in friendly
recompense”.
Quote #3
Claudio: If I see anything tonight why I should not marry her, tomorrow in
the congregation, where I should wed, there will I shame her.
In this passage Claudio threatens that if he does see Hero in another man’s arms,
that he will publicly shame her at their wedding tomorrow. Later that evening, Claudio
witnesses the encounter between “Hero” (who is really Margret and Borachio. The day
after, Claudio publicly accuses Hero in adultery and refuses to marry her. Hero is
shocked so much that she faints during that scene. So, “the love from the first sight”,
between Claudio and Hero has been destroyed so easily; only by a scene set up by Don
John. Only selfishness is seen in this speech. Claudio publicly accuses Hero in cheating
on him without trying to talk to her first. And even if she did cheat on him, why would
he want to hurt her so much? This aspect presents the fact that he probably loves
himself, but not Hero. It’s easy then, to doubt whether the love was ever real between the
two characters characters. Why did it take so little effort to influence them?
Bibliography
Sources
Buckler, John; Hill, Bennet D.; McKay, John P.; A History of Western Society; pgs
485-562; Houghton Miffin Company; 1999
Hieatt, A. Kent; William Shakespeare; Encarta 98; 1998
Shakespeare, William; Much Ado About Nothing; Bantam Books; New York, New York;
1993
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